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Blue Devils in the Pros: Manno on the Move
7/28/2011 4:30:00 PM | Baseball
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – In the midst of a breakout season in his second year of pro baseball, former Duke southpaw Christopher Manno got a promotion to High-A this week, but in another time zone and with a new organization.
A 6-3, 170-pound reliever who was drafted by the Washington Nationals in 2010, Manno was traded along with fellow Nationals farmhand Bill Rhinehart to the Cincinnati Reds organization for outfielder Johnny Gomes. The Reds quickly bumped Manno up to the High-A California League where he will play for the Bakersfield Blaze and potentially square off against former Duke teammates Nate Freiman (Lake Elsinore Storm – Padres) and Jake Lemmerman (Rancho Cucamonga Quakes – Dodgers).
What the Reds got in Manno is a deceptive left-hander who dominated the South Atlantic League for the first half of 2011. An all-star selection, Manno posted a 1.04 ERA as the closer for the Hagerstown Suns and amassed 69 strikeouts in just 43.1 innings.
Manno led the South Atlantic League in strikeouts per nine innings (14.33 K/9) and led Hagerstown in appearances (34), saves (12), WHIP (0.81) and games finished (25). He ranked second on the team in strikeouts despite not making a single start all year.
High strikeout totals are nothing new for Manno, who set Duke's single-season record for strikeouts per nine innings with an average of 12.27 during his sophomore season in 2008. He struck out 217 batters during his four-year career while holding opposing hitters to a .248 career batting average. The Washington Nationals liked Manno enough to draft him twice: in the 38th round of the 2009 draft and in the 26th round of the 2010 draft.
Manno is one of five members of his Duke class currently playing professional baseball. Read on to find out how the other members of his class of 2010 – Jeremy Gould, Alex Hassan, Ryan McCurdy and Michael Ness – and all of Duke's big-league alumni are faring at the next level.
Christopher Manno – LHP – Cincinnati Reds
2010 MLB Draft: 26th Round (776th Overall) by the Washington Nationals
2011 Team: Bakersfield Blaze (High-A California League)
2011 MiLB Stats: 1-3, 1.04 ERA, 12 Saves, 43.1 IP, 69 K, 15 BB, .135 B/Avg., 0.81 WHIP
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=P&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=573008
Chris Capuano – LHP – New York Mets
1999 MLB Draft: 8th Round (238th Overall) – Arizona Diamondbacks
2011 Team: New York Mets (MLB – NL East)
2011 MLB Stats: 8-10, 4.26 ERA, 116.1 IP, 98 K, 35 BB, .269 B/Avg., 1.35 WHIP
http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=425626
Capuano ran his streak of pitching at least five innings to 19 consecutive starts this week. The 1999 MLB draft pick's run support has fallen in July, and he has dropped his last three decisions after receiving just 2.33 runs per game from his offense during that stretch. He still owns an 8-10 record and a 4.26 ERA and is one of New York's most reliable and consistent starts. Capuano – who had a combined 3.88 ERA in May and June – has given up more than four runs in just four of his 19 starts, all of which have gone at least five innings.
Greg Burke – RHP – San Diego Padres
Undrafted Free Agent: Signed by the San Diego Padres in 2006
2011 Team: Tucson Padres (Triple-A Pacific Coast League)
2011 MiLB Stats: 1-2, 5.53 ERA, 1 Save, 55.1 IP, 54 K, 23 BB, .304 B/Avg., 1.64 WHIP
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=P&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=457566
Burke remains one of the most heavily used relievers in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, making 48 appearances to tie the second most appearances in all of minor league baseball. Burke owns the second-best strikeout rate of his professional career, averaging just under one strikeout per inning. He has only two losses all season and has allowed just four homers in his 55.1 innings.
Nate Freiman – 1B – San Diego Padres
2009 MLB Draft: 8th Round (234th Overall) by the San Diego Padres
2011 Team: Lake Elsinore Storm (High-A California League)
2011 MiLB Stats: .304 (126-for-414), 27 doubles, 2 triples, 17 HR, 90 RBI, 59 R, 6 SB http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=1B&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=474384
Freiman continues to produce at a high level for the High-A Storm and still leads the California League in RBI. One of only six players in all of minor league baseball to reach the 90-RBI plateau this season, Freiman ranks second in the California League in hits, fifth in total bases, sixth in doubles and tied for ninth in home runs. He and teammate Jedd Gyorko have propelled Lake Elsinore into first place in the CAL South Division with a 20-12 record in the second half.
Jimmy Gallagher – 1B – Chicago White Sox
2007 MLB Draft: 7th Round (239th Overall) – Chicago White Sox
2011 Team: Charlotte Knights (Class-AAA International League)
2011 MiLB Stats: .252 AVG (93-for-369), 32 doubles, 2 triples, 6 HR, 46 RBI, 55 R, 54 BB, .350 OBP
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=1B&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=518706
Gallagher is one of the main cogs of Triple-A Charlotte's lineup, hitting exclusively in the second or third spot in the batting order. In his first season at Triple-A, the former outfielder-turned-first baseman is on pace to set career highs in doubles and home runs and is among the International League leaders in doubles and walks. He has maintained an on base percentage of at least .350 at every level and boasts a .354 mark this year at Triple-A.
Jeremy Gould – LHP – New York Mets
2010 MLB Draft: 28th Round (842nd Overall) by the New York Mets
2011 Team: Brooklyn Cyclones (Short-Season Class-A New York-Penn League)
2011 MiLB Stats: 0-2, 4.11 ERA, 5 Saves, 15.1 IP, 24 K, 5 BB, .274 B/Avg., 1.43 WHIP
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=P&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=594839
Gould has drastically improved his command in his second season in the pros and is averaging nearly five strikeouts for every walk. Gould, who played primarily left field and first base during his four years at Duke, is still early in his transition to the mound, but has been given the closing job for the Cyclones. The 6-4, 205-pound left-hander has allowed three earned runs over his last 9.1 innings while picking up 14 strikeouts during that span.
Ben Grisz – RHP – Washington Nationals
Undrafted Free Agent: Signed by Washington Nationals in 2011
2011 Team: Auburn Doubledays (Short-Season Class-A New York-Penn League)
2011 MiLB Stats: 1-0, 1.35 ERA, 4 Saves, 20.0 IP, 11 K, 6 BB, .159 B/Avg., 0.85 WHIP
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=P&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=606990
Grisz has been effective out of the Auburn bullpen in his first year in the pros, allowing just three runs in his 20 relief innings. All three of those runs came in one appearance, as his other 10 appearances have been scoreless. Grisz, who was the workhorse of the Duke bullpen in 2010 and 2011, owns a WHIP of 0.85 as opponents have managed just 11 hits and six walks against him.
Alex Hassan – OF – Boston Red Sox
2009 MLB Draft: 20th Round (618th Overall) by the Chicago White Sox
2011 Team: Portland Sea Dogs (Class-AA Eastern League)
2011 Class AA Stats: .299 AVG (97-for-324), 25 doubles, 8 HR, 47 RBI, 54 R, 62 BB, 7 SB, .424 OBP
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=CF&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=572910
Hassan's batting average dropped below .300 for the first time since the start of the season, but he is still among the top hitters in the Double-A Eastern League. Hassan, who leads the league with a .424 on base percentage, is one of only four Eastern League hitters with more walks (62) than strikeouts (59). He posted an on base percentage of .417 in each of the first three months of the season and has drawn the fifth most walks of any hitter in the Eastern League.
Jake Lemmerman – SS – Los Angeles Dodgers
2010 MLB Draft: 5th Round (172nd Overall) by the Los Angeles Dodgers
2011 Team: Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (High-A California League)
2011 MiLB Stats: .305 AVG (109-for-357), 21 doubles, 2 triples, 8 HR, 51 RBI, 67 R, 7 SB, .387 OBP
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=SS&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=594897
Lemmerman is in the midst of a 21-game hitting streak, which is the longest streak in the High-A California League this season. The former fifth round pick and Pioneer League MVP is hitting .363 during the tear with 17 RBI, raising his season average to .305 and his hit total over to 109 in his 92 games. Also a California League All-Star, Lemmerman's performance has vaulted Rancho Cucamonga into second place in the CAL South Division standings behind his former Duke teammate Nate Freiman's Lake Elsinore Storm.
Ryan McCurdy – C – Houston Astros
Undrafted Free Agent: Signed by the Houston Astros in 2010
2011 Team: Tri-City ValleyCats (Short-Season Class-A New York-Penn League)
2011 MiLB Stats (Class-A): .286 (14-for-49), 2 doubles, 4 RBI, 4 R
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=C&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=596571
McCurdy has started six of Tri-City's last 12 games and is in a platoon behind the plate. He has enjoyed a hot streak of late, hitting .388 over his last six games.
Michael Ness – RHP – Houston Astros
2010 MLB Draft: 33rd Round (993rd Overall) by the Houston Astros
2011 Team: Lancaster JetHawks (High-A California League)
2011 MiLB Stats: 3-4, 5.76 ERA, 65.2 IP, 52 K, 19 BB, .321 B/Avg., 1.64 WHIP
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=P&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=573056
Ness leads all Lancaster relievers in innings pitched, throwing over 60 frames out of the bullpen. In his most recent outing, he held former Duke teammate Nate Freiman and his Lake Elsinore Storm – the best offensive team in the High-A California League – to one hit over three scoreless frames. He got Freiman to pop up to first base in the top of the eighth as part of a run of seven straight batters retired. Despite his near-perfect performance out of the bullpen, Lancaster's offense could not complete the comeback and fell 4-3.
Dennis O'Grady – RHP – San Diego Padres
2011 MLB Draft: 34th Round (1,043th Overall) by the San Diego Padres
2011 Team: Fort Wayne TinCaps (Class-A Midwest League)
2011 MiLB Stats: 1-0, 4.88 ERA, 20.2 IP, 21 K, 8 BB, .241 B/Avg., 1.31 WHIP
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=P&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=607665
O'Grady, who was originally called up to Class-A for a spot start, pitched well enough to stick around and has made four starts with the TinCaps. After three straight quality starts to open with Fort Wayne, O'Grady was finally roughed up in his last outing when Quad Cities scored four earned runs against him in 3.1 innings. Despite his last start, O'Grady still owns a strikeout of over nine punchouts per game and a WHIP of 1.31.
Andrew Wolcott – RHP – Arizona Diamondbacks
2009 MLB Draft: 17th Round (516th Overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks
2011 Team: Injured Reserve (Elbow)
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=P&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=573253
Wolcott is undergoing rehabilitation for surgery to reconstruct a torn ligament in his right elbow. The former first team All-ACC pick suffered the injury early in spring training. Wolcott had reached as high as High-A in 2010 before the injury. He has made 35 starts in his two previous seasons and owns a career ERA of 5.14 and a walk rate of 2.32 per nine innings over his 182 innings of professional baseball.
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