Xavier University Athletics
Xavier Baseball Summer Recap
09.29.17 | Baseball
CINCINNATI - With the conclusion of Minor League Baseball in mid-September, Xavier baseball alums and current players have officially wrapped up the 2017 season.
Take a look at some of the final stats and highlights below:
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• Zac Lowther became the highest draft pick in program history in June, going 74th overall to the Baltimore Orioles after a spring season that saw him rank among the NCAA's top strikeout artists. Lowther kept it up in pro ball, appearing in 12 games (11 starts) and striking out 75 in 54.1 innings. The lefty allowed just 35 hits and posted a 1.66 ERA in Class A short season ball with the Aberdeen IronBirds.
• Lowther made his home starts at Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium, site of the Musketeers' 2016 BIG EAST Championship, and helped the IronBirds to a 41-34 record.
• In his final outing of the year on Sept. 7, Lowther struck out nine in four innings of scoreless and hitless work against the Hudson Valley Renegades.
• Lowther is currently the No. 13 ranked prospect in the Baltimore Orioles system according to MLB.com.
• Rylan Bannon played in 40 games of rookie ball for the Ogden Raptors, hitting .336 with 10 homers and 30 RBI in his first taste of pro ball. The 2017 BIG EAST Player of the Year posted an on-base percentage of .425 and slugged .591, picking up right where he left off after being selected in the eighth round of this spring's MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
• Bannon's team won the Pioneer League Championship on Sept. 18, defeating the Great Falls Voyagers 8-3. In game one of the series, Bannon went 2-for-4 with two homers and six RBI.
• The trophy was the second of the year for Bannon, who played a big role in XU's late May title run, and capped the best season in franchise history for the Raptors, who went 51-30 and set franchise records for team batting average, runs scored and homers. The team's 1,409 total bases also set a Pioneer League record.
• Garrett Schilling made 10 starts for the Boise Hawks, tossing 39 innings and striking out 23 while posting a 5.54 ERA. The righty was an 18th round selection of the Colorado Rockies this past June.
• Greg Jacknewitz made five starts and appeared 11 times for the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes in the Northwest League. The lefty posted a 6.83 ERA overall across two levels and was a 22nd round pick by the San Francisco Giants in June.
• Dan Rizzie was promoted to Class A full season ball over the summer and hit .261 with 15 RBI in 52 games for the Columbia Fireflies. Rizzie was a 13th round selection of the New York Mets in the 2016 draft.
• Andre Jernigan was promoted to Class A full season ball, playing 16 games for the Cedar Rapids Kernels before being released by the Minnesota Twins organization.
• Jacob Bodner pitched in Class A advanced ball this season for the Wilmington Blue Rocks, posting a 3.29 ERA in 29 appearances (one start). The righty struck out 70 in 54.2 innings and was a 27th round selection of the Kansas City Royals in 2015.
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• Conor Grammes helped the Elmira Pioneers to the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League playoffs, hitting .377 with three homers and 36 RBI in 33 games. Grammes also won the 2017 PGCBL Home Run Derby and was named the No. 9 MLB prospect in the league. Grammes was also named to the PGCBL All-League First Team.
• Allbry Major spent the summer as a teammate of Grammes' in the PGCBL, hitting .336 with two homers and 21 RBI. On the mound, Major was a force in 17 appearances. The incoming freshman posted a 3.34 ERA in 32.1 innings, striking out 44. Following the season, he was named the No. 15 MLB prospect in the league. Major was also named to the PGCBL All-League Second Team.
• Nate Soria hit .293 in 30 games for the Valley Blue Sox, homering three times and driving in 16 runs as his team claimed the New England Collegiate Baseball League title.
• Mitch Gallagher hit .285 in 34 games for the Bismarck Larks in the Northwoods League, hitting two homers and driving in 13 runs.Â
• Ryan Fournier was named an All-Star in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League, hitting .338 with eight homers and 37 RBI for the Lake Erie Monarchs. He was also named GLSCL All-League Honorable Mention following the season.
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RETURNING PLAYERSÂ
* Rylan Bannon was slated to play for the Wareham Gatemen in the Cape Cod League before being selected in the MLB Draft in June.
*Â Taylor Williams was slated to play for the Brewster Whitecaps in the Cape Cod League before suffering an injury.
INCOMING PLAYERS
* Jared Solomon was slated to play for the St. Cloud Rox in the Northwoods League before being selected in the MLB Draft in June.
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2017 MLB DRAFT
2016 MLB DRAFT
2015 MLB DRAFT
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Take a look at some of the final stats and highlights below:
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 |
 MiLB HIGHLIGHTS |
• Zac Lowther became the highest draft pick in program history in June, going 74th overall to the Baltimore Orioles after a spring season that saw him rank among the NCAA's top strikeout artists. Lowther kept it up in pro ball, appearing in 12 games (11 starts) and striking out 75 in 54.1 innings. The lefty allowed just 35 hits and posted a 1.66 ERA in Class A short season ball with the Aberdeen IronBirds.
• Lowther made his home starts at Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium, site of the Musketeers' 2016 BIG EAST Championship, and helped the IronBirds to a 41-34 record.
• In his final outing of the year on Sept. 7, Lowther struck out nine in four innings of scoreless and hitless work against the Hudson Valley Renegades.
• Lowther is currently the No. 13 ranked prospect in the Baltimore Orioles system according to MLB.com.
• Rylan Bannon played in 40 games of rookie ball for the Ogden Raptors, hitting .336 with 10 homers and 30 RBI in his first taste of pro ball. The 2017 BIG EAST Player of the Year posted an on-base percentage of .425 and slugged .591, picking up right where he left off after being selected in the eighth round of this spring's MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
• Bannon's team won the Pioneer League Championship on Sept. 18, defeating the Great Falls Voyagers 8-3. In game one of the series, Bannon went 2-for-4 with two homers and six RBI.
• The trophy was the second of the year for Bannon, who played a big role in XU's late May title run, and capped the best season in franchise history for the Raptors, who went 51-30 and set franchise records for team batting average, runs scored and homers. The team's 1,409 total bases also set a Pioneer League record.
• Garrett Schilling made 10 starts for the Boise Hawks, tossing 39 innings and striking out 23 while posting a 5.54 ERA. The righty was an 18th round selection of the Colorado Rockies this past June.
• Greg Jacknewitz made five starts and appeared 11 times for the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes in the Northwest League. The lefty posted a 6.83 ERA overall across two levels and was a 22nd round pick by the San Francisco Giants in June.
• Dan Rizzie was promoted to Class A full season ball over the summer and hit .261 with 15 RBI in 52 games for the Columbia Fireflies. Rizzie was a 13th round selection of the New York Mets in the 2016 draft.
• Andre Jernigan was promoted to Class A full season ball, playing 16 games for the Cedar Rapids Kernels before being released by the Minnesota Twins organization.
• Jacob Bodner pitched in Class A advanced ball this season for the Wilmington Blue Rocks, posting a 3.29 ERA in 29 appearances (one start). The righty struck out 70 in 54.2 innings and was a 27th round selection of the Kansas City Royals in 2015.
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 SUMMER LEAGUE HIGHLIGHTS |
• Conor Grammes helped the Elmira Pioneers to the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League playoffs, hitting .377 with three homers and 36 RBI in 33 games. Grammes also won the 2017 PGCBL Home Run Derby and was named the No. 9 MLB prospect in the league. Grammes was also named to the PGCBL All-League First Team.
• Allbry Major spent the summer as a teammate of Grammes' in the PGCBL, hitting .336 with two homers and 21 RBI. On the mound, Major was a force in 17 appearances. The incoming freshman posted a 3.34 ERA in 32.1 innings, striking out 44. Following the season, he was named the No. 15 MLB prospect in the league. Major was also named to the PGCBL All-League Second Team.
• Nate Soria hit .293 in 30 games for the Valley Blue Sox, homering three times and driving in 16 runs as his team claimed the New England Collegiate Baseball League title.
• Mitch Gallagher hit .285 in 34 games for the Bismarck Larks in the Northwoods League, hitting two homers and driving in 13 runs.Â
• Ryan Fournier was named an All-Star in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League, hitting .338 with eight homers and 37 RBI for the Lake Erie Monarchs. He was also named GLSCL All-League Honorable Mention following the season.
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 COLLEGE SUMMER LEAGUES |
RETURNING PLAYERSÂ
| Name | Team | League | Stats |
| Conor Grammes | Elmira Pioneers | Perfect Game | Link |
| Nate Soria | Valley Blue Sox | New England | Link |
| Will LaRue | Victoria Harbourcats | West Coast | Link |
| Mitch Gallagher | Bismarck Larks | Northwoods | Link |
| Sam Flamini | Vermont Mountaineers | New England | Link |
| Nate Monastra | Riverhead Tomcats | Hamptons | Link |
| Blaine Griffiths | Cincinnati Steam | Great Lakes | Link |
| Trey Schramm | Wisconsin Rapids Rafters | Northwoods | Link |
| Matt Kent | Victoria Harbourcats | West Coast | Link |
| Roger Danison | Cincinnati Steam | Great Lakes | Link |
| Grey Harmon | Cincinnati Steam | Great Lakes | Link |
| Chris Givin | Cincinnati Steam | Great Lakes | Link |
| Ryan Fournier | Lake Erie Monarchs | Great Lakes | Link |
* Rylan Bannon was slated to play for the Wareham Gatemen in the Cape Cod League before being selected in the MLB Draft in June.
*Â Taylor Williams was slated to play for the Brewster Whitecaps in the Cape Cod League before suffering an injury.
INCOMING PLAYERS
| Name | Team | League | Stats |
| Matthew Warkentin | St. Cloud Rox | Northwoods | Link |
| Allbry Major | Elmira Pioneers | Perfect Game | Link |
* Jared Solomon was slated to play for the St. Cloud Rox in the Northwoods League before being selected in the MLB Draft in June.
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 Minor League Baseball |
2017 MLB DRAFT
| Name | Team | MLB Affiliation (Level) | Stats |
| Rylan Bannon | Ogden Raptors | Los Angeles Dodgers (Rookie) | Link |
| Zac Lowther | Aberdeen IronBirds | Baltimore Orioles (Low-A) | Link |
| Greg Jacknewitz | AZL Giants | San Francisco Giants (Rookie) | Link |
| Garrett Schilling | Boise Hawks | Colorado Rockies (Low-A) | Link |
2016 MLB DRAFT
| Name | Team | MLB Affiliation (Level) | Stats |
| Andre Jernigan | Cedar Rapids Kernels | Minnesota Twins (High-A) | Link |
| Dan Rizzie | Columbia Fireflies | New York Mets (High-A) | Link |
2015 MLB DRAFT
| Name | Team | MLB Affiliation (Level) | Stats |
| Jacob Bodner | Wilmington Blue Rocks | Kansas City Royals (High-A) | Link |
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 INDEPENDENT LEAGUES |
| Name | Team | Affiliation | Stats |
| Vinny Nittoli | St. Paul Saints | American Association | Link |
| Mitch Elliott | Normal CornBelters | Frontier League | Link |
| Thomas Shirley | Lancaster Barnstormers | Atlantic League | Link |
| Charlie Leesman | Wichita Wingnuts | American Association | Link |
Players Mentioned
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