Some of the best young talent in the game of baseball will descend upon Arizona, starting tomorrow for the start of the Arizona Fall League.

Today’s preview features the Glendale Desert Dogs who finished last in the AFL West in 2014 (14-15-2). The Glendale Desert Dogs are comprised of players from the following major league teams: Chicago White Sox, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies and the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Baseball Factory Alumni

Brandon Brennan

Brandon Brennan – Parent Club: Chicago White Sox

Brennan was signed after being selected by the Chicago White Sox in the fourth round of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft out of Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, California.

Brennan spent the entire 2015 season at High-A Winston-Salem for the second straight year, making 12 starts, going 3-4 with a 3.55 ERA, striking out 39 strikeouts in 58 1/3 innings pitched.

The 2010 graduate from Capistrano Valley High School in San Juan Capistrano, CA, was a junior in April of 2009, participating in an Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout in Costa Mesa, CA. Two months later, he participated in the Team One West and showcased his talents well enough to be selected to the 2009 Under Armour All-America Game where he showed a fastball that ranged from 89-to-93 MPH, a changeup that was from 75-78 MPH and a curveball with three-quarters tilt.

Tyler Eppler – Parent Club: Pittsburgh Pirates

Eppler was a sixth round selection for the Pirates in the 2014 MLB Draft out of Sam Houston State and made 14 starts in ’14 for Low-A Jamestown in the New York/Penn League, going 3-2 with a 2.49 ERA. This season he split time between High-A Bradenton where he made 14 appearances (12 starts), going 6-1 with one save and a 2.58 ERA, striking out 46 batters in 66 1/3 innings pitched. Because of his outstanding first half, Eppler was promoted to make one start for Double-A Altoona to end the season.

The 6’6″, 220 pound righty attended an Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout in Houston, TX back in February of 2010.

Rob Rogers – Parent Club: Los Angeles Dodgers

The 6’0″, 205 pound right-handed reliever was drafted in the 32nd round of the 2013 Draft by the Dodgers out of Keystone College in LaPlume, PA.

Pitching mostly out of the bullpen, Rogers saved eight games in 49 appearances in 2014 for High-A Rancho Cucamonga with an ERA of 4.59. This season he began at Rancho Cucamonga and pitched in 46 games, saving four and going 5-5 with an ERA of 3.42 in 73 2/3 innings pitched. He finished the season at Double-A Tulsa where he made starts, allowing six runs (one earned) in six innings pitched.

The Islip, NY native attended the Rookie ’05 Philadelphia session in August of 2005.

J.B. Wendelken – Parent Club: Chicago White Sox

Wendelken was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 13th round of the 2012 Draft out of Middle Georgia College in Cochran, GA. At the 2013 MLB Trade Deadline, J.B. was traded to the Chicago White Sox in the deal that sent starting pitcher Jake Peavy to Boston.

After making a transition to the bullpen (he made 27 starts in ’14 for High-A Winston-Salem), this season, Wendelken began at Double-A Birmingham out of the ‘pen, appearing in 27 games, going 6-2 with a 2.93 ERA and five saves. He finished 2015 at Triple-A Charlotte and struggled a bit, allowing eight earned runs in 16.0 innings pitched but stands to benefit greatly from the innings in this year’s Arizona Fall League.

The Guyton, GA native attended an Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout in Savannah, GA as a sophomore in September of 2009.

J.P. Crawford

J.P. Crawford – Parent Club: Philadelphia Phillies

Crawford was the Phillies first round selection (16th overall) in the 2013 Draft out of Lakewood High School in Lakewood, CA and is the cousin of major league outfielder, Carl Crawford.

This season, Crawford split time between High-A Clearwater and Double-A Reading, hitting a combined .288 with 22 doubles, seven triples, six homers, 42 RBI, 12 stolen bases and 68 runs scored in 107 games. Crawford participated in this year’s Futures Game during the 2015 MLB All-Star Week in Cincinnati and for the second consecutive year, was the youngest player on the U.S. roster. Crawford  was ranked the 14th-best prospect according to Baseball America for the 2015 season.

Back in September of 2009, Crawford attended an Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout in Azusa, CA where he showed a live arm then as an outfielder with tons of upside defensively. Nearly three years later, Crawford was an Under Armour All-American as a junior in 2012, displaying outstanding skills defensively and was noted to have one of the higher ceilings of all the players in the 2013 class.

Adam Frazier – Parent Club: Pittsburgh Pirates

Frazier played all over the field in 2015, making starts at short stop, third base, centerfield, left field and at DH as well. It didn’t affect his hitting at Double-A Altoona, however, as he hit .324, good for second-best in the Eastern League. Frazier added 21 doubles, four triples, two homers, 30 RBI and 11 stolen bases in 103 games.

The Bishop, GA native was a sixth round selection by the Pirates in 2013 out of Mississippi State University and attended an Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout in Kennesaw, GA back in June of 2009.

Trey Michalczewski

Trey Michalczewski – Parent Club: Chicago White Sox

Michalczewski was a 2015 Carolina League Mid-Season and Post-Season All-Star playing the entire season with High-A Winston-Salem, hitting .259 with 35 doubles, four triples, seven homeruns and 75 driven in in 127 games. 

Selected by the White Sox in the seventh round of the 2013 Draft out of Jenks High School in Jenks, Oklahoma, Michalczewski attended an Under Armour Baseball Factory College PREP event in Oklahoma City as a junior in March of 2012. 

Brandon Trinkwon – Parent Club: Los Angeles Dodgers

Trinkwon, a third baseman in the Dodgers organization, was selected by L.A. in the seventh round out of UC-Santa Barbara in the 2013 MLB Draft. This season with High-A Rancho Cucamonga and Double-A Tulsa, Trinkwon hit .278 with 13 doubles, two triples, seven homers and 43 RBI in 128 games. During his time with Rancho Cucamonga, Trinkwon was named a California League All-Star Game Top Star.

Trinkwon attended an Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout in Costa Mesa, CA back in April of 2009.

Austin Meadows

The Pirates are very excited to see Meadows progression in 2015 as the power-hitting outfielder hit .310 between High-A Bradenton (.307 average) and Double-A Altoona (9-for-25 in six games), with 24 doubles, seven triples, seven homers and 55 RBI in 127 games.

The former first round pick (ninth overall) in 2013 out of Grayson High School in Loganville, GA was a 2012 Under Armour All-American selection where he showed off his offensive and defensive skill-set during the showcase.