Baseball in Fort Wayne

Posts Tagged ‘Diamondbacks’

After playing more than a decade in Minor League Baseball without so much as a cup of coffee in the Majors, former Fort Wayne Wizard Todd Donovan, is calling an end to his baseball playing career. Donovan’s extra innings will now ba as a scout with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

In his scouting role, he’ll be monitoring the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays on the major league level, and Pawtucket, Rochester, New Britain and New Hampshire as part of his minor league assignment.

Donovan played in more than 800 professional games, collecting 800+ hits and a whopping 346 stolen bases. In 2005, the aggressive and speedy Donovan swiped 62 bags while with the Jacksonville Suns of the (AA) Southern League.

The eighth round selection (number 292 overall) of the San Diego Padres in the 1999 Amateur Draft, Donavoan appeared in 53 games with Fort Wayne in 2000. He hit .284 with 58 hits, 12 doubles and runs batted in. He also walked 25 times in 204 at-bats and compiled a .370 on base percentage. He swiped 18 bases and was caught stealing 9 times.

Related Posts:

• Todd Donovan Signs with Blue Jays
• Former Wizards Likely to Debut in 2009 – Part III
• Fort Fragments (Wizards): Donovan, Hunter, Condrey, Pierzynski, Soria, Perez

Jarrod Parker dominated the Midwest League last season and was pretty much off to a similar start in the High-A California League, going 1-0 with a 0.95 ERA and 21 strikeouts over 19 innings in four starts with the Visalia Rawhide.

The performance was good enough to land a promotion to Double-A Mobile.

Parker was in control in each start and demonstrated the competitiveness, approach and pure stuff that warranted a promotion,” D-backs farm director A.J. Hinch said. “He showed the ability to make adjustments and improved command of his secondary pitches. We had a plan to have him pitch at multiple levels this season, and his approach and performance this early in the season made it a comfortable decision.”

Former Wizards catcher, Luke Carlin has a busy Spring ahead of him. Last month, he signed a Minor League deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He is among the D’backs’ 17 non-roster invitees to Spring Training. In addition to trying to win a job, Carlin will be playing with the Canadian team during the World Baseball Classic; joining fellow former Wizard, Eric Cyr.

Carlin was one of 14 former Wizards to debut in the Major Leagues last season. In that game, he caught Greg Maddux’s 350th win. In 36 games that spread over 3 separate stints, he hit .149 with 14 hits in 94 at-bats with the San Diego Padres.

While with Fort Wayne in 2003 and 2004, Carlin appeared in 44 games and had 144 at-bats. He scored 12 runs on 33 hits with 15 bases on balls.

Related BBIFW posts about Luke Carlin:

• Carlin Called Up (Finally); Morton to Double-A
• Carlin Debuts; Catches Maddux’s 350th Win
• Carlin Gets First Big League Hit
• Wizards in the World Baseball Classic