Congratulations are in order for another alum of the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series.
Tommy Specht, who memorably had a two-RBI single during the 2021 Main Event at Citi Field — and had another RBI wiped off the board on an appealed sac fly — has graduated to full-season baseball, being sent to the Low-A Down East Wood Ducks by the Texas Rangers.
Specht joins fellow Iowa native and FSS alum, Ian Moller, on the roster, although Specht has yet to debut at the level since his May 26 call-up due to games being rained out; he was set to start at DH on Saturday. The 18-year-old had a very brief professional debut in the Arizona Complex League last year, recording his first two professional hits in just three games.
As for Moller, Texas’ fourth-round selection in the 2021 MLB Draft and the No. 103 overall pick, has multi-games in two of his last five contests after playing in International Week back in both 2019 and 2020.
Wes Kath, INF — Winston-Salem Dash | White Sox (A+)
An alum of the 2019 National Tournaments as a member of the Blackhawks, Kath went on to be taken with the No. 57 overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft by the Chicago White Sox, and has since established himself as one of their better prospects. He continued to showed that on Thursday, tying a season-high with three hits at Maimonides Park in Brooklyn.
Season high-tying three-hit night for #WhiteSox prospect Wes Kath last night in Brooklyn.
57th overall pick in 2021. pic.twitter.com/RcqHBkKJaO
— Mike Ashmore (@mashmore98) May 26, 2023
Cam Collier, INF — Daytona Tortugas | Reds (A)
In his first full season in pro ball, Collier has really started to turn it on of late. The 18-year-old, who went No. 18 overall to the Cincinnati Reds last year after seemingly countless big moments with the Future Stars Series, has upped his average by a whopping 26 points over the last eight days. Collier has hits in all but one of the seven games he’s played over that stretch, including two home runs.
T.J. Schofield-Sam, INF — Stockton Ports | A’s (A+)
The Canadian-born infielder has put together a solid season in Stockton, his fourth in Oakland’s system as he consistently climbs the ladder. Drawing a Daniel Murphy comp from P15 CEO Jeremy Booth at the time, Schofield-Sam continues to hit, with a batting average of .274 currently ahead on track for a career-high.
Tyler Soderstrom, C/1B — Las Vegas Aviators | A’s (AAA)
Soderstrom may have the inside track at becoming the third alum of the Future Stars Series to reach the big leagues. Oakland has him playing at both first base and catcher, and not only has he performed well at both spots, he’s been hot with the bat all year long; just 21 years old and already in Triple-A, Soderstrom already has ten homers on the year.
Eric Silva, P — Eugene Emeralds | Giants (A+)
Silva has been excellent in his first foray into High-A this year in Oregon, posting a 1-0 record and 2.88 ERA over nine starts, with the record being somewhat deceiving given he’s pitched the required five frames for a win just once. Despite that, he’s now racked up back-to-back outings with seven strikeouts, a season-best.
Pete Hansen, P — Palm Beach Cardinals | Cardinals (A)
A steal with the No. 97 overall pick by the St. Louis Cardinals just last season, the NorCal alum could move quickly as a college arm in their system; he was drafted after a successful career at the University of Texas, and already has 48 strikeouts in his first 36 1/3 professional innings this year.
