Four former Black Bears batting at the Mendoza Line in Bradenton

What is the Mendoza Line, you ask? Answer: A batting average of .200, named after former major league infielder Mario Mendoza.

Four former West Virginia Black Bears playing for the Bradenton Marauders this season are struggling at the plate, batting at or below the Mendoza Line. They are Jared Oliva, Hunter Owen, Casey Hughston, and Trae Arbet.

Jared Oliva was selected by the Pirates in the seventh round of the 2017 draft out of the University of Arizona and played in 56 games last season for the Black Bears (.266/.327/.374).

Hunter Owen - 2015

Hunter Owen played in 52 games (.257/.313/.412) for the Black Bears in 2016, after being selected in the 25th round of the draft out of Indiana State. He also played in three games for the Black Bears in 2017, while on a rehab assignment from the West Virginia Power.

Casey Hughston was a third round pick by the Pirates in the 2015 draft out of Alabama. He played in 61 games for the NYPL Champion Black Bears in 2015 (.224/.267/.311). Hughston spent 2016 with the West Virginia Power and played most of the 2017 season with Bradenton before being called up to Altoona in September.

Trae Arbet played in two games for the Black Bears before being injured. He was drafted in the fifth round in 2013 out of high school. Arbet spent the entire 2017 season with the West Virginia Power.

2018 Stats for each player listed below are from MiLB.com.

Jared Oliva

			G	AB	R	H	TB	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	IBB	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	GO/AO
			20	70	12	14	21	3	2	0	4	9	1	22	3	1	.200	.296	.300	.596	0.76

Hunter Owen

			G	AB	R	H	TB	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	IBB	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	GO/AO
			21	75	12	15	29	4	2	2	5	5	0	27	0	0	.200	.286	.387	.672	0.95

Casey Hughston

			G	AB	R	H	TB	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	IBB	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	GO/AO
			19	55	4	9	11	2	0	0	2	7	0	20	1	2	.164	.254	.200	.454	0.93

Trae Arbet

			G	AB	R	H	TB	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	IBB	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	GO/AO
			16	49	4	7	9	2	0	0	3	2	0	16	3	1	.143	.208	.184	.391	3.67

 
Photo Credits: MiLB.com

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