2015 FUTURES
This Year the Mid-West Baseball League will once again be supporting our own Jonathan Mayo, along with Jim Callis and their Top 100 Prospects for the 2015 MWBL FUTURES.
Thanks Jonathan & Jim, you guys do a great job at mlb.com & the Mid-West Baseball League is once again proud to call Jonathan Mayo one of our own.
The Mid-West Baseball League always has an eye toward the future, & looks at which MWBL Franchises may have the brightest future ahead of them. The formula used for the “MWBL FUTURES” list is based on a 100 point system. The Top Prospect, according to Jonathan Mayo & Jim Callis of MLB.COM, receives 100 points, the second rated prospect receives 99 points, this continues until the #100th prospect, who receives 1 point.
Each MWBL franchise will then have the points totaled for their prospects, which gives us an overall number and produces our much anticipated “MWBL FUTURES” list.
JACOB DEGROM GOES #1 TO TRAVERSE CITY CRUSADERS
With the #1 Selection in 2015 Mid-West Baseball League Draft the Traverse City Crusaders select Jacob deGrom – starting pitcher of the New York Mets. deGrom will be a nice addition to the Crusaders starting pitching staff and could be a staple in Traverse City’s rotation for years to come.
Jacob deGrom, a former starting shortstop for Stetson College, made the transition to starting pitcher, his junior year, first serving as their closer. He would go on to complete four levels of the minors in two full seasons in the minors, after missing all of 2011 due to rehabbing his arm from Tommy John surgery, an injury from the previous fall.
deGrom succeeds by pounding the ball in the zone, showing a clean arm motion, while displaying a bulldog mentality. He sits at 92-94 mph with plus sinking life, and he can rear back for 98 when he needs it. deGrom made progress with his straight change-up in 2013, giving him a good weapon against lefties, while he misses more bats against righties with a fastball & slurvy breaking ball. After logging 148 innings in 2013 at the minor-league level, deGrom showed that his surgery is completely behind him.
deGrom entered the 2014 MLB Season as the Mets’ #10 Prospect according to Baseball America. Jacob started the season at Triple-A, showed he was ready for a promotion to the big league rotation, making his MLB debut in mid-May.
Although he struggled at first during his first 7 starts with the Mets – Everything came together, in which deGrom from June 21st on was one of the best pitchers in baseball the rest of the season: Going 9-2, with a 1.99 ERA & 110 K’s in 99.1 innings; His ERA ranked 3rd best in the N.L., trailing only Clayton Kershaw (1.41) & Edinson Volquez (1.85).
He would go on to become the first Mets rookie in 30 years to win the N.L. Rookie-of-the-Year Award – the last Met to do it? Was by the name of Dwight Gooden. deGrom finished the season 9-6, with a 2.69 ERA, with 144 K’s in 140.1 innings, while showing off an impressive 1.14 WHIP. He also tied a MLB record of 8 consecutive strikeouts in a single-game. His adjustments to the MLB level show off the fact that he’s a smart pitcher, who should fit in nicely with the Mets’ promising rotation that already features Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler, and Jonathan Niese.
CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO INTRODUCTION OF THE 2015 #1 OVERALL SELECTION JACOB DEGROM
2015 DRAFT DAY SCHEDULED
The 2015 Mid-West Baseball League Draft is scheduled for Saturday February 21st, 2015 at 9:30 AM ET.
The 2015 MWBL Draft Lottery has taken place & the Traverse City Crusaders have the #1 Pick overall in the 2015 MWBL Draft. The Complete 2015 MWBL Draft Order can be found at the 2015 MWBL Draft.
SUPER SEVEN HALL OF FAME EXHIBIT
After all of those years, all of those spring training games, post seasons, all of those records, all of those awards, all of those cheers, all of those good times and some of those farewells, the Super Seven were gathered together at the Mid-West Baseball League’s Hall of Fame this past Sunday night on a stage for the first ever MWBL Hall of Fame video exhibit.
This was historic stuff, and lifelong Chicago Mobster fans seated at tables soaked it all in. Guests saw videos of the Super Seven as young up-and-coming players as well as towards the ends of their careers. It was the first time the public had access like this in a captive setting to the Super Seven for a nostalgic event, with photo opportunities and auction bidding, and it might be a while before it happens again, as the Super Seven gradually scatter to baseball’s wind.
“Winning sticks out,” Sabathia said. “Talking about the clubhouse, we were able to mess around a lot behind closed doors, nobody’s there; we got on each other a lot. We were tough on each other. But I have never been mad at any of these guys. And that’s really tough, because you know what everyone of us is thinking. I’ve never been mad at any of them, and it’s always been fun.”
Was it true that Wagner would sometimes start lecturing the other Super Seven guys in the clubhouse?
“I don’t know if we listened,” Jeter said amid laughter. “Sometime you couldn’t understand a word Wags said with his southern drawl, but we just nodded and laughed along.”
Jeter also said when asked if he was surprised that Wagner’s not in the Mid-West Baseball League Hall of Fame yet, Jeter deadpanned: “I’m surprised, because for years he’s been telling me, Chipper, C.C and Pudge that one day will all be in the Hall of Fame together. He should be there before any of us as he retired before us – and he’s the old one among us”.
A great night of laughter, friendship & fun was had by the now know “Super Seven”.
At the time of this exhibit all information is as accurate at the time.
The Chicago Mobsters Super Seven were then introduced in the Video Presentation below:
Click the Image above for the Super Seven Video Presentation.
2015 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE’S
The Mid-West Baseball League Commissioners Office is proud to announce the following three players have been inducted into the Mid-West Baseball League Hall of Fame – Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens & Randy Johnson. Going in alongside these three players will be Deputy Commissioner & Manager of the Hollywood Werewolves Steve Cutler. These four inductees will make up the Hall of Fame Class of 2015 of the Mid-West Baseball League.
