11 NECBL Alumni Named Top Prospects by MLB.com

MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo recently assembled his list of the top 20 prospects in each Major League Organization.  Mayo completed his rankings on March 31st.

11 NECBL graduates were honored by being placed on those lists.  Four alumni- pitchers Mark Appel (Houston) and Adam Conley (Florida) and infielders Eric Jagielo (New York Yankees) and Micah Johnson (Chicago White Sox) were named as a top 5 prospect in their organization.

Here is the list of NECBL alumni feted by MLB.com.  

Player/Position/Organization/Rank/NECBL Team
Mark Appel/RHP/Houston/2nd/ 2010 Newport Gulls
The first pick of the 2013 Draft, Appel is with High-A Lancaster.  “Appel made 10 starts after signing and looked like the complete package, combining stuff, size and pitchability. He mixes his mid- to upper-90s fastball with a changeup and a sharp slider, giving him a chance for three plus pitches,” said Mayo.

Mike Belfiore/LHP/Baltimore/19th/2007 Pittsfield Dukes
Now with the Detroit Tigers organization, Belfiore made his Big League debut last season after fanning 82 in 76 innings at Triple-A

Billy Burns/OF/Oakland/9th/2009 Danbury Westerners
A true 80 on the speed scale, Burns hit .315 while swiping 74 bases last season between High-A and Double-A.  He was traded to Oakland in the offseason and plays for Double-A Midland

Adam Conley/LHP/Miami/5th/ 2009 Keene Swamp Bats
Conley, the NECBL’s Pitcher of the Year, was a South Atlantic All-Star in 2012 and a Southern League All-Star in 2013.  Double-A hitters batted just .236 against him last season.  Conley is now with Triple-A New Orleans.

Eric Jagielo/3B/New York Yankees/5th/2011 North Shore Navigators
The Bronx Bombers’ first round pick in 2013, Jagielo had four homers in his first 12 games for High-A Tampa after slugging .451 in his first season in the Minors.

Micah Johnson/2B/Chicago White Sox/5th/ 2010 Vermont Mountaineers
Johnson hit .342, had an OPS of .952 and stole 61 bases in Class A Kannapolis before getting promoted twice.  In his first 12 games at Double-A Birmingham, Johnson is slugging .511.

Branden Kline/RHP/Baltimore/16th/2010 Newport Gulls
Kline fanned 32 in 35 innings of work at Class A Delmarva.  He is now pitching for High-A Frederick.

Tom Murphy/C/Colorado Rockies/7th/2011 Holyoke Blue Sox 
Most famous for hitting a home run against Team USA at Fenway Park while a member of Team NECBL, Murphy hit 22 homers and slugged .571 between High-A and Double-A.  He hit three homers in his first six games with Double-A Tulsa in 2014.

Mike Olt/3B/Chicago Cubs/14th/2008 Danbury Westerners
The 2008 NECBL Home Run Derby champ. Olt is now the Cubs’ starting first baseman

Tyler Skulina/RHP/Chicago Cubs/19th/2011 Keene Swamp Bats
6’5” righty held hitters to a .245 average against last year in first season in professional ball.  Skulina now starts for Class A Kane County.

Joe Wendle/2B/Cleveland/11th/2010 Sanford Mainers
Wendle was promoted from Rookie Ball to High-A in 2013, and he responded by hitting .295 with 16 homers and becoming an All-Star.  The five tool infielder is at Double- A Akron in 2014