53 Indiana Natives On Full-Season Rosters
May 2, 2017
By Pete Cava
PBR Indiana Correspondent
They’re everywhere! From Class High-A to the Major Leagues, this year’s full-season rosters include two managers, four coaches and 47 players.
Fifteen Hoosier-born players are currently on big league rosters, along with a pair of managers and two coaches. Three players are currently on the disabled list (pitchers Tommy Hunter of the Rays and Oakland’s Sean Manaea, along with Braves infielder/outfielder Micah Johnson).
At the Triple-A level, there are 13 Indiana natives (12 players, one coach). There are six players in Double-A ball and seven in Class High-A, while Class Low-A has eight Hoosiers (seven players, one coach).
Nine of the players on minor-league teams have big-league experience.
These figures do not include Indiana-born players, managers and coaches in short-season leagues, which begin play later this summer.
MAJOR LEAGUES (15 PLAYERS, 2 MANAGERS, 2 COACHES)
*Tucker Barnhart (Indianapolis), C – Cincinnati Reds.
*Drew Butera (Evansville), C – Kansas City Royals
*Jerad Eickhoff (Evansville), RHP – Philadelphia Phillies.
*Kyle Gibson (Greenfield), RHP – Minnesota Twins.
*Jeremy Hazelbaker (Muncie), OF – Arizona Diamondbacks.
*Tommy Hunter (Indianapolis), RHP – Tampa Bay Rays (DL).
*Micah Johnson (Indianapolis), 2B – Atlanta Braves. (DL).
*Kevin Kiermaier (Fort Wayne), OF – Tampa Bay Rays.
*Adam Lind (Muncie), OF-1B – Washington Nationals.
*Lance Lynn (Indianapolis), RHP – St. Louis Cardinals.
*Sean Manaea (Valparaiso), LHP – Oakland Athletics (DL).
*Josh Phegley (Terre Haute), C – Oakland Athletics.
*Clayton Richard (Lafayette), LHP – San Diego Padres.
*Jeff Samardzija (Merrillville), RHP – San Francisco Giants
*Drew Storen (Indianapolis), RHP – Cincinnati Reds.
ALSO:
*Tim Bogar (Indianapolis), bench coach – Seattle Mariners.
*Craig Counsell (South Bend), manager – Milwaukee Brewers.
*Don Mattingly (Evansville), manager – Miami Marlins.
*Lloyd McClendon (Gary), batting coach – Detroit Tigers.
CLASS AAA (12 PLAYERS, 1 COACH)
*Nevin Ashley (Vincennes), C – Tacoma Rainiers, Pacific Coast (Mariners – DL).
*Aaron Barrett (Evansville), RHP – Syracuse Chiefs, International (Nationals – DL).
Trey Ball (New Castle), LHP – Portland Sea Dogs, Eastern (Red Sox).
*Jarrett Grube (Fort Wayne), RHP – Buffalo Bisons, International (Blue Jays).
*Tyler Holt (Marion), OF – Oklahoma City Dodgers, Pacific Coast (Dodgers).
*Josh Lindblom (Lafayette), RHP – Indianapolis Indians, International (Pirates).
Jeremy Lucas (Terre Haute), C – Columbus Clippers, International (Indians).
*Alex Meyer (Greensburg), RHP – Salt Lake Bees, Pacific Coast (Angels).
*A.J. Reed (Terre Haute), 1B – Fresno Grizzlies, Pacific Coast (Astros).
Mel Rojas Jr. (Indianapolis), OF – Gwinnett Braves, International (Braves).
*Jordan Schafer (Hammond), LHP – Memphis Redbirds, Pacific Coast (Cardinals – DL).
*Ryan Strausborger (Elkhart), OF – Rochester Red Wings, International (Twins).
ALSO:
*Dyar Miller (Batesville), pitching coach – Fresno Grizzlies, Pacific Coast (Astros).
CLASS AA (6 PLAYERS)
Dustin DeMuth (Merrillville), 3B – Biloxi Shuckers, Southern (Brewers).
David Ledbetter (Anderson), RHP – Frisco Roughnecks, Texas (Rangers).
Justin O’Conner (Indianapolis), C – Montgomery Biscuits, Southern (Rays).
Dillon Peters (Indianapolis), LHP – Jacksonville Suns, Southern (Marlins).
Cody Stull (Fort Wayne), LHP – Midland RockHounds, Texas (Athletics).
Josh VanMeter (Fort Wayne), SS – Pensacola Blue Wahoos, Southern (Reds).
CLASS HIGH-A (7 PLAYERS)
Mitch Ghelfi (Elkhart), C – Carolina Mudcats, Carolina (Brewers).
Jordan Minch (Munster), LHP – Myrtle Beach Pelicans, Carolina (Cubs).
Troy Montgomery (Indianapolis), OF – Inland Empire 66ers, California (Angels).
Josh Rogers (New Albany), LHP – Tampa Yankees, Florida State (Yankees).
Jared Ruxer (Indianapolis), RHP – Wilmington Blue Rocks, Carolina (Royals).
Jerrick Suiter (Hobart), OF – Bradenton Marauders, Florida State (Pirates).
T.J. Weir (Kokomo), RHP – Lake Elsinore Storm, California (Padres).
CLASS LOW-A (7 PLAYERS, 1 COACH)
Zack Brown (Seymour), RHP – Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. Midwest (Brewers).
Travis Herrin (Indianapolis), RHP – Burlington Bees, Midwest (Angels).
Evan Miller (LaPorte), RHP – Fort Wayne TinCaps, Midwest (Padres).
Mitch Roman (Fishers), SS – Kannapolis Intimidators, South Atlantic (White Sox).
Tanner Tully (Elkhart), LHP – Lake County Captains, Midwest (Indians).
Nolan Watson (Indianapolis), RHP – Lexington Legends, South Atlantic (Royals).
Chuck Weaver (Fort Wayne), RHP – Greensboro Grasshoppers, South Atlantic (Marlins – DL).
ALSO:
*Mitch Stetter (Huntingburg), pitching coach – Lexington Legends, South Atlantic (Royals).
* INDICATES MAJOR LEAGUE EXPERIENCE
DL = DISABLED LIST
Pete Cava is the author of “Tales From the Cubs Dugout” and “Indiana-Born Major League Baseball Players: A Biographical Dictionary, 1871-2014.”