Tag: Spring Training

Ben Joyce records two strikeouts versus Team USA

Former Vol Ben Joyce records two strikeouts versus Team USA.

Team USA defeated the Angels, 6-0, Thursday in spring training at Tempe Diablo Stadium in Tempe, Arizona.

The contest is in preparation for the World Baseball Classic for Team USA.

Former Vol Ben Joyce pitched one inning for Los Angeles. He recorded two strikeouts, while not allowing a hit, walk or run.

Joyce was selected by the Angels in the third round (No. 89 overall) of the 2022 MLB draft.

He appeared in 27 games and started one contest in 2022 for the Vols. Joyce (2-1) totaled 53 strikeouts in 32.1 innings pitched during the 2022 campaign.

2022 Tennessee baseball: Ben Joyce by the numbers

Two former Vols are standout prospects in 2023 spring training

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Trey Lipscomb records first hit in spring training with Nationals

Former Vol Trey Lipscomb records first hit in spring training with the Nationals.

Former Vol Trey Lispcomb debuted with Washington in spring training on Tuesday.

He served as a pinch hitter in the Nationals’, 5-3, win versus Miami on Tuesday. Lipscomb walked in his only at-bat.

The former Vol made his second spring training appearance Wednesday in Washington’s, 2-1, loss versus Detroit. Lipscomb went 1-for-2 in the contest, recording his first hit during spring training.

Lipscomb was selected by Washington in the third round (No. 84 overall) in the 2022 MLB draft.

He appeared in 66 games for the Vols in 2022. Lipscomb totaled 22 home runs, 84 RBIs, 68 runs, 89 hits, 19 doubles, three triples, 26 walks and four stolen bases at Tennessee during the 2022 campaign.

PHOTOS: Tennessee’s 2022 baseball season

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Two former Vols are standout prospects in 2023 spring training

Two former Tennessee baseball players are standout prospects in 2023 spring training.

Spring training started Feb. 24 ahead of the 2023 Major League Baseball season.

Two former Vols have been named as standout prospects during spring training by MLB.com.

Andre Lipcius was named as a standout prospect for the Tigers.

The former Vol was a third-round draft pick by Detroit in the 2019 MLB draft. Lipcius played shortstop and third base at Tennessee from 2017-19.

Ben Joyce was named as a standout prospect for the Angels.

Joyce was selected by the Angels in the third round (No. 89 overall) of the 2022 MLB draft.

He appeared in 27 games and started one contest in 2022 for the Vols. Joyce (2-1) totaled 53 strikeouts in 32.1 innings pitched during the 2022 campaign.

2022 Tennessee baseball: Ben Joyce by the numbers

The former third-round Draft pick and nuclear engineering major at Tennessee caught the organization’s attention with his plate discipline and extra-base power between Double-A Eerie and Triple-A Toledo. Those qualities have carried over to his first Major League camp, where he has put up tough at-bats while also showing some opportunistic power. He won’t make the Opening Day roster, barring something crazy. But with third base in flux, he could put himself in position to get an in-season call if the Tigers need help. — Jason Beck on Lipcius

Joyce first turned heads in college when he threw a 105.5 mph fastball with the University of Tennessee. He fared well at Double-A last season after the Angels took him in the third round of the 2022 Draft. Joyce, 22, has impressed in his first taste of Major League camp, showcasing his elite velocity as well as his two sliders. He’s thrown two scoreless innings and the Angels had him face the heart of the Royals’ order on Thursday to see what he could do against Major League hitters. Joyce has a chance to make the bullpen but the Angels could have him work on his control in the Minors before calling him up later this season. — Rhett Bollinger on Joyce

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Kenta Maeda’s PitchCom inadvertently tipped off Rays batters in a spring training game

PitchCom’s ability to prevent sign stealing has an obvious fatal flaw

PitchCom has seemingly taken over baseball, with more and more teams not only using the electronic signal device to help pitchers and catchers communicate without signs, but allowing pitchers to call their own games on the mound.

The device has proven extraordinarily useful for some. There’s just one potentially huge problem teams are going to have to monitor: the volume level on the corresponding earpiece. Minnesota Twins starter Kenta Maeda learned this the hard way on Thursday in a spring exhibition against the Tampa Bay Rays — though it didn’t impact his performance.

Per the Associated Press:

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said the PitchCom device catcher Tony Wolters was using was loud enough for Tampa Bay Rays hitters to hear every pitch that was called. Plate umpire Brennan Miller heard them all through the wireless system used by pitchers and catchers to communicate.

Maeda still threw two scoreless innings, allowing two hits. He struck out two and walked one.

“I said, ‘Nicely done. By the way, something to note, they knew every pitch that was coming,”’ Baldelli said.

It’s probably not a great sign for the Rays that they still couldn’t manufacture any runs despite knowing what pitches were coming, but that also speaks to Maeda’s ability to work effectively.

PitchCom audibly tells the pitcher and catcher which pitch is coming next. It was theoretically meant to help cutdown on sign stealing across the game.

Now teams will have to worry about coms sharing instead.

Still, it’s much better to have this problem in March than April and beyond. Maybe it’ll even lead to fans trying to stay as quiet as possible when the home team is batting in order to help them hear better.

Or maybe players will just learn to turn down the volume next time.

Ben Joyce records strikeout in second spring training appearance

Former Vol Ben Joyce records one strikeout in second spring training appearance.

Kansas City (6-1) defeated the Angels (4-2), 8-4, Thursday at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona.

Former Tennessee pitcher Ben Joyce made his second spring training appearance for Los Angeles.

Joyce pitched one inning, recording one strikeout, while surrendering one hit and two walks.

Joyce was selected by the Angels in the third round (No. 89 overall) of the 2022 Major League Baseball draft.

He appeared in 27 games and started one contest in 2022 for the Vols. Joyce (2-1) totaled 53 strikeouts in 32.1 innings pitched during the 2022 campaign.

Joyce played 13 games, recording 20 strikeouts, for the Rocket City Trash Pandas after being drafted. The Trash Pandas compete in the Southern League and are a Double-A affiliate of the Angels.

2022 Tennessee baseball: Ben Joyce by the numbers

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Jorel Ortega debuts in spring training with Twins

Former Vol Jorel Ortega debuts in spring training with the Twins.

Former Vol Jorel Ortega debuted with the Twins during spring training.

Ortega went 0-for-2 versus Tampa Bay on Feb. 25. He went 0-for-1 versus the Red Sox on Feb. 27.

Ortega was selected in the sixth round (No. 174 overall) of the 2022 MLB draft by Minnesota.

He played for the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels and FCL Twins in 2022 after being drafted. The Mighty Mussels are a Single-A affiliate of Minnesota located in Fort Myers, Florida.

Ortega appeared in 66 games during the 2022 season at Tennessee. The former Vol recorded 18 home runs, 61 RBIs, 57 runs, 76 hits, 20 doubles, four triples, 25 walks and three stolen bases in 2022.

Tennessee won the Southeastern Conference East division for the second consecutive season, the league regular season and tournament championships in 2022.

Jordan Beck debuts in spring training with Rockies

Former Vol Jordan Beck debuts in spring training with the Rockies.

Former Vol Jordan Beck debuted with Colorado in spring training on Tuesday.

Beck went 0-for-1 in the Rockies’ loss to Texas at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona.

Beck was selected by Colorado (No. 38 overall) in the 2022 Major League Baseball draft.

After being drafted, he was assigned to ACL Rockies of the Arizona Complex League Aug. 4, 2022. ACL Rockies advanced to the ACL championship series against ACL Giants Black.

Beck was assigned to the Fresno Grizzlies in the California League Aug. 30, 2022. Fresno played in the California League championship series against Lake Elsinore.

Beck recorded 18 home runs, 61 RBIs, 70 runs, 75 hits, 15 doubles, three triples, 37 walks and six stolen bases in 66 games during the 2022 season at Tennessee.

He played in 67 games, while making 66 starts as a sophomore in 2021.

Beck played 16 games as a freshman in 2020, making 10 starts for the Vols. The 2020 season ended prematurely due to the coronavirus pandemic after 17 games.

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Ben Joyce records two strikeouts in spring training debut with Angels

Former Vol Ben Joyce records two strikeouts in spring training debut with the Angels.

The Angels (2-0) defeated the White Sox (0-2), 7-0, Sunday at Tempe Diablo Stadium in Tempe, Arizona.

Former Tennessee pitcher Ben Joyce made his spring training debut for the Angels. The former Vol pitched one inning, recording two strikeouts, while not allowing a hit, walk or run.

Joyce was selected by the Los Angeles Angels in the third round (No. 89 overall) of the 2022 Major League Baseball draft.

He appeared in 27 games and started one contest in 2022 for the Vols. Joyce (2-1) totaled 53 strikeouts in 32.1 innings pitched during the 2022 campaign.

Joyce played 13 games, recording 20 strikeouts, for the Rocket City Trash Pandas after being drafted. The Trash Pandas compete in the Southern League and are a Double-A affiliate of the Angels.

2022 Tennessee baseball: Ben Joyce by the numbers

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Nick Senzel records three hits for Reds

Former Vol Nick Senzel records three hits for the Reds.

Former University of Tennessee baseball player Nick Senzel recorded three hits and one RBI for the Reds on Friday.

The Los Angeles Angels defeated Cincinnati, 7-6, during spring training at Tempe Diablo Stadium in Tempe, Arizona.

Senzel started in center field for the Reds and went 3-for-4.

Senzel played for Tennessee from 2014-16. He led the Southeastern Conference with 25 doubles and was nominated for the Golden Spikes Award in 2016.

Senzel was selected by Cincinnati with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 MLB draft. He made his Major League debut for the Reds in 2019.

He has a career batting average of .246, recording 15 home runs and 58 RBIs.

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Garrett Crochet records strikeout in fifth 2022 spring training appearance

Former Vol Garrett Crochet records strikeout in fifth 2022 spring training appearance.

Former Vol and Chicago White Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet recorded one strikeout Thursday in a spring training game.

Crochet pitched 0.1 innings in the White Sox’s, 8-2, win against Cincinnati at Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Arizona.

He has appeared in five games during spring training, recording eight strikeouts in 4.1 innings.

Chicago will play Oakland on Friday. First pitch is slated for 4:05 p.m. EDT.

Crochet was drafted by the White Sox in the 2020 Major League Baseball draft, selected with the No. 11 overall pick.

He played for the Vols from 2018-20, appearing in 36 games. The former Vol was 10-9 and recorded 149 strikeouts during his career at Tennessee.

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