12 September 2023
UPDATE: Here's how all Australian players finished their USA professional regular seasons
Just like that, the American minor league regular season is over!
33 Australians played professional baseball overseas this year and some put up some outstanding numbers. One even progressed to the Major Leagues!
There will be more joining this list after the Under-18 World Cup, with some hot interest from scouts.
There are also several Australians coaching in the minor leagues. You can view that list here.
If you’re looking for an explanation of how the minor league system works, the Adelaide Giants broke it down very easily here.
But let’s not waste any of your time. Happy scrolling.
NEW SOUTH WALES
Clayton Campbell, C-IF (Detroit Tigers) | Player profile | Latest news
After beginning the year at the Detroit Tigers’ Complex League, and hitting .284 in 33 games. He then got a call-up to join the Single-A affiliate the Lakeland Flying Tigers. Campbell hit .184 in 12 games with a homer and 3 RBI. Lakeland, as it happens, is managed by Andy Graham and they qualified for the playoffs on one of the last days of the regular season.
Lakeland plays Clearwater in Game 1 of the Division Series starting Wednesday morning Australian time. You can view details here.
Liam Doolan, P (LA Dodgers) | Player Profile | Latest News |
A fine year for Liam in his first full professional season. Doolan finished with a 3.63 ERA in 20 games and 39.1 innings pitched with Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, the Dodgers’ A-Ball affiliate. Impressively, he had 43 strikeouts and a 1.18 WHIP.
He’ll play an important role in the Quakes’ playoff run that also begins Wednesday morning Australian time.
Josh Gessner, RHP (Texas Rangers) | Player profile | Latest news
Gessner missed a chunk of the season after getting hurt mid-May. He returned at the beginning of August and eventually got the call-up to High-A Hickory Crawdads. Hickory are in the playoffs starting this week.
Gessner posted a 3.73 ERA in 31.1 innings across three levels – Rookie Ball, Low-A and High-A.
Solomon Maguire, OF (Pittsburgh Pirates) | Player profile | Latest news
A tough year for Solo who only got five at-bats in June before getting hurt. All the best in his recovery and we look forward to seeing what one of Australia’s most promising prospects can do!
Todd Van Steensel, RHP (Gastonia Honey Hunters, Atlantic League) | Player profile | Latest news
After 15 years, Todd announced his retirement from US professional baseball last month. He’ll return to Australia to play for the Giants.
Rixon Wingrove, IF (Philadelphia Phillies) | Player profile | Latest news
Rixon’s best minor league season to date. Wingrove played 101 games at High-A Jersey Shore Blue Claws where he belted 15 homers, drove in 63 RBI and hit .246. That kind of power earned him a call-up to Double-A Reading where he finished the season hitting .100 in 10 games.
Reading now make a playoff run starting this week.
QUEENSLAND
Brandan Bidois, RHP (Pittsburgh Pirates) | Player profile | Latest news
One of the best performances from an Australian this year. Bidois boasts simply nasty stuff. His high-90s fastball and devastating breaking ball helped the 22-year-old to 1.99 ERA in 22 games and 22.2 innings pitched. Incredibly he had 42 strikeouts…that’s ridiculous. He’s allowed just 2 runs in 17 relief appearances since June 1.
Jackson Grounds, RHP (Pittsburgh Pirates) | Player profile |
Pitching in the Complex League in his first professional season, the 19-year-old had a 3.52 ERA in 12 games this season. He was shut down recently due to injury.
Callum Wallace, RHP (Los Angeles Dodgers) | Player profile | Latest news
The 19-year-old had an 11.37 ERA in 12.2 innings of work in the Complex League this season. Impressively, he had 19 strikeouts in that time.
Ben Walmsley, LHP (Cincinnati Reds) | Player profile | Latest news
The 18-year-old missed this season due to injury.
Aaron Whitefield, OF (Sioux Falls Canaries, Atlantic League) | Player profile | Latest news
Whitefield hit .190 at the LA Angels Double-A affiliate but was released mid-season. He was picked up by Kansas City Monarchs in the American Association, and later traded to the Sioux Falls Canaries.
The Melbourne Aces star and 2x ABL MVP is hitting .250 with 2HR and 9RBI in 12 games so far with Sioux Falls.
Kai-Noa Wynyard, RHP (Texas Rangers) | Player profile | Latest news
What a season! In 41.1 innings, the 21-year-old posted a 2.38 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. Opponents hit just .192 off of Wynyard, making him one of the best relievers in the competition.
He starts the playoffs with the High-A Hickory Crawdads with Gessner this week.
Tom West (Umpire)
Tom is umpiring in Triple-A this year – a big accomplishment for the longtime ABL ump.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Curtis Mead, IF (Tampa Bay Rays) | Player profile | Latest news
At the beginning of August, Mead became the 37th Australian to make the Major Leagues. He spent two weeks at the MLB level and hit .250 before being sent down to Triple-A. Since his return to Triple-A, Mead has belted the wheels off the baseball. In 10 September games, Mead is hitting .314 with 5HR and 10RBI.
His current Triple-A numbers? Hitting .294 with 9HR, 43RBI and a .385OBP in 61 games.
Jack O’Loughlin, LHP (Detroit Tigers) | Player profile | Latest news
Jack started the season in High-A. In 37.1 innings he had a 2.17 ERA and got a call-up to Triple-A Toledo Mudhens. He currently has a 4.75 ERA in 77.2 innings at Triple-A.
The Giants championship winner ended the season hot. He’s allowed just 5 runs in his last 24 innings (four starts). The season continues for Toledo!
Riley Yeatman, RHP (San Diego Padres) | Player profile | Latest news
Riley unfortunately missed the whole season due to an elbow injury. He had Tommy John surgery in June.
VICTORIA
Chris Burke, C (Kansas City Royals) | Player profile | Latest news
Burke had 11 hits at Rookie Ball this season, collecting a hit.
George Callil, IF (Evansville Otters, Frontier League) | Player profile | Latest news
Callil is playing Independent League baseball and hitting .240 in 72 games with the Evansville Otters.
Jarryd Dale, IF (San Diego Padres) | Player profile | Latest news
The Melbourne Aces star infielder made a return from injury in late July. In 12 games at High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps, Dale hit .216 with a home run. Fort Wayne starts their playoff run this week.
Mitch Ellis, RHP (Kansas City Royals) | Player profile | Latest news
Mitch unfortunately has not pitched this season due to injury.
Darcy Longstaff, P (Cincinatti Reds) | Player profile |
The Adelaide Giants latest signing had a 6.84 ERA in 25 innings at the Reds’ Complex League team. He was a starter sometimes and a reliever other times. Longstaff had 27 strikeouts in 25 innings.
Billy Parsons, P (Sussex County Miners, Frontier League) | Player profile | Latest news
Parsons went to the USA to play his first full-season of professional baseball in the Independent Frontier League. He was an All-Star! His numbers: 1.50ERA in in 36 innings with a 0.88 WHIP and 35 strikeouts. Great stuff from the Canberra Cavalry pitcher.
Nikau Pouaka-Grego, IF (Philadelphia Phillies) | Player profile | Latest news
PG is reaching the end of his rehab from a major knee surgery he had after injuring it in ABL action with the Giants last season. He didn’t play in a game but has been working out daily.
Liam Spence, IF (Chicago Cubs) | Player profile | Latest news
Spence – a Claxton Shield winner with the Adelaide Giants – hit .213 at High-A South Bend Cubs this year. He also had a brief call-up to Double-A Tennessee Smokies.
Blake Townsend, LHP (Seattle Mariners) | Player profile | Latest news
A dominating finish for the Aces’ pitcher. Townsend finished the year with a 3.38 ERA in 48.0 innings with Single-A Modesto Nuts. His finish has been sensational – just one earned run in his final 10 appearances since August 5.
Jarrod Belbin, IF (Seattle Mariners) | Player profile | Latest news
Belbin got signed out of college in the middle of the season. He hit .214 with a home run in 28 Complex League at-bats.
Declan Speirs | C (Philadelphia Phillies) | Player Profile
Speirs was only recently signed. After reporting in Dominican Republic to work out, Speirs joined the U18 National Team at the World Cup where he was one of the leading hitters.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Bailey Jay Cooke, IF (Oakland A’s) | Player profile |
BJay hit .194 with a .298 on-base-percentage at Single-A Stockton Ports. This was the first full professional season for the 19-year-old Perth native.
Robbie Glendinning, IF (Philadelphia Phillies) | Player profile | Latest news
A three-team season for the Melbourne Aces star. He started in Double-A with Kansas City but was traded to Baltimore where he played just over a month at Triple-A. After being released in August, he signed with Philadelphia and reported to Double-A Reading.
Across those three teams, Robbie hit .250 with 8HR, 34RBI and a .359 on-base-percentage.
Alex Hall, C (Milwaukee Brewers) | Player profile | Latest news
The reigning Helms Award winner with the Perth Heat hit .227 with 11HR and 40RBI for High-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. During the year he set a single-game record for Wisconsin with a 9-RBI game.
Josh Hendrickson, P (Philadelphia Phillies) | Player profile | Latest news
Hendrickson started 21 games at Double-A with a 5.58 ERA across 108 innings.
Liam Hendriks, RHP (Chicago White Sox) | Player profile | Latest news
A heartbreaking and heartwarming years in so many ways. In January, Hendriks was diagnosed with cancer. He overcame it and made an MLB return in May. However, he got hurt again and had to undergo major elbow surgery that will keep him out another 12 months. We wish our number 1 pitcher the best.
Mitch Neunborn, RHP (Philadelphia Phillies) | Player profile
Neunborn put together an excellent first minor league season. He had a 3.38 ERA in 42.1 innings this season but opponents only hit .174 off of the Giants star. Neunborn also posted an immaculate inning and had two separate 5-inning, no-hit appearances.
ACT
*Billy Parsons, P (Sussex County Miners, Frontier League) | Player profile | Latest news
Parsons went to the USA to play his first full-season of professional baseball in the Independent Frontier League. He was an All-Star! His numbers: 1.50ERA in in 36 innings with a 0.88 WHIP and 35 strikeouts. Great stuff from the Canberra Cavalry pitcher.
*pitches for Canberra in ABL
AUSSIE ABROAD UPDATES
September 4, 2023 – Here’s a list of all the Aussie coaches in the USA
August 22, 2023 – UPDATE: Here’s how all Australian professional baseball players are doing overseas | Baseball.com.au
