Major League Baseball is now roughly at the midway point of its 60-game sprint with just under five weeks until the playoffs begin.
Several former Arizona Wildcats players have seen action across the league, so let's check in on how they're doing.Â
Scott Kingery, Utility, Philadelphia Phillies
Scott Kingery (4) drives in a run with a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019, in Atlanta. The Braves won 5-4.
Kingery, 26, has had a rough season so for playing for the Phillies. In 20 games, the infielder is 8-66 (.121) at the plate with just one RBI and a .183 on-base percentage.Â
Joey Rickard, OF, San Francisco Giants
The right-handed outfielder got activated by the Giants this week after starting the season on the club's 60-man pool roster and will join the club for their weekend series in Arizona against the Diamondbacks.Â
Rickard batted .280 in 26 appearances for the Giants in 2019.
Mark Melancon, RP, Atlanta Braves
Former Arizona Wildcat Mark Melancon, left, is expected to serve as the Atlanta Bravesâ closer this season .
The veteran reliever has appeared in 10 games so far with the Braves and picked up five saves. In 10 innings of work, Melancon is 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA to go along with five strikeouts.Â
Kevin Ginkel, RP, Arizona Diamondbacks
Former Arizona Wildcat Kevin Ginkel could pitch in more high-leverage situations after struggling a bit to start the truncated 2020 season.
Ginkel has generally performed well as a Dbacks reliever in 2020 and remains a mainstay in the bullpen. His 7.84 ERA is a tad misleading as he's only allowed runs in three of his 13 appearances and hasn't given up a run in his last seven outings.
Though, Ginkel has given up four runs in two of his outings which accounts for the inflated ERA.
Bobby Dalbec, 3B, Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox third baseman Bobby Dalbec grabs an infield grounder single by Baltimore Orioles JC Escara in the fifth inning of a spring training baseball game in Fort Myers, Fla., Saturday, March 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Dalbec made the team's 40-man roster but has yet to be called up and is working out at Boston's alternative training site. A recent story from MassLive.com wrote that the former Wildcat has "the look of a good defender."
Jett Bandy, C, Boston Red Sox
Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jett Bandy tags out Boston Red Sox's Dustin Pedroia at home during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 10, 2017, in Milwaukee. Pedroia tried to score from third on a ball hit by Andrew Benintendi. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Bandy also hasn't appeared in the game with the Red Sox so far and is training at the AAA site in Pawtucket. The catcher hit .231 with 13 home runs and 33 RBI last year in AAA.
Brandon Dixon, Utility, Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers infielder Brandon Dixon watches batters at the Detroit Tigers spring training baseball facility, Monday, Feb. 18, 2019, in Lakeland, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Prior to the start of the season, Dixon was optioned to Detroit's alternate training site in Toledo even though he led the Tigers with 15 home runs a year ago.Â
Jared Oliva, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates
Jared Oliva leads off second during a spring training baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, March 10, 2020, in Lakeland, Fla.
Oliva is also another Wildcat yet to appear in the big leagues this season as he trains at the team's alternate training site in Altoona. On a more positive note, he was selected to be part of Pittsburgh's taxi squad during a road trip earlier this month in case one of the team's starters went out with COVID-19, suggesting he's a candidate to get called up.
Kevin Newman, INF, Pittsburgh Pirates
Newman has had the most success of any former Arizona baseball standout this year batting .269 with one home run and six RBI. The highlight of Newman's season thus far came earlier this month where he hit a pinch-hit walk-off single. Newman did miss two games with week with an abdomen injury but has been cleared to return to action.
