Trojans Continue Careers In The Pros

Trojans Continue Careers In The Pros

Mount Olive, N.C. - Ten former Trojan baseball players are currently playing professional baseball following their careers at Mount Olive. Here is an update on how they are doing as of July 2018.

Carter Capps (2010-11) - San Diego Padres

  The 2011 Division II National Player and Pitcher of the Year is currently in the San Diego Padres organization and continuing his rehabilitation from a blood clot. Capps was traded to the Padres from the Miami Marlins just before the deadline last season. The Kinston, N.C. native ended last season with the Padres but a blood clot forced the reliever to be placed on the Padres' 60-day DL on November 6. On March 26, 2018, Capps was sent outright to El Paso (Triple-A) to begin the 2018 season with the Chihuahuas. Capps, however, did not spend much time in El Paso as he moved to Tri-City (Single-A short season) for six games before being called up to Lake Elsinore (Single-A Advanced) on July 1. On his climb back to the majors Capps has had a 3.05 ERA in his 13 appearances in Single-A with a 0-1 record, one save, 22 strikeouts, 17 hits, and seven earned runs.

Jay Gonzalez (2014) - Jackson Generals - Double-A | Southern League (Arizona Diamondbacks)

    The leading base-stealer in the entire Orioles organization in 2016, Gonzalez has continued his strong play through the first half of the 2018 campaign. Following his selection to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Rule-5 player draft, Gonzalez opened the season with the Jackson Generals (Double-A), where he has batted .342 with four doubles, a triple, 10 RBI, and nabbed six bases. 

Austin Hutchison (2016-17) - Modesto Nuts - Class A Advanced | California League (Seattle Mariners)

     Following a stellar 2017 season with the Trojans, Hutchison was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the 26th round of the MLB Draft. The Dandridge, Tennessee native started his second season of professional baseball with the Modesto Nuts (Class-A Advanced) and through 19 appearances, two starts, has a 4.50 ERA with a 1-1 overall record, 45 strikeouts, and a .252 opponents batting average.

Ryan Kussmaul (2009) - Rieleros de Aguascalientes - Triple-A | Mexican League

    After playing for the Jackson Generals, the Double-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, last season, Kussmaul opened 2018 with the Rieleros de Aguascalientes of the Mexican Baseball League. In nine appearances, Kussmaul is 1-2 with a 3.24 ERA, striking out eight, with only one walk, a save and allowing three runs.

Tommy Layne (2007) - Memphis Redbirds - Triple-A | Pacific Coast League (St. Louis Cardinals)

    A consistent bullpen arm for the New York Yankees, Layne returned to the Bronx to wear the pinstripes in 2017. Layne made 19 appearances, earning a pair of holds, while collecting a 7.62 ERA in 13 innings of work and striking out nine. After stints in Los Angeles and Boston this season, Layne was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals to a minor league contract on June 15. On the 22nd he was called up to AAA Memphis and since Layne has amassed a 0.00 ERA in 10 innings of work, allowing just nine hits and recording 20 strikeouts with two saves.

Jason Morozowski (2015) - Visalia Rawhide - Class A Advanced | California League (Arizona Diamondbacks)

    Rising through the Arizona Diamondbacks organization, Morozowski opened the 2018 season with the Jackson Generals (Double-A). With the Generals, Morozowski hit .191, with 24 RBI three home runs, and 35 hits, before he was sent down to Class-A affiliate Visalia in the California League. For the Rawhide, Morozowski is batting .321 with 24 RBI, two home runs, five doubles, two triples, and a .863 on-base percentage through 23 games.

Zack Mozingo (2017) - Charlotte Stone Crabs - Class A Advanced | Florida State League (Tampa Bay Rays)

      The Goldsboro, N.C. native became the third Trojan selected in the 2017 MLB Draft when he was picked in the 21st round by the Tampa Bay Rays. Starting his professional career with the GCL Rays, Mozingo has made his way up to the Class-A Advanced Charlotte Stone Crabs where he has a 3.79 ERA through 14 games with three saves, 22 strikeouts, 11 walks, and eight earned runs over 19 innings this season.

Ricky Surum (2016-17) - Staten Island Yankees - Class A Short Season | New York-Penn League (New York Yankees)

     Surum became the second Trojan drafted in the 2017 MLB Draft when he was selected in the 16th round by the New York Yankees. The Atlanta, Georgia native's professional career started with the GCL Yankees East last year and began this season with Double-A affiliate Trenton Thunder for a brief spell before Surum spent most of the season with Class-A Advanced Tampa Tarpons where he hit .231 with two RBI, one double, and a pair of stolen bases. Surum is now with the Class-A Charleston Riverdogs where he landed on July 19.

Kodi Whitley (2014-17) - Peoria Chiefs - Class A | Midwest League (St. Louis Cardinals)

     The final of five Trojans selected in the 2017 MLB Draft, Whitley was chosen by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 27th round and started his professional career with the GCL Cardinals. In 2017 with the rookie affiliate Whitley had a 1.84 ERA in 12 games with two saves and 19 strikeouts. In his second season professional season Whitley was promoted to Class-A full season Peoria where, through 28 games, he has a 3-1 record with 52 strikeouts five saves and a 3.09 ERA over 55.1 innings pitched.

Bruce Zimmermann (2016-17) - Rome Braves - Class A | South Atlantic League (Atlanta Braves)

     Zimmermann became the third-highest draft pick in Mount Olive Baseball history after being selected 140th overall in the fifth round by the Atlanta Braves. The Woodstock, Maryland's professional career began with the Danville Braves (Rookie League). In 2018 Zimmermann started with the Class-A Full Season Rome Braves and in 14 starts held a 7-3 record with a 2.76 ERA, 99 strikeouts, 18 walks over 84.2 innings pitched, earning him a call-up to the Double-A Mississippi Braves June 28. Since his promotion Zimmermann is 2-1 with a 3.32 ERA in five starts with 24 strikeouts.