Play ball!
Four former Appalachian State players will begin their minor-league seasons tonight, all having moved up the ladder from last season.
Pitcher Zach Quate is with the Charlotte Stone Crabs in the high-Class A Florida State League. The three others will begin the season in the low-A South Atlantic League. Pitcher Josh Dowdy is with the Delmarva Shorebirds, right fielder David Rubinstein with the West Virginia Power and center fielder Rand Smith with the Greensboro Grasshoppers.
Quate, a 14th-round pick of the Tampa Bay Rays in 2009, allowed just one earned run in 26 innings pitched for Hudson Valley of the short-season New York-Penn League last season. He converted all 13 of his save opportunities.
Dowdy, a 38th-round pick of the Baltimore Orioles in 2009, split time between Bluefield of the rookie Appalachian League and Aberdeen of the New York-Penn league last season, going 3-3 with a 2.61 earned-run average.
Rubinstein was an 11th round pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2008. He played in 65 games last season for State College of the New York-Penn League, batting .267 and had three home runs and 36 RBIs.
Smith, from Bolivia, N.C., will begin the season in his home state. The Greensboro Grasshoppers open the season at home tonight against Augusta. Smith, a 20th-round pick of the Florida Marlins in 2009, hit .305 for Jamestown of the New York-Penn League last season and was named to the league’s all-star team.
Three other former ASU players, all of whom played in the minor leagues last season, didn’t make rosters this season. Pitcher Jason Rook was released by the Orioles after last season. Pitcher Garrett Sherrill and second baseman Isaac Harrow were released by Milwaukee Brewers and New York Yankees during spring training.