South Atlantic League (A)

Alumni playing in the South Atlantic League: 11
Most Numerous Team: Hickory Crawdads (2), Delmarva Shorebirds (2), Kannapolis Intimidators (2)

In the South Atlantic League, Matt Wickswat (Big Train '06) started and pitched five innings of a seven-inning combined no-hitter for the Kannapolis Intimidators on August 20.

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Buch performed well in 2010, earning a mid-season promotion from the Bristol White Sox of the Appalachian League to the Class-A Kannapolis Intimidators. For the White Sox, Buch went 2-1, 3.45 in four starts with 20 strikeouts and just three walks in 22 innings. He allowed six runs on 14 hits, three of which were home runs. Opponents hit just .182 off of him. Buch then went 5-3, 3.13 in ten starts and 14 relief appearances for the Intimidators. He also collected one save. For Kannapolis, Buch struck out 61 batters and walked 26 in 72 innings. He allowed 33 runs (25 earned) on 61 hits, but only allowed one home run after his promotion. Sally League opponents hit .230 off of him.

Buch began his professional career in 2009 as a reliever for the Great Falls Voyagers of the Pioneer League. He appeared in 16 games, going 1-2, 3.38 with 29 strikeouts in 21.1 innings. Buch allowed eight earned runs on 13 hits and 21 walks, and held opponents to a .183 batting average. He did not allow an earned run in any of his final five appearances in 2009.

In his first full professional season, Bumbry hit .263/.337/.406 for the Delmarva Shorebirds of the Sally League. He collected 98 hits in 372 at-bats, including 23 doubles, a team-high nine triples, and four home runs. He knocked in 34 runs and scored 42 of his own. Bumbry walked 38 times and stole nine bases in 20 attempts, but struck out 131 times.

Bumbry hit .234/.342/.391 for the Aberdeen IronBirds of the New York-Penn League after being drafted by the Baltimore Orioles—the franchise his father Al played for from 1972 to 1984—in June. The younger Bumbry collected 30 hits, including eight doubles, three triples, and two home runs in 45 games for the IronBirds. He drove in 10 runs and scored 15, while drawing 20 walks. Bumbry struck out 55 times and stole five bases in eight tries.

A Top 10 prospect in the Red Sox organization heading into the season, Gibson struggled a bit in his third professional season, hitting .230/.321/.300 in 122 games for the Class-A Greenville Drive. He did collect 112 hits, including 22 doubles, three triples, and two home runs. Gibson also drove in 40 runs and scored 77 of his own (second most on the team) off of 61 walks and 39 stolen bases. He struck out 101 times and was caught stealing seven times.

Gibson was a mid-season All-Star for the Lowell Spinners of the New York-Penn League before earning and end-of-season promotion to the Greenville Drive of the South Atlantic League, where he joined fellow Ripken League alum Mitchell Herold. For Lowell, Gibson hit .290/.395/.380 with 74 hits, including 15 doubles and four troubles. He drove in 25 runs and scored 54. The infielder posted a nearly even walk to strikeout ratio, walking 39 times to 42 strikeouts. Winner of the Red Sox organizational "baserunner of the year" award, Gibson stole 28 bases and was caught just five times.

After a productive stint with the Rookie-Level Gulf Coast League Red Sox in 2008 (where he was named the league's 19th best prospect by Baseball America, Gibson was promoted to the Lowell Spinners of the Class-A Short-Season New York-Penn League. Gibson went 3-for-35 for the Spinners, but scored four runs and drove in three. He walked six times and stole two bases. With the GCL Red Sox, Gibson hit .309/.411/.394 with 29 hits, including six doubles, a triple, nine RBI, and 15 runs scored. He walked 14 times and stole 14 bases. Baseball America named Gibson the Fastest Baserunner in the Red Sox organization in 2008.

Helmick collected 62 hits in 283 at-bats (.219) for the Class-A Delmarva Shorebirds in 2010. He hit 15 doubles and four home runs, drove in 26 runs and scored 46. He walked 32 times to 55 strikeouts and stole 15 of 19 bases.

Helmick signed a free agent contract with the Baltimore Orioles in 2009 and reported first to the Bluefield Orioles of the Appalachian League. For Bluefield, Helmick collected 41 hits in 149 at-bats (.275), including 10 doubles, four triples, and four home runs. He drove in 13 runs and scored 31. He also stole five bases in eight attempts and posted an OPS of .822. His success at Bluefield earned him a promotion to the Delmarva Shorebirds of the Sally League, but Helmick had just one base hit (a double) in six games. He drove in one run and scored five. Overall in 2009, Helmick walked 21 times to 28 strikeouts.

Leonard debuted for the Danville Braves of the Appalachian League in 2010 before earning a promotion to the Rome Braves of the South Atlantic League. He hit .278/.333/.417 for Danville, with two doubles and a home run in ten quick games after signing his professional contract. He went 30-for-112 (.268) in 29 games with Rome. Leonard hit seven doubles, two triples, and three home runs for Rome, drove in 19 runs and scored 11. He walked six times and struck out 22.

Massey collected 74 hits in 354 at-bats for the Asheville Tourists in 2010, including 15 doubles, six triples, and three home runs. He drove in 26 runs and scored 31. Massey walked 25 times and struck out 90. He stole six out of 13 bases.

Massey was assigned to the Asheville Tourists of the South Atlantic League and spent the entire 2009 season there, going 89-for-404 (.220) in 110 games, with 12 doubles, five triples, and two home runs. The rightfielder drove in 38 runs and scored 31. He walked 23 times, but stuck out an even 100. Massey stole eight bases in 17 attempts.

Massey began the 2008 season with Youse's Orioles before signing a professional contract midway through the summer. He reported to the Casper Ghosts of the Pioneer League and went 18-for-70 (.257) with four doubles and a home run. Massey drove in five runs and scored seven. He walked once and stole five bases.

Miller moved steadily in 2010, eventually making ten starts for the West Virginia Power of the South Atlantic League. He pitched two innings of perfect relief for the Gulf Coast League Pirates before receiving an assignment with the State College Spikes of the short-season New York-Penn League. There he went 0-1, 2.70 in four starts, allowing seven runs (five earned) on 12 hits and just two walks in 16.2 innings. He struck out seven batters for the Spikes and allowed just one home run. After his promotion to West Virginia, Miller went 3-6, 5.13 with 30 strikeouts in 47.1 innings-pitched. He allowed 32 runs (27 earned) on 59 hits and 15 walks, and again allowed just one home run.

Miller pitched well in his first full professional season in 2009, making two starts for the State College Spikes before a promotion to the West Virginia Power. Overall, he went 2-4, 4.41 in 14 starts. Miller struck out 44 batters in 63.1 innings and walked just 28. He allowed 40 runs (31 earned) on 60 hits, including five home runs, all of which were allowed while he pitched for the Power.

Ramirez spent all of 2010 with the Hickory Crawdads of the South Atlantic League, where he went 10-8, 4.43 in 26 starts and two relief appearances. Ramirez struck out 142 batters and walked just 37 in 140.1 innings. He allowed 79 runs (69 earned) on 150 hits, including 14 home runs. Ramirez tossed one complete game. He was stronger in the second half of the season, going 4-3, 3.74 in 14 games after the All-Star Break, compared to 6-5, 5.21 before.

Ramirez pitched well in his second full professional season, going 3-6, 4.75 in 14 starts for the Hickory Crawdads of the South Atlantic League. Ramirez struck out 56 batters in 66.1 innings, but struggled at times with his command. He walked 41. The righty allowed 40 runs on 58 hits, including eight home runs, but he held opponents to a .235 batting average. Ramirez also made four relief appearances in 2009.

Baseball America's one to ''Keep an Eye On'' in the Rangers organization and the #4 overall prospect in the Northwest League in 2008, Ramirez made his professional debut for the Spokane Indians to rave reviews (he did not pitch in 2007 after signing late). Ramirez went 1-2, 2.66 in 13 starts for the Indians, and struck out an impressive 52 batters in 44 innings, compared to just 29 walks. He allowed just 13 earned runs on 25 hits and opponents hit a meager .166 off of him.

Schurz started the 2010 season with the Lancaster JetHawks of the California League but finished with the Lexington Legends of the South Atlantic League. Between the two, Schurz went 1-5, 7.71 in 38 relief appearances. He collected two saves. Schurz struck out 61 batters in 60.2 innings, and walked 39. He allowed 54 runs (52 earned) on 76 hits.

Schurz shined in his professional debut, starting with the Astros of the Gulf Coast League, where he went 2-0, 2.25 with six saves as the team’s closer. He made 15 appearances for the Astros, striking out 22 batters to just six walks in 16 innings. Schurz allowed four runs on 10 hits and held opponents to a .185 batting average. After being promoted to the Tri-City ValleyCats of the New York-Penn League, Schurz went 1-0, 0.66 in eight appearances. He struck out 15 batters in 13.2 innings, and allowed just one run on nine hits and seven walks. Schurz did not allow a run in his first six appearances for the ValleyCats, spanning 11.2 innings.

Drafted as a pitcher, Van Meter impressed in his brief 2010 campaign after signing with the Texas Rangers. He went 0-1, 2.79 with save in eight appearances with the AZL Rangers before making two scoreless appearances for the Hickory Crawdads of the South Atlantic League. Van Meter combined for 13 strikeouts and just one walk in 12 innings. He allowed five runs (three earned) on 11 hits, including one home run. Opponents hit .229 off of him.

Wickswat continued to improve in his third professional season since being signed by the Chicago White Sox as an undrafted free agent in 2008. Wickswat spent most of the 2010 season with the Class-A Kannapolis Intimidators, going 7-7, 3.93 in 16 starts and 14 relief appearances. He struck out 113 batters in 119 innings, with just 40 walks and 117 hits allowed. Wickswat was Pitcher of the Week in the Sally League the week of May 10. He made two relief appearances for the Winston-Salem Dash of the Carolina League, striking out three batters in two innings, but allowed six runs (four earned) on seven hits and a walk.

The lefthanded Wickswat had an impressive first full season in professional baseball in 2009, making 15 starts for the Great Falls Voyagers and going 2-2, 3.84 with 91 strikeouts in 77.1 innings-pitched. Wickswat allowed 36 runs on 92 hits and just 14 walks.

After signing a free agent contract with the Chicago White Sox in 2009, Wickswat debuted with the Rookie-level Great Falls Voyagers of the Pioneer League. He made nine relief appearances and did not record a decision, but posted an ERA of 2.63. Wickswat allowed nine runs (four earned) on nine hits and 11 walks, with 15 strikeouts in 13.2 innings.