The halfway point of the 2022 MLB season is upon us, and so far 11 baseball players with Tucson connections have played at the big league level.
Here’s how how each of the 11 have done in the pros this year as well as eight more who are currently in the minor leagues.
Tylor Megill
Position: Pitcher
Team: New York Mets
2022 stats: 4-2 with a 5.01 ERA in nine starts
How he’s fared: The former Wildcat was the Mets’ Opening Day starting pitcher against the Washington Nationals. Megill tossed five scoreless innings with six strikeouts in a 5-1 win. The right-hander went 4-0 in April with a 1.93 ERA. He went on the injured list mid-May due to right biceps tendinitis and returned June 10.
In the following two starts after his activation, the 26-year-old allowed a combined six runs in 6 2/3 innings. On June 17, the Mets moved Megill to the 60-day injured list with a strained right shoulder. Megill is not eligible to make his return to the club until at least mid-August.
Chase Silseth
Position: Pitcher
Team: Los Angeles Angels
2022 stats: 1-2 with a 5.23 ERA and 17 Ks in five starts
How he’s fared: Silseth’s rise to the majors is nothing short of remarkable. Last June, he pitched in the College World Series for the Wildcats. Less than a year later, he made his MLB debut with the Angels on May 13, tossing a gem of six innings with one hit allowed and four strikeouts.
However, he’s been uneven since then. Silseth has made four more starts and hasn’t pitched more than five innings in any of his appearances. He was sent down to Triple A in early June, then recalled to start a game for the Angels on June 28. The right-hander labored through 4 1/3 innings of work, allowing five hits and three runs in a no-decision.
Chase Silseth, Arizona’s ace a year ago, has already made the big leagues with the Los Angeles Angels.
Mark Melancon
Position: Closer
Team: Arizona Diamondbacks
2022 stats: 2-6 with a 5.68 ERA and 11 saves in 29 appearances
How he’s fared: The 37-year-old ex-Wildcat has struggled to find consistency out of the bullpen. After some early struggles, the righty bounced back in June, allowing four runs in nine appearances and lowering his ERA from 6.23 to 5.68.
Alfonso Rivas
Position: First base/outfield
Team: Chicago Cubs
2022 stats: .221 batting average with three home runs and 22 RBIs in 47 games.
How he’s fared: The 25-year-old ex-Wildcat made his big league debut last season and has seen extended playing time this year as the Cubs go through a rebuild. Rivas hit his first home run of the year back on April 23 against the Pirates and collected a career-high five RBIs.
Rivas had another monster day against the Pirates on June 22 where he launched his first career grand slam. He’s been primarily used as a first baseman for the Cubs but will occasionally be switched to the outfield.
Alex Verdugo
Position: Left fielder
Team: Boston Red Sox
2022 stats: .260 batting average with five homers and 39 RBIs in 68 games.
How he’s fared: Verdugo got off to a torrid start in early April, homering three times in the first eight games. But his output cratered since and his batting average dipped to as low as .210 in May. The Red Sox outfielder seems to have regained his form recently, hitting .311 over his last 30 games, with 23 RBIs.
Bobby Dalbec
Position: First baseman
Team: Boston Red Sox
2022 stats: .207 batting average with five homers and 18 RBIs in 68 games.
How he’s fared: The power-hitting Dalbec took a while to find his swing but has gone deep four times over his last 30 games. Dalbec’s third season in the MLB with Boston has been his most uneven up to this point.
Kevin Newman
Position: Shortstop
Team: Pittsburgh Pirates
2022 stats: .250 batting average with eight RBIs in 14 games.
How he’s fared: Newman went down in late April with a groin injury and was placed on the 60-day injured list in May after experiencing a setback in his rehab. He began his second rehab stint on June 21 in Indianapolis and is expected to be brought back up to the Pirates soon.
J.J. Matijevic
Position: First baseman
Team: Houston Astros
2022 stats: .125 batting average with two homers and 2 RBIs in 16 games.
How he’s fared: The 26-year-old made his MLB debut with the Astros on April 22 and was sent back down to Triple A on the 27th. He was called back up on June 15 and hit his first career home run on June 19. In his next appearance on June 25, Matijevic took Yankees ace Gerrit Cole deep on a 100 mph fastball.
Rob Refsnyder
Position: Outfielder
Team: Boston Red Sox
2022 stats: .364 batting average with one home run and six RBIs in 12 games.
How he’s fared: The 2012 College World Series star is playing for his sixth MLB club in the last six years and has been used as a bench player for the Red Sox this season. He’s appeared in nine games in the month of June and is hitting .357 during that span.
Luis González
Position: Right fielder
Team: San Francisco Giants
2022 stats: .302 batting average with three home runs and 24 RBIs in 49 games.
How he’s fared: The Catalina Foothills High School product is a candidate for National League Rookie of the Year. González is second among all qualified NL rookies in batting average, third in OPS and sixth in RBIs. The 26-year-old hit his first career MLB home run on April 25.
Darick Hall
Position: First baseman/designated hitter
Team: Philadelphia Phillies
2022 stats: .250 average with three home runs and four RBIs.
How he’s fared: It’s hard to imagine a better start to a big-league career than the one Hall is having. The Hereford native and Sierra Vista Buena High School and Cochise College product made his big-league debut Wednesday, hit two homers Thursday — then belted a third on Friday.
On deck
These players are next in line to reach the big leagues:
Donny Sands
Position: Catcher
Team: Lehigh Valley (Phillies Triple-A team)
2022 stats: .326 average with three home runs and 20 RBIs in 92 at-bats.
Andre Jackson
Position: Pitcher
Team: Oklahoma City (Dodgers’ Triple-A club)
2022 stats: 0-5 with a 6.34 ERA and 30 Ks in 38 1/3 innings
Stefen Romero
Position: Outfielder
Team: Oklahoma City (Dodgers’ Triple-A club)
2022 stats: .270 average with three homers and 21 RBIs in 89 at-bats.
Kevin Ginkel
Position: Pitcher
Team: Reno (Diamondbacks’ Triple-A team)
2022 stats: 1-0 with a 1.74 ERA, 32 Ks and four saves in 20 2/3 innings.
Cal Stevenson
Position: Left fielder
Team: Durham (Rays’ Triple-A club)
2022 stats: .270 average with two homers and 16 RBIs in 152 at-bats.
Jared Oliva
Position: Center fielder
Team: Indianapolis (Pirates’ Triple-A club)
2022 stats: .225 average with five homers and 16 RBIs in 142 at-bats.
Scott Kingery
Position: Utility
Team: Lehigh Valley (Phillies’ Triple-A team)
2022 stats: .193 average with three homers and 12 RBIs.
Nick Gonzales
Position: Second baseman
Team: Altoona (Pirates’ Double-A club)
2022 stats: .247 average with four homers and 15 RBIs in 154 at-bats; placed in 60-day injured list (heel) retroactive to May 31.
