Each week in the Alumni Notebook, we will take a look back at the previous weekend’s action from Collegiate, High School and Major League Spring Training action and bring you the latest on Baseball Factory alumni who are helping their teams with outstanding play. Steve Bernhardt, Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations for the Factory provides information on the Factory alumni.

This is the time of the spring training schedule where players are rewarded for impressive camps and two Baseball Factory alums are closing in on not only earning a spot on their team’s 25-man roster, but in position to win a starting spot on Opening Day.

Major League Baseball

Joey Rickard – Rickard has been the story in camp for the Baltimore Orioles this spring as the Baseball Factory alum and Rule 5 selection looks to break camp as the team’s starting left fielder with every hit, walk, steal and defensive play for the Birds.

The 24-year old was the Tampa Bay Rays ninth round selection in 2012 from the University of Arizona and spent four seasons in the Rays minor league system as a prospect viewed high by many because of his speed, defense and ability to get on-base. Because of the log-jam in the outfield in Tampa Bay, the Rays parted ways with Rickard and was selected by the O’s this past winter.

We saw Joey at an Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout in his hometown of Las Vegas, NV back in February of 2007 and has firmly entered the O’s plans as the potential starting left fielder when the team opens the season on Monday April 4th against the Minnesota Twins. Rickard is hitting .389 this spring – mostly at the top of the order – with six doubles, a triple, a home run, seven RBI, five steals and third on the team with seven walks.

Tyler Naquin – Naquin is also looking to be an every day starter for the Cleveland Indians, having already won a spot on the Cleveland Indians opening day roster with his performance this spring.

Selected by the Indians 15th overall in the 2012 Draft out of Texas A&M, Naquin has climbed the organizational ladder after spending time at Double-A Akron and Triple A-Columbus where he hit a combined .300 last season. Naquin factored into Cleveland’s plans quickly this spring and appears to be in position to be starting in one of the outfield spots on Opening Day. Playing mostly centerfield during his time in the minors, Naquin has played there this spring while hitting .449 with three doubles, three triples, four homers and seven RBI.

Naquin participated in a 2007 Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout in Houston, TX.

College

Corey Ray

Corey Ray – The junior outfielder from Chicago, IL followed up his great sophomore season with a sizzling 2016 thus far, recently being chosen as the ACC Player of the Week, hitting safely in three consecutive games, hitting a home run and driving in eight runs in a three-game series against the defending National Champion Virginia Cavaliers.

Ray was named a Baseball America Second-Team All-America in 2015 after hitting .325 with five triples, 11 homers, 56 RBI and 34 stolen bases in 65 games. We first saw Ray at an Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout in McCook, IL in December of 2011 and was named a 2012 Under Armour All-American.

This season, Ray is hitting .336 with nine doubles, seven homers, 30 RBI and 25 stolen bases for the eighth-ranked Louisville Cardinals and is in position to be a top selection in this year’s MLB Draft.

High School

Zac McNelley

Zac McNelley – McNelley is off to a hot-start in his sophomore season for The Odyssey Institute for Advanced & International Studies and is swinging a scorching bat.

The 2016 Under Armour Pre-Season All-American from Buckeye, AZ is hitting .700 with five doubles, two triples with 20 RBI and 15 stolen bases. McNelley also attended the All-America Pre-Season Rookie events in 2014 and 2015 and attended two National Tryout events in Mesa and Phoenix, AZ in 2012 and 2013.

Kyle Muller – Checking in for the second week in a row, Muller put on an outstanding performance in his last start for Jesuit College Prep.

The University of Texas commit and 2015 Under Armour All-American followed up a five inning, complete-game no-hitter with 15 strikeouts in his previous start with an eight inning performance in his last start where he struck out the first 18 batters he faced in the team’s 3-0 win. He allowed only one hit and struck out 21 batters and helped his own cause, knocking in a run with a triple in the 8th inning which gave his team the lead.