Thursday, December 3, 2020

Last Post: That's all folks

Since the West Virginia Black Bears are no longer part of minor league baseball, this will be my last post at Black Bears Tracker.  

As part of Commissioner Rob Manfred's grand plan to contract (shrink) professional baseball, the New York-Penn League has been eliminated. There is a lot of buzz about the new MLB Draft League and how baseball has been "saved" in Morgantown. I understand the reasons why and that some baseball is better than no baseball. But let's be clear, while the team is still "affiliated" with Major League Baseball, there will be NO minor league baseball going forward in Morgantown, West Virginia. Claiming otherwise is like putting lipstick on a pig. The new MLB Draft League is just a wood-bat summer league "focused on top prospects who are eligible to be drafted by MLB Clubs that summer". No doubt, there will be some good baseball played by future major leaguers.

I haven't posted anything here since January 31, 2019 (see: Complete Roster of West Virginia Black Bears, 2015-18). At some point, I may update the roster to include players from the 2019 season and post it on Blogger at New York-Penn League History. That's appropriate because the New York-Penn League is now just history.

For the sake of the fans in Morgantown, West Virginia, Williamsport & State College, Pennsylvania, Trenton, New Jersey, Niles, Ohio, (and a location to be determined), I hope the league is successful. Whether Major League Baseball will be committed to its long term viability remains to be seen.

See you at the ballpark.

Black Bears Tracker is not affiliated in any way with Minor League Baseball, the New York-Penn League, or any of its teams. 

Thursday, January 31, 2019

Complete Roster of West Virginia Black Bears, 2015-18


Black Bears in action at Monongalia County Ballpark
Here is a rare post at Black Bears Tracker. I have posted a complete roster of Pittsburgh Pirates' prospects who have played at Monongalia County Ballpark since the Black Bears arrived in 2015. The roster includes rehab assignments. I will update periodically between now and when the new roster is set in June. Let me know if you find any mistakes or typos.

Normally, inforrmation about former West Virginia Black Bears is posted simultaneously on Twitter @NYPennNews and at NY-Penn League News and History. You will still be able to access Black Bears Tracker and read previous posts.

Player name
Year(s) Played
Date of Birth
How Acquired
Status
Agrazal, Dario
2015
December 28, 1994
Free agent
non-roster invitee to Pirates 2019 Spring Training
Alemais, Stephen
2016
April 12, 1995
Round 3, 2016 draft
assigned to Altoona Curve
Alldred, Cam 
2018
July 25, 1996
Round 24, 2018 draft
assigned to Greensboro Grasshoppers
Amaral, Daniel
2018
March 7, 1997
Round 14, 2018 draft
assigned to West Virginia Black Bears
Anderson, Matt
2016
July 29, 1994
Round 10, 2016 draft

Anderson, Tanner
2015
May 27, 1993
Round 20, 2015 draft
Oakland Athletics 40 man roster
Andriese, David
2015
March 2, 1991
Round 30, 2014 draft
released November 6, 2015
Arbet, Trae
2016
July 1, 1994
Round 5, 2013 draft
released May 24, 2018
Arribas, Daniel
2015
September 30, 1992
Free agent
released June 28, 2017
Barraza, Jose
2017
July 28, 1994
Free agent
released March 28, 2018
Bastardo, Alexis
2015
February 26, 1994
Free agent
released August 7, 2017
Baur, Albert
2015-16
March 22, 1992
Round 28, 2015 draft
assigned to Bradenton Marauders
Beddes, Danny
2016
July 16, 1994
Round 15, 2016 draft
retired March 31, 2017
Bejerano, Manny
2018
May 17, 1997
Round 30, 2017 draft
released November 19, 2018
Bengtson, Ben
2018
July 28, 1995
Round 23, 2017 draft 
assigned to West Virginia Black Bears
Bido, Osvaldo
2018
October 18, 1995
Free agent
assigned to West Virginia Black Bears
Bingel, Brandon
2016-17
February 2, 1995
Round 22, 2016 draft
released November 13, 2017
Brands, Paul
2018
May 13, 1997
Free agent
released November 6, 2018
Brault, Steven
rehab 2016
April 29, 1992
Traded from Baltimore Orioles February 20, 2015
Pirates 40-man roster
Brown, Garrett
2017
March 23, 1993
Round 23, 2016 draft
released August 6, 2018
Brubaker, J.T
2015
November 17, 1993
Round 6, 2015 draft
Pittsburgh Pirates 40-man roster
Busby, Dylan
2017
November 28, 1995
Round 3, 2017 draft
assigned to Greensboro Grasshoppers
Case, Brad
2018
September 13, 1996
Round 17, 2018 draft
assigned to West Virginia Black Bears
Cesar, Joel
2017
January 26, 1996
Free agent
assigned to Greensboro Grasshoppers
Craig, Will
2016
November 16, 1994
Round 1, 2016 draft
non-roster invitee to Pirates 2019 Spring Training
Creasy, Jason
rehab 2016
May 13, 1992
Round 8, 2011
claimed off waiver Gwinnett Stripers December 13, 2018
Cubilete, Sergio
2017
March 19, 1995
Free agent
assigned to Greensboro Grasshoppers
De La Cruz, Julio
2017
October 5, 1995
Free agent
released November 17, 2017
De La Cruz, Michael
2017-18
July 10, 1996
Free agent
released November 6, 2018
Del Orbe, Francis
2018
October 9, 1998
Free agent
assigned to West Virginia Black Bears
DeLay, Jason
2017
March 7, 1995
Round 4, 2017 draft
non-roster invitee to Pirates 2019 Spring Training
Diorio, Matt
2016-17
July 24, 1995
Round 16, 2016 draft
released March 21, 2018
Dorsch, Eric
2015
September 23, 1991
Round 15, 2014 draft
assigned to West Virginia Black Bears
Eagan, Clark
2016
March 13, 1995
Round 9, 2016 draft
released March 31, 2018
Economos, Nicholas
2017-18
June 27, 1995
Round 21, 2015 draft
assigned to Greensboro Grasshoppers
Escobar, Luis
2015-16
May 30, 1996
Free agent
Pittsburgh Pirates 40-man roster
Eusebio, Julio
2015, ‘17
June 2, 1992
Free agent
released on March 21, 2018
Fernandez, Yoandy
2017
March 29, 1988
Free agent
released November 17, 2017
Flynn, Michael
2018
August 7, 1996
Round 6, 2018 draft
assigned to West Virginia Black Bears
Forgione, Erik
2015-16
September 9, 1992
Round 25, 2014 draft
released March 27, 2017
Frawley, Matt
2016
August 8, 1995
Round 17, 2016 draft
traded to New York Yankees June 14, 2017
Fuentes, Huascar
2017
June 2, 1992
Free agent
released November 17, 2017
Garcia, Deybi
2015
February 11, 1992
Free agent
released December 21, 2016
Garcia, Hector
2015, 2017
October 4, 1995
Free agent
released November 17, 2017
Gardner, Will
2018
May 8, 1996
Round 21, 2018 draft
assigned to West Virginia Black Bears
George, Jordan
2016
July 16, 1992
Round 35, 2015 draft
selected by White Sox from Pirates Rule 5 December 13, 2018
Glasnow, Tyler
rehab 2015
August 23, 1993
Round 5, 2011 draft
Tampa Bay Rays 40 man roster
Glendinning, Robbie
2017-18
October 6, 1995
Round 21, 2017 draft
assigned to Greensboro Grasshoppers
Gonzalez, Yoel
2017
August 1, 1996
Free agent
released June 5, 2018
Gray, Tristan
2017
March 22, 1996
Round 13, 2017 draft
traded to Tampa Bay Rays February 22, 2018
Gretler, Mike
2018
January 1, 1996
Round 10, 2018 draft
assigned to West Virginia Black Bears
Grullon, Adrian
2016
September 17, 1992
Free agent
released March 31, 2017
Harvey, Chris
2015-16
March 10, 1993
Free agent
released May 26, 2017
Hayes, Ke’Bryan
2015
January 28, 1997
Round 1, 2015 draft
non-roster invitee to Pirates 2019 Spring Training
Helton, Bret
2015
July 25, 1993
Round 9, 2015 draft
assigned to Altoona Curve
Henriquez, Juan
2018
October 22, 1996
Free agent
released January 22, 2019
Hernandez, Miguel
2018
November 3, 1995
Free agent
released November 6, 2018
Hernandez, Raul
2017
December 20, 1995
Free agent
assigned to Greensboro Grasshoppers
Herrera, Jhoan
2018
June 14, 1995
Free agent
released November 6, 2018
Hibbing, Nick
2015
August 15, 1992
Round 16, 2015 draft
retired March 2016
Hightower, Scooter
2016-17
October 15, 1993
Round 15, 2015 draft
assigned to Altoona Curve
Hill, Logan
2015
May 26, 1993
Round 25, 2015 draft
assigned to Altoona Curve
Holdzkom, John
rehab 2015
October 19, 1987
Free agent 2014
released April 11, 2016
Hughston, Casey
2015
June 9, 1994
Round 3, 2015 draft
assigned to Bradenton Marauders
Jacques, Joe
2018
March 11, 1995
Round 33, 2018 draft
assigned to West Virginia Black Bears
Jhang, Jin-De
rehab 2018
May 17, 1993
Free agent
elected free agency November 2, 2018
Jimenez, Melvin
2018
September 9, 1995
Free agent
released November 6, 2018
Joe, Connor
rehab 2017
August 16, 1992
CBA 2014 draft
traded to Atlanta Braved August 5, 2017
Kaiser, Connor
2018
November 20, 1996
Round 3, 2018 draft
assigned to Greensboro Grasshoppers
Karch, Eric
2015
October 15, 1991
Round 22, 2014 draft
elected free agency November 6, 2017
Keller, Mitch
rehab 2017
April 4, 1996
Round 2, 2014 draft
Pittsburgh Pirates 40-man roster
Kelley, Christian
2015
September 23, 1993
Round 11, 2015
non-roster invitee to Pirates 2019 Spring Training
Kemp, Shane
2017
July 12, 1994
Round 26, 2015 draft
released March 21, 2018
Keselica, Sean
2015
June 14, 1993
Round 33, 2015 draft
assigned to Altoona Curve
King, Nick
2016-17
November 12, 1993
Free agent
released November 17, 2017
Kinneman, Brett
2018
August 18, 1996
Round 7, 2018 draft
assigned to West Virginia Black Bears
Koch, Grant 
2018
February 5, 1997
Round 5, 2018 draft
assigned to West Virginia Black Bears
Kone, Zack
2018
November 5, 1996
Round 13, 2018 draft
assigned to West Virginia Black Bears
Kozikowski, Neil
2016
May 26, 1995
Round 8, 2013 draft
released March 21, 2017
Kramer, Kevin
2015, rehab 2017
October 3, 1993
Round 2, 2015 draft
Pittsburgh Pirates 40-man roster
Krause, Kevin
2016
November 23, 1992
Round 9, 2014 draft
released April 20, 2018
Lantigua, Edison
2018
January 9, 1997
Free agent
assigned to West Virginia Black Bears
Leffler, Tyler
2016
July 11, 1994
Round 27, 2016 draft
released June 1, 2017
Loeprich, Conner
2018
September 13, 1997
Round 20, 2018 draft
assigned to West Virginia Black Bears
LoPresi, Mike
2018
October 22, 1996
Round 18, 2018 draft
assigned to West Virginia Black Bears
Macias, Fabricio
2018
March 11, 1998
Free agent
assigned to West Virginia Black Bears
Madris, Bligh
2017
February 29, 1996
Round 9, 2017 draft
assigned to Bradenton Marauders
Mahala, Kevin
2016
July 19, 1994
Round 18, 2016 draft
released May 24, 2018
Manasa, Alex
2018
January 6, 1998
Round 11, 2017 draft 
assigned to West Virginia Black Bears
Mangieri, Luke
2018
October 15, 1996
Round 25, 2018 draft
assigned to Greensboro Grasshoppers
Marvel, James
2016
September 17, 1993
Round 36, 2015 draft
assigned to Altoona Curve
Mazzoccoli, Pasquale
2017
March 28, 1992
Round 35, 2016 draft
released March 21, 2018
McDonald, Chris
2017
October 7, 1994
Free agent
released November 17, 2017
McGarry, Seth
2015
January 5, 1994
Round 8, 2015 draft
traded to Philadelphia Phillies July 31, 2017
Meadows, Austin
rehab ’16 & ‘17
May 3, 1995
Round 1, 2013 draft
traded to Tampa Bay Rays July 31, 2018
Mears, Nick
2018
October 7, 1996
Free agent
assigned to West Virginia Black Bears
Meyer, Stephan
2015-17
May 11, 1994
Round 18, 2015 draft
retired February 13, 2018
Minier, Jonathan
2015
March 8, 1990
Free agent
released March 28, 2016
Montero, Yunior
2016
Feb 9, 1993
Free agent
assigned to Bradenton Marauders
Montgomery, Allen
2018
August 15, 1996
Free agent
assigned to West Virginia Black Bears
Montilla, Ulises
2015
May 12, 1992
Free agent
released July 26, 2015
Moore, Ty
2015-16
July 26, 1993
Round 12, 2015 draft
released March 28, 2018
Mota, Cristian
2016
September 26, 1991
Free agent
released December 21, 2016
Mulderig, Jerry
2015
June 17, 1992
Round 28, 2013 draft
released November 6, 2015
Munoz, Carlos
2015
June 29, 1994
Free agent
elected free agency November 6, 2017
Murray, Shea
2018
November 5, 1993
Round 18, 2017 draft
assigned to West Virginia Black Bears
Nagle, Ryan
2015, ‘17
August 7, 1994
Round 27, 2015 draft
released March 21, 2018
Neverauskas, Dovydas
rehab 2015
January 14, 1993
Free agent
Pittsburgh Pirates 40-man roster
Newman, Kevin
2015
August 4, 1993
Round 1, 2015 draft
Pittsburgh Pirates 40-man roster
Ngoepe, Gift
rehab 2017
January 18, 1990
Free agent
signed as free agent by Philadelphia Phillies January 11, 2019
Oliva, Jared
2017
November 27, 1995
Round 7, 2017
assigned to Bradenton Marauders
Oller, Adam
2017
October 17, 1994
Round 20, 2016 draft
released November 6, 2018
Otamendi, Andy
2015
May 15, 1992
Free agent
released June 20, 2016
Owen, Hunter
2016, rehab 2017
September 22, 1993
Round 25, 2016 draft
assigned to Bradenton Marauders
Pabst, Arden
2016
March 14, 1995
Round 12, 2016 draft
non-roster invitee to Pirates 2019 Spring Training
Paula, Luis
2015-16
June 22, 1993
Round 31, 2014 draft
released December 21, 2016
Piechota, Evan
2016-17
October 19, 1993
Free agent
assigned to Bradenton Marauders
Pimentel, Cesilio
2015
January 5, 1993
Free agent
waived by Pirates December, 2016
Pomeroy, John 
2018
October 9, 1994
Round 13, 2016 draft
assigned to Greensboro Grasshoppers
Pope, Brett
2017
May 28, 1996
Round 22, 2017 draft
assigned to Bradenton Marauders
Potter, Andrew
2017
February 9, 1994
Free agent
released July 14, 2017
Prohoroff, Dylan
2016
November 29, 1994
Round 8, 2016 draft
assigned to Greensboro Grasshoppers
Quinones, Hector
2017
June 7, 1994
Free agent
retired April 16, 2018
Ratledge, Logan
2015
July 20, 1992
Round 13, 2015 draft
released November 6, 2018
Rennard, Alec
2018
May 6, 1995
Free agent
assigned to West Virginia Black Bears
Rivera, Maximo
2015
December 22, 1992
Free agent
released November 6, 2015
Romano, Argenis
2018
June 16, 1995
Free agent
released November 6, 2018
Roth, Billy
2016
June 5, 1995
Round 16, 2013 draft
released December 20, 2016
Santana, Edgar
2015
October 16, 1991
Free agent
Pittsburgh Pirates 40-man roster
Santos, Sandy
2016-17
April 20, 1994
Free agent
released November 17, 2017
Schlabach, Ike
2017
December 27, 1996
Round 19, 2015 draft
assigned to Greensboro Grasshoppers
Schwind, Jonathan
rehab 2017
May 30, 1990
Round 41, 2011 draft
elected free agency November 6, 2017
Scioneaux, Tate
2015
December 14, 1992
Round 39, 2015 draft
Pittsburgh Pirates 40-man roster
Seelinger, Matt
2017
April 19, 1995
Round 28, 2017 draft
Traded to Tampa Bay Rays, August 6, 2016
Sharpe, Chris
2017
June 6, 1996
Round 14, 2017 draft
assigned to Greensboro Grasshoppers
Shortridge, Aaron
2018
May 29, 1997
Round 4, 2018 draft
assigned to West Virginia Black Bears
Siri, Raul
2017-18
October 21, 1994
Free agent
assigned to Bradenton Marauders
Smith, Cody
2018
September 12, 1995
Round 39, 2018 draft
assigned to West Virginia Black Bears
Spears, Zach
2018
June 3, 1997
Round 8, 2018 draft
assigned to West Virginia Black Bears
Stafford, Deon
2017
March 17, 1996
Round 5, 2017 draft
assigned to Greensboro Grasshoppers
Stoelke, Logan
2018
August 26, 1995
Round 9, 2018 draft
assigned to Greensboro Grasshoppers
Suchy, Michael
rehab 2017
April 15, 1993
Round 5, 2014 draft
released March 30, 2018
Sulser, Beau
2017
May 5, 1994
Round 10, 2017 draft
assigned to Greensboro Grasshoppers
Susi, Zac
2018
October 30, 2018
Round 12, 2018 draft
assigned to Bristol Pirates
Swaggerty, Travis
2018
August 19, 1997
Round 1, 2018 draft
assigned to Greensboro Grasshoppers
Tancas, Lucas
2017
November 12, 1993
Round 26, 2017 draft
assigned to Bradenton Marauders
Taylor, Jacob
2016
July 5, 1995
Round 4, 2015 draft
retired May 25, 2018
Tolman, Mitchell
2015
June 8, 1994
Round 7, 2015 draft
assigned to Bradenton Marauders
Valaika, Nick
2018
December 7, 1995
Round 24, 2017 draft
assigned to West Virginia Black Bears
Valdes, Ryan
2018
August 22, 1993
Round 33, 2017 draft
assigned to Greensboro Grasshoppers
Vieaux, Cam
2016
December 5, 1993
Round 6, 2016 draft
assigned to Altoona Curve
Vinicio, Felix
2018
October 28, 1994
Free agent
released July 7, 2018
Vivas, Julio
2016
October 1, 1993
Free agent
released
Waddell, Brandon
2015, rehab 2017
June 3, 1994
Round 5, 2015 draft
non-roster invitee to Pirates 2019 Spring Training
Walker, Andrew
2017
February 13, 1994
Free agent
released June 4, 2018
Wallace, Gavin
2017
November 14, 1995
Round 15, 2017 draft
assigned to Bradenton Marauders
Wallace, Mike
2016
May 21, 1994
Round 30, 2015 draft
assigned to Bradenton Marauders
Watson, Kyle
2018
January 14, 1996
Round 37, 2017 draft
assigned to West Virginia Black Bears
Weiman, Blake
2017
November 5, 1995
Round 8, 2017 draft
non-roster invitee to Pirates 2019 Spring Training
Weiss, Erich
rehab 2018
September 11, 1991
Round 11, 2013 draft
assigned to Indianapolis Indians
Wood, Eric
rehab 2018
November 22, 1992
Round 6, 2012 draft
elected free agency November 2, 2018
Zamora, Daniel
2015
April 15, 1993
Round 40, 2015 draft
New York Mets 40-man roster

Photo credit: NY-Penn League News and History

Black Bears Tracker and New York-Penn League News and History are not affiliated in any way with Minor League Baseball, the New York-Penn League, or any of its teams.