Major league teams have started the post-season purge of their minor league systems, which unfortunately means that a few former Valley Leaguers will have to move on to something else in their lives. Or, perhaps, wait for another team to scoop them up.

Over the past three weeks, six alumni have have their status change. First of all, three have declared free agency. They are:

  • Clint Robinson (Harrisonburg 2006-07). A 25th round draft pick in 2007, Clint has had a solid career to this point. He is the 2006-2017 VBL minor league record holder in many categories. He’s also appeared in 243 major league games in that time span. Hopefully Clint can find a team that needs a lefthanded bat.
  • Alex Wimmers (Luray 2008). Alex was the 21st overall pick in 2010 by the Twins. A Tommy John surgery survivor, Alex has appeared in 165 minor league games and 22 major league games over his career.
  • Josh Edgin (Winchester 2007). Josh was drafted in the same year as Wimmers, but 30 rounds later. Josh played in the majors for almost the entire 2017 season, appearing in 46 games and going 0-1, 3.65 in 37 innings, with a 1.54 WHIP, a 4.4 BB/9, and 6.6 K/9. (He also appeared in 3 games at Triple-A.) Oddly, as a left handed pitcher, Josh was a little bit worse against lefty batters than righties in 2017.

These players have been released:

  • Ryan Castellanos (Harrisonburg 2014). Ryan was picked in the 25th round of the 2015 draft by the Tigers. Over parts of three seasons, he went 16-13, 4.02 in 40 games (31 starts). He finished with a 1.334 WHIP, along with a 1.5 BB/9 and 4.1 K/9 over 201 2/3 innings.
  • Joe Napolitano (Harrisonburg 2013). Joe was a free agent signee in 2016 by the Mets, out of St. John’s. Over 31 career games, he went 4-5, 5.49, with a 1.55 WHIP, 4.6 BB/9, and 8.2 K/9 in 39 1/3 innings.
  • Tyler Howe (Waynesboro 2015-16). Tyler was signed as an undrafted free agent just this summer, and then appeared in a whopping 10 games in the Gulf Coast League. He actually threw really well, ending up at 3-1, 1.57, a 1.17 WHIP, 5.1 BB/9, and 11.0 K/9 in 23 innings.

If anything changes with the status with any or all of these players, you’ll be updated on ATVL….

Napolitano
Castellanos