Menu Close
News

Baseball Factory Alumni Playing Well in First Pro Action: Rounds 11-15

With the MLB First Year Player Draft almost two months in the rearview, players who were once high school and college phenoms are now professional baseball players. In rounds 11-15, 30 Baseball Factory alumni were chosen.

Let’s take a look at some of the players who have gotten off to promising starts of their young pro careers.

Josh Stephen: Philadelphia Phillies (11th round, 317 overall), OF

Drafted out of Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California, Josh Stephen has impressed in his first 23 games of his pro career. With Philadelphia’s rookie ball team, the 18-year-old is slashing .288/.387/.425 with 16 RBI. The outfielder is splitting his time between center field and left field.

Baseball Factory coaches are very familiar with Stephen. He first attended a 2012 College PREP in Azusa, California, before participating in an Under Armour Recruiting Classic later that year. In 2013, he participated in the Under Armour Southwest Championships, the Under Armour Futures Series. In 2014, Stephen attended the Under Armour Southwest Championships, the Under Armour Showcase: Futures West and the Under Armour So Cal Classic.

Zac Houston: Detroit Tigers (11th round, 325 overall), RHP

The former Mississippi State standout is proving his worth so far in pro ball. Starting with the Short-Season-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, Connecticut, Zac Houston didn’t give up a run in 10 innings, striking out 19 batters and walking only three. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound righty has since given up only one run with Low-A West Michigan in 6.1 innings pitching, striking out eight. On the year, Houston owns a 0.55 ERA, 0.918 WHIP and 14.9 SO/9.

Baseball Factory coaches saw Houston at a 2013 National Tryout in Jackson, Mississippi.

John Kilichowski: St. Louis Cardinals (11th round, 346 overall), LHP

Coming out of Vanderbilt, the Cardinals expected this 6-foot-5 lefty to be poised for pro ball, and he is proving just that. As a starting pitcher, Kilichowski shoved at Short-Season-A State College, posting a 0.92 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 19.1 innings pitched. Since, the southpaw has been promoted to Low-A Peoria, and threw six innings of three-run ball in his first start with the team.

Kilichowski first attended a 2010 College PREP in Tampa, Florida. He then participated in the Team One Futures Showcase in 2011.

Cassidy Brown: Cincinnati Reds (12th round, 348 overall), C

Cassidy Brown is hitting .316 with a .418 on-base percentage with Cincinnati’s rookie ball team. The 21-year-old backstop also has 13 RBI and is walking just as often as he is striking out. Behind the plate, Brown has thrown out 44% of basestealers and has only made on error in 183.1 innings.

Baseball Factory coaches saw Brown at the 2012 Team One Northeast Showcase.

Tim Viehoff: Seattle Mariners (12th round, 357 overall), LHP

With Seattle’s Short-Season-A affiliate, Everett, Tim Viehoff is proving to be one of the most valuable pitchers on their staff. In eight appearances, including three starts, the lefty has a 2.92 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 12.4 SO/9. He has also only allowed 13 hits in his 24.2 innings of action so far this season.

Baseball Factory coaches saw Viehoff at a 2011 College PREP in Medford (Boston), Massachusetts.

 

Ryan Kirby: San Francisco Giants (12th round, 365 overall), 1B

After playing two games with San Francisco’s rookie team, going 3-for-8, Ryan Kirby got bumped up to Short-Season-A Salem-Keizer. With them he has posted an .829 OPS, slugging nine doubles, one triple and three home runs in 30 games. Kirby has also knocked in 14 runs and scored 13.

Kirby played in the 2012 Under Armour Southwest Championships.

Nate Mondou: Oakland Athletics (13th round, 382 overall), 2B

Nate Mondou began his pro career at rookie ball, but after one game he was moved up to Oakland’s Short-Season-A affiliate, Vermont. With Vermont, the second baseman is putting up very impressive numbers, slashing .360/.421/.412 with six doubles and 15 RBI.

Mondou played in the 2012 Under Armour Preseason All-America Tournament.

 

Cody Thomas: Los Angeles Dodgers (13th round, 401 overall), OF

Cody Thomas is making the Dodgers look very smart for taking him in the 13th round of June’s MLB Draft. The 21-year-old is putting up video game numbers between both of LA’s rookie teams while playing all three outfield spots. Thomas has 11 home runs, 10 doubles, two triples, 28 RBI and five stolen bases in only 29 games. His slash line stands at an impressive .385/.447/.786 for a 1.233 OPS.

Baseball Factory coaches saw Thomas at a National Tryout in North Richland Hills (Dallas), Texas.

Gabriel Garcia: Milwaukee Brewers (14th round, 411 overall), UTIL

Gabriel Garcia was drafted as a catcher out of high school, but for Milwaukee’s rookie league team, Garcia has played mostly first base and third base. The 18-year-old has also caught and even played some shortstop. Where Garcia is impressive, though, is at the plate, where he is slashing .344/.417/.641 for a 1.057 OPS.

Garcia attended the 2013 Under Armour Futures Series and a 2014 National Tryout in Orlando, Florida.

Ruben Garcia: Baltimore Orioles (14th round, 421 overall), RHP

In his first nine games as a reliever for Baltimore’s rookie league team, Ruben Garcia owns a 1.46 ERA in 12.1 innings pitched. The 19-year-old has only given up four hits and three walks, while striking out 18 batters, so far this season. Garcia has a 0.568 WHIP and 13.1 SO/9.

Baseball Factory coaches first saw Garcia at a 2012 National Tryout in Jupiter, Florida. Garcia then played in the Under Armour Fall Classic in 2013.

Dalton Moats: Tampa Bay Rays (15th round, 450 overall), LHP

Dalton Moats has continued his success from Delta State University to rookie ball in the Tampa Bay Rays organization. In his first 18 innings, Moats owns a 1.50 ERA with a 5-t0-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Baseball Factory coaches saw Moats at a 2011 College PREP in Kansas City, Missouri.

 

 

The tour experience.

At your Under Armour Baseball Factory tryout, you’ll be evaluated by our professional coaches, get tips to improve your game, and meet other players from your area.

Experience a tryout
Player pages with a Factory-Certified Video and Written Evaluation are viewed 50% more often than those without.
Read how Baseball Factory player Chris Givin realized his dream of playing collegiate baseball at Xavier University by utilizing the College PREP Program
“One of the things we were impressed with was the (College PREP) video.
The video definitely had an impact.”
Division I Head Coach on player Chris Givin

Partners

Oakwood Lodging
Under Armour
  • Twitter

    30K

  • Facebook

    70K

  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • The Baseball Factory, Inc. is a BBB Accredited Baseball Club in Columbia, MD

Share