Tag: Louisville Bats

Nick Senzel records two hits in rehab assignment

Former Vol Nick Senzel records two hits in rehab assignment.

Former Vol Nick Senzel began a rehab assignment with the Louisville Bats of the International League Tuesday.

He went 2-for-3, recording one run, in Louisville’s 18-7 loss to the St. Paul Saints at Louisville Slugger Field in Louisville, Kentucky.

Senzel, who was placed on the injured list by the Reds due to knee soreness, started at third base for the Bats, Cincinnati’s Triple-A affiliate.

Senzel has recorded a .258 batting average for Cincinnati this season, while totaling four home runs, 27 RBIs, eight doubles, 22 runs and four stolen bases.

He played for the Vols from 2016-19 and was an All-SEC performer and and All-America standout.

Senzel was a first-round pick by the Reds in the 2019 MLB draft (No. 2 overall).

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Reds catcher Chris Okey had a priceless reaction to being promoted after 6 years in the minors

This was so cool.

Life in the minor leagues isn’t for the faint of heart. The less-than-ideal travel and housing accommodations are only tolerated by those who either have a severe love of baseball or, more likely, have a dream of eventually getting called to The Show.

Catcher Chris Okey became one of the few minor leaguers to have that dream come true Friday when the Cincinnati Reds promoted him from their Triple-A affiliate in Louisville. And cameras were there to catch the moment he found out.

You can almost see the relief come over the 27-year-old Okey, who has bounced around the team’s minor league system for six years since being selected in the second round of the 2016 draft.

“If I had the mic, I would drop it. Because Oke, you’re going to the big leagues,” the team’s skipper said, drawing a huge celebration.

Because of the grind of the minors and how long it can take some players to reach the bigs, moments like this – and when Orioles prospect Adley Rutschman was called up – are always fun to see, because the emotions are so genuine.

But while Rutschman was almost a guarantee to get the call, Okey wasn’t. That makes his moment all the more special. He’ll replace Tyler Stephenson on the Reds roster after the catcher placed on the 10-day injured list with a broken thumb.

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Former Tiger makes history on memorable night

A former Clemson standout made history on a memorable night at the ballpark Saturday. Former Tiger catcher Chris Okey, who is a member of the Louisville Bats – the Cincinnati Reds’ Triple-A Affiliate – hit for the cycle in the Bats’ 11-3 victory …

A former Clemson standout made history on a memorable night at the ballpark Saturday.

Former Tiger catcher Chris Okey, who is a member of the Louisville Bats — the Cincinnati Reds’ Triple-A Affiliate — hit for the cycle in the Bats’ 11-3 victory over the Gwinnett Stripers on Saturday night at Coolray Field in Lawrenceville, Ga.

Okey became just the seventh player in Triple-A Louisville history to hit for the cycle after he reached on an infield single in the second inning, hit a triple in the sixth inning, bashed a three-run home run over the left-field wall an inning later and then completed the feat by knocking a double in the ninth frame.

Okey finished with the four hits in Saturday’s contest and drove in five runs. He now owns a .242/.309/.435 slash line with seven extra-base hits, 10 runs scored, nine RBIs and six walks across 22 games this season.

Okey was drafted in the second round (No. 43 overall pick) by the Cincinnati Reds and signed in June 2016 following his junior season at Clemson during which he was a Johnny Bench Award semifinalist as well as a first-team All-American by NCBWA, second-team All-American by Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball and Perfect Game and third-team All-American by College Sports Madness and D1Baseball.

At Clemson from 2014-16, Okey was a career .301 hitter with a .504 slugging percentage and .392 on-base percentage in 186 games (186 starts) over three seasons. He had 41 doubles, four triples, 31 homers, 172 RBIs, 138 runs, 100 walks, 12 hit-by-pitches and 10 steals, and he started 143 consecutive games at catcher to end his career.

Okey was a two-time Johnny Bench Award semifinalist, two-time, first-team All-American and two-time, First-Team All-ACC selection.

–Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images 

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