Baseball Summer Update: August 29, 2016

Former Bradley OF Mike Tauchman was named the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes Defensive Player of the Year Sunday

Albuquerque Isotopes

Bobby Parker, Associate AD for Communications Baseball 8/29/2016 7:57:00 AM

Former Bradley outfielder Mike Tauchman, the 2013 NCAA batting champion and Joe Carter MVC Player of the Year, was recognized for his defensive play Sunday by being named the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes Defensive Player of the Year, highlighting the latest update of 10 former Bradley Baseball players playing professionally this summer.

Elliot Ashbeck (2013-15), RHP
Lake Elsinore Storm (SD), Class A Advanced California League
Ashbeck suffered a season-ending arm injury earlier this season and has not pitched since May 7, when he allowed one unearned run in 3.1 innings of his first appearance at Lake Elsinore. In six outings for the Fort Wayne TinCaps, Ashbeck was 2-1 with a 1.71 ERA. In his seven appearances overall in 2016, Ashbeck was 2-2 with a 1.48 ERA.

Joe Bircher (2009-12), LHP
Sioux Falls Canaries, American Association of Independent Professional Baseball
Bircher struck out nine in 7.0 innings Saturday, earning his fifth win of the season when Sioux Falls rallied for a 5-4 win at Fargo. The former Bradley left-hander improved to 5-6 on the season and ran his season strikeouts total to an even 100, good for sixth in the American Association, while his 2.70 season earned run average ranks fifth in the league.

Matt Dennis (2014-16), RHP
Grand Junction Rockies (COL), Rookie Pioneer League
Dennis made two relief appearances last week with mixed results. The former Bradley right-hander earned the win in Monday's 5-4 victory versus Idaho Falls by retiring all six batters he faced to close out the game. Two nights later at Ogden, Dennis allowed an unearned run in the ninth inning, allowing the hosts to rally for an eventual 11-10 victory in 10 innings. Dennis begins the final full week of the Pioneer League regular season with a 5-2 record and 2.81 ERA in 19 outings this summer.

Chris Godinez (2012-15), IF
Staten Island Yankees (NYY), Class A Short Season New York-Penn League
Although listed as "Active," Godinez has not played since Aug. 13, when he was 0-for-1 as the starting shortstop at State College. Batting .205 in 24 games at Staten Island, Godinez had reached base safely in 19 of his previous 20 games between Charleston and Staten Island and in his first eight games after returning to Staten Island from Charleston, Godinez was 5-for-19 with five walks and five hit-by-pitches.

Jason Leblebijian (2010-12), IF
New Hampshire Fisher Cats (TOR), Double-A Eastern League
Leblebijian's 8-game hitting streak ended Tuesday when he was 0-for-2 with two walks, but he came right back by going 2-for-5 with a triple Thursday at Portland. He added another multiple-hits game Friday by going 2-for-4 with two doubles at Reading and he begins the week batting .296 in 69 games for the Double-A Fisher Cats. Leblebijian also ranks second for New Hampshire with a .822 OPS.

Tyler Leffler (2013-16), IF
West Virginia Black Bears (PIT), Class A Short Season New York-Penn League
Earning a spot in the everyday lineup in the last week, Leffler ran his hitting streak to six games before his run was snapped Friday when he executed two sacrifice bunts in an 0-for-2 outing. Despite his recent run of success, Leffler did not play in either of the weekend games at Mahoning Valley and with eight games remaining in the NYP season, the former Bradley shortstop is batting .246 in his 17 games.

Max Murphy (2012-14), OF
Fort Myers Miracle (MIN), Class A Advanced Florida State League
Murphy broke out of a mini-slump by going 1-for-3 with a double, a sacrifice fly and a run scored in Sunday's 5-1 win at Jupiter. Murphy enters the final week of the FSL season batting .272 with five home runs in 44 games at Fort Myers.

Cameron Roegner (2012-16), LHP
Helena Brewers (MIL), Rookie Pioneer League
In his lone outing of the week, Roegner worked the final 3.0 innings of Thursday's 8-5 loss at Great Falls without allowing a run. The lefty hurler struck out three and allowed two hits in his 3.0 innings after the Voyagers touched Helena's first two pitchers for eight runs on 12 hits in the first 6.0 innings. In his eight outings in the Pioneer League alternating between starts and relief appearances, Roegner is 1-3 with a 4.33 ERA.

Rob Scahill (2006-09), RHP
Milwaukee Brewers, Major League Baseball
Facing his former team (Pittsburgh) over the weekend, Scahill combined to work 1.2 innings of scoreless relief against the Bucs, including a scoreless ninth inning in Sunday's 3-1 loss. For the season, Scahill has appeared in 24 games at the Major League level this season, 15 for Pittsburgh (4.41 ERA) and nine for Milwaukee (3.72). Overall, he does not have a decision and sports a 4.15 ERA in his fifth season in the Majors.

Mike Tauchman (2010-13), OF
Albuquerque Isotopes (COL), Triple-A Pacific Coast League
Prior to their final home game of the season Sunday, the Albuquerque Isotopes announced their annual Players' Choice Awards and former Bradley OF Mike Tauchman was selected the team's Defensive Player of the Year in a vote by his teammates. Tauchman also has been swinging a hot bat for the Isotopes of late and ran his hitting streak to 16 games Sunday by leading off the fifth inning with a single and he added a RBI groundout later in the 9-4 loss to El Paso. With nine games remaining in the PCL regular season, Tauchman is batting .278 with 22 doubles.

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