Minor league seasons hit final stretch for Howard, Justus, and Seigler
Minor League baseball schedules around the country are winding down in late August and the three local players continue their contributions.
Most MiLB regular seasons wrap up in the final days of August or just after the Labor Day weekend.
Connor Justus was promoted back to the Double-A Mobile BayBears in the Los Angeles Angels' organization. Sam Howard made his 18th start this season for the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes, and recent Cartersville High grad Anthony Seigler continues his work with the Rookie-level Pulaski Yankees.
Top photo (L-R) Sam Howard, Connor Justus, Anthony Seigler
SAM HOWARD — Albuquerque Isotopes (5th-yr. pro; LHP; Triple-A Pacific Coast League; Colorado Rockies organization; Georgia Southern; Cartersville HS)… went 5 and 2/3 innings last Thursday in a no-decision start. He allowed a pair of earned runs on four hits without issuing a walk. He fanned four. The Isotopes eventually lost the home game 4-2 to Sacramento. For the year, Howard has a 3-6 record for Albuquerque in 18 starts and 80 innings pitched. He has a 5.06 ERA with 66 strikeouts and 29 walks. He has also been called up to join the MLB Rockies on two occasions during the 2018 season. Howard made his lone major league appearance back on June 10 against Arizona when he pitched one inning of relief and allowed only one hit in a scoreless frame. Albuquerque (59-67) plays at El Paso Tuesday through Thursday before hosting a four-game series with Reno Friday through next Monday.
CONNOR JUSTUS — Mobile BayBears (3rd-yr. pro; MIF; Double-A Southern League; L.A. Angels organization; Georgia Tech; Cartersville HS)… was promoted back to the Double-A BayBears last Tuesday and has split time playing shortstop and second base while batting sixth in the Mobile order. After hitting .290 with 29 RBI and six homers in 47 games back with Advanced Class A Inland Empire, Justus was assigned back to Mobile where he started the 2018 season. In six games last week at Biloxi, he was 1-for-17 with three walks, two runs scored, and a stolen base. Through 110 games and 381 at-bats this year split between Mobile and Inland Empire, Justus has a .228 batting average with 42 RBI and 24 extra base hits. His defensive numbers have been solid all season with a fielding percentage at .947 in 266 chances and over 600 innings. Mobile (24-30, Southern League second half) is at home through Thursday to play the Mississippi Braves five times, including a Monday night doubleheader. The BayBears then travel to Pensacola for a five-game set beginning Friday.
ANTHONY SEIGLER — Pulaski Yankees (1st-yr. pro; C; Rookie level Appalachian League; N.Y. Yankees organization; Cartersville HS)… saw action in three of Pulaski’s six game last week and went 1-for-9 at the plate with a pair of walks and scored one run. His hit came last Monday night in a home game against the Danville Braves. Although the switch-hitting catcher is hitting only .194 over his last ten games, he carries a .266 batting average through his first 24 minor league games. He has one home run, three doubles, nine RBI, and has walked 14 times in a dozen games in both the Gulf Coast League (Yankees West) and the Appalachian League. Pulaski (29-29) closes out a road series at Bristol Monday night before hosting a four-game set with Princeton Tuesday through Friday. The team will then close out the 2018 season on the road at Bluefield and Elizabethton Saturday through the following Wednesday.
