VILLANOVA, Pa.- The minor league baseball season which ended for most teams recently was a terrific one for five former Wildcats who were all active in the professional ranks during the 2022 season. The group included a pair of recent draft picks from the Wildcats lineup of
Chris Rotondo and
Cole Patten who each transitioned to the pros after having standout season earlier in the year. Veteran professional players
Gordon Graceffo,
Jimmy Kingsbury, and Hunter Schryver each returned to action and continued their pro careers following the short MLB lockout which ceased play from December 2 of 2021 lasting until March 10 of this year.
Gordon Graceffo- Springfield Cardinals (Double-A -St. Louis Cardinals)
After a successful first year in the Low-As with the Palm Beach Cardinals in 2021, the fifth-round draft pick spent the beginning of the season bumped up to the High-A's with the Peoria Chiefs in April. With eight games started pitching 45.2 innings with a 0.99 ERA, striking out 59, and only allowing six runs (five earned) he got called up to the Springfield Cardinals (Double-A Affiliate). The rest of the season he spent with Springfield playing and starting in 18 games, owning a record of 7-4 with an ERA of 3.94 while batters are averaging .213 against him. He has 83 strikeouts while allowing 76 hits, 44 runs (41 earned) to go along with 24 walks. He has logged 93.2 innings yielding 14 doubles, eight wild pitches, one balk, and hitting three by pitch. He had one pick-off on the season averaging 7.98 strikeouts per inning. He had a season high of nine strikeouts over 6.0 innings only allowing one hit with an ERA of 3.94. Batters were averaging a .217 against him during this outing on September 15 against the Tulsa Drillers away.
Jimmy Kingsbury- Modesto Nuts (Low-A -Seattle Mariners)
After being drafted in the 17th round by the Mariners this year, Kingsbury was assigned to the Low-A West Modesto Nuts for most of the season with a small portion of time spent with the Everett AquaSox. He played one game with the AquaSoxs starting the outing and pitched for 5.0 innings with an ERA of 5.40. He only allowed four runs (three earned) and struck out two. Kingsbury pitched the rest of the season with the Nuts making 15 game appearances and 10 starts. He recorded a 1-2 record with a 4.28 ERA. He allowed just 47 hits and 27 runs (23 earned) over 48.1 innings pitched while holding opposing batters to a .250 average against him and posting a 1.45 WHIP for the season. He has thrown 83 strikeouts, four wild pitches, 23 balls, hit seven batters by pitch and caught six stealing while averaging .640 strikeouts per nine innings. Kingsbury's racked up a season-high eight strikeouts only allowing one hit, issuing three balls with an ERA of 1.25 over 5.0 innings pitched on May 21 against the Stockton Ports away. Kingsbury was put on the injury list in mid-August and played seven more games after the injury.
Chris Rotondo- Palm Beach Cardinals (Low-A-St. Louis Cardinals)
After being selected in the 19 round of the 2022 MLB Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals, Rotondo headed south to Jupiter, Florida to play for the Palm Beach Cardinals of the Low-A Southeast League. The outfielder from Redding, Connecticut was used all areas of the outfield with the Cardinals as well as for his batting abilities and thrived. Rotondo finished the season with 22 games played and 19 game starts. One of his game starts were in centerfield, three were in left field, four were as the designated hitter, and 11 were in right field. Of the three games he played in leftfield he had six putouts on six total chances and a fielding percentage of 1.000 over 27.0 innings. Of the three games he played in centerfield he had two putouts on two total chances and a fielding percentage of 1.000 over 17.0 innings. In his 12 games played in right field her had 21 putouts on 23 total chances, one assist, one error, and one double play with a fielding percentage of .957 over 105.2 innings. On the offensive end he had a .312 batting average and .403 slugging percentage while yielding a .379 on base percentage. He had 77 at bats in which he produced 24 hits, 17 runs, four doubles, one home run, and batted seven runners in. He walked seven times, struck out 28 times, was hit by a pitch twice, hit one sacrifice fly, and reached one base on an error as well as stole three bases and was never caught. Rotondo hit his first professional career home run on August 7 versus the Jupiter Hammerheads at home. A very promising start to his minor league debut season.
Cole Patten- FCLTigers (Rookie-Level-Affiliate-Detroit Tigers)
After being selected in the 17 round of the 2022 MLB Draft by the Detroit Tigers, Patten headed south to Lakeland, Florida to pitch for the FCL Tigers of the Rookie-Level FCL North Division. The right-hander from Manasquan, New Jersey was originally splaying for the Trenton Thunder in May of this year after the draft was assigned to the FCL Tigers in August. Patten was used in a reliever role with the Tigers in his brief time on the team only appearing in one game. He had a 33.75 ERA while striking out three and a WHIP of 4.50 over 1.1 innings pitched. Although Patten did not get much playing time there is great potential in what he has to offer the Tigers as he begins his professional career in the minors.
Hunter Schryver- Charlotte Knights (Triple-A- Chicago White Sox)
Selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the seventh round of the 2017 MLB Draft, Hunter Schryver has been steadily climbing the ladder towards the major league level. He has spent the past three seasons at the Triple-A level with the Charlotte Knights and during the 2022 season recorded 33 strikeouts in 37.0 innings pitched. Schryver made 33 appearances out of the Charlotte bullpen in 2022 and went 2-01 with two save and a 3.89 ERA. He held opponents to a .221 average against him while averaging 8.03 strikeouts per nine innings. Schryver was traded from the Rays to the White Sox organization in 2018 and finished that season strong with High-A Winston-Salem. In nine games pitched, Schryver sported a 1.20 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 15 innings pitched. The former Wildcat is a veteran of 174 appearances in the minor leagues and is 11-8 with 24 saves, 22 holds and a 3.55 ERA during his professional career. He has logged 241.0 innings pitched while striking out 261 and has allowed just 217 hits while holding opponents to a .238 batting average. On September 9, 2022 Schryver officially announced his retirement from baseball after five seasons in the minor leagues.
