Local MLB player update: Javy Baez’s struggles mount with Tigers

Detroit Tigers' Javier Baez hits a double against the Minnesota Twins in the fourth inning of the first game of a baseball doubleheader in Detroit, Tuesday, May 31, 2022. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) (Paul Sancya, Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – There’s very good representation of local products in at the highest level of professional baseball.

Each Thursday, News4JAX will update players in Major League Baseball. What about guys who are playing minor league baseball? We’ve got you covered there, too. Local minor league prospects will be updated Friday’s during the season.

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Local MLB player update

Checking in on how players with area ties are doing in Major League Baseball in 2022. Stats are through June 15 games.

Pos. Player, Local tie, MLB team, Notable

IF Javier Baez, Arlington CD, Tigers, Mired in the worst season of his career. Hitting .188 with 3 HR and 16 RBI. Has whiffed 53 times in 50 games. Ranks as the worst of the 159 qualified hitters in baseball, according to the Weighted Runs Created Plus (wRC+) metric.

P Bryan Baker, UNF, Orioles, Is 2-3 with 5.47 ERA, 25 Ks in 26.1 IP.

P Mike Baumann, JU, Orioles, Is 1-2 with 4.91 ERA, 8 Ks in 11 IP this season in the bigs. Back in Triple-A.

P Dane Dunning, Clay, Rangers, Is 1-4 with 4.04 ERA with 68 Ks in 71.1 IP. Has lost his last 3 decisions.

LF Ben Gamel, Bishop Kenny, Pirates, Hitting .257 with 17 RBI, 3 HR, 7 2Bs and 20 runs. Put on 10-day disabled list on May 29 with a left hamstring strain but should start running again soon.

P Mike Clevinger, Wolfson, Padres, Is 1-0 with 3.18 ERA, 20 Ks in 17 IP. Placed on 10-day injured list with COVID on Saturday.

OF Austin Hays, JU, Orioles, Hitting .286 with 8 HR, 36 RBI, 32 runs scored. Has 5 RBI and a HR since our last update.

P Justin Lawrence, First Coast/JU, Rockies, Is 1-1 with 5.52 ERA, 20 Ks in 14.2 IP. Called up to Colorado last Saturday and optioned back at Triple-A Albuquerque a day later.

1B Nathaniel Lowe, St. Johns River State College, Rangers, Hitting .276 with 8 HR, 24 RBI and 24 runs scored. Belted a couple homers and drove in 4 runs since our last update.

RP Darren O’Day, Bishop Kenny, Braves, Is 1-0 with 18 Ks, 3.60 ERA in 15 IP.

C Roberto Perez, Florida Gateway College, Pirates, Remains on 60-day injured list with hamstring strain after going on it May 7. Hitting .233 with 2 HR, 8 RBI, 8 runs scored.

P Sean Reid-Foley, Sandalwood, Mets, Suffered a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in late April and underwent Tommy John surgery, putting him out for the season. Was 0-0 with 5.40 ERA, 8 Ks in 10 IP.

OF Austin Slater, Bolles, Giants, Hitting .235 with 3 HR, 16 runs scored and 13 RBI this season.

OF DJ Stewart, Bolles, Orioles, Was hitless in 3 at-bats before being optioned to Triple-A Norfolk.

OF Myles Straw, SJRSC, Guardians, Hitting .211 with 40 runs scored, 7 RBI and 11 stolen bases.

P Adam Wainwright, Glynn Academy, Cardinals, Is 5-4 with 55 Ks, 2.84 ERA in 73 IP.


About the Author:

Justin Barney joined News4Jax in February 2019, but he’s been covering sports on the First Coast for more than 20 years.