Mack’s Apples - Luken Baker, Thomas Szapucki, A J Griffin, Orlando Cepeda, Ryan Owens

Good morning.

Players To Watch in  College Baseball   -

         

  1B Luken Baker, TCU - The 6-4, 265-pound Baker figures to play a prominent role as the Horned Frogs try to reach a fifth straight CWS. Before a season-ending injury May 12, he had a .317 batting average, eight home runs and eight doubles, and 20 of his 41 RBIs came with two outs. He was a two-way player as a freshman but gave up pitching after straining an arm muscle.

John Sickels on –

         

  Thomas Szapucki, LHP, Grade B-/C+: Age 21, 4th  round pick from high school in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida; posted 2.79 ERA in 29 innings in Low-A, 27/10 K/BB before blowing out elbow and needing Tommy John surgery; likely the best overall pitching prospect in the system before he got hurt, featuring fastball up to 97 MPH and an excellent curveball; at this point we need to see how he responds to surgery; ETA 2021. QUESTION MARK: 

           health

Sports Day/Dallas News on A J Griffin –

          

Right-hander A.J. Griffin, who made 38 starts with the Texas Rangers over the last two seasons, will go to spring training with the New York Mets on a minor-league deal. Griffin agreed to the arrangement on Monday. He is expected to join the Mets in a few days. Griffin was 13-10 with a 5.41 ERA in 41 overall appearances with the Rangers. They were 24-14 in his starts.  

Griffin was 6-6 with a 5.74 ERA for the Rangers last season. He became only the 10th pitcher in history to allow at least 20 homers while working fewer than 80 innings. The Rangers made Griffin a free agent on Dec. 1 by not offering him a contract.

StlToday on Orlando Cepeda -

       

    Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda has made significant progress from a heart problem that left him in critical condition last week.

The family said Monday that the 80-year-old former slugger is “showing major signs of improvement.” The family thanked all the well-wishers in a statement released by the San Francisco Giants.

Cal State Fullerton remembers baseball standout,  Ryan Owens -

         

  Ryan Owens was an outstanding baseball player.

Donning Cal State Fullerton’s navy blue and orange baseball uniform from 1997 to 1999, Owens distinguished himself as a player who could hit for power and for average. He could run, field and throw.

On Feb. 10, Owens, a husband and father of two, died of complications from the flu. He was 39.