Catching up with the ’19 IronPigs, including an MLB debut and an upcoming NFL tryout
Phil Gosselin is providing protection for Shohei Ohtani in the Angels lineup. Rob Brantly is back in the Bronx. Tyler Gilbert is in The Show for the first time.
And Dylan Cozens is trying to make it to the big time in another sport.
Amazing how much has changed in two years.
Most of the 2019 IronPigs are spread across the country enjoying varying amounts of success at many levels of professional baseball.
Here’s a look at 25 members of manager Gary Jones’ squad:
RHP Victor Arano: He is 1-1 with one save and a 3.32 ERA in 20 games with Triple-A Gwinnett (Braves).
C Rob Brantly :Hewas2for15ina recent, five-day stint with the Yankees. He’s back up there again after batting .287 with 12 extra-base hits in 35 games with Triple-A Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre.
INF Ali Castillo: He’s hitting .202 in a combined 44 games with Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Rochester in the Nationals’ system. He was on third base last Saturday when Phillies prospect Daniel Brito reportedly told him that he had a headache.
OF Dylan Cozens: The slugger announced on social media earlier this summer that he was retiring from pro baseball and training for a shot at the NFL. He was batting .177 with 43 strikeouts in 100 plate appearances with Triple-A Nashville (Milwaukee).
RHP John Curtiss: He has allowed six runs in three outings with the Brewers since being dealt by the Marlins (3-1, 2.48 ERA in 35 games).
LHP Austin Davis: The reliever has two scoreless outings with the Red Sox after being traded by the Pirates, where he was 0-1 with a 5.59 ERA in 10 games.
RHP Jerad Eickhoff: He is 0-2 with an 8.69 ERA in five games with the Mets. He is 5-1 with a 5.09 ERA in nine starts with Triple-A Syracuse. He spent parts of five seasons with the Phillies.
RHP Thomas Eshelman: He was 0-2 with an 8.02 ERA in six games with the Orioles before being sent back to Triple-A earlier this week. He is 0-3 with a 6.41 ERA in six games for Norfolk.
INF Maikel Franco: He’s batting .215 with 31 extra-base hits and 47 RBIs in 88 games with the Orioles after spending last season with the Royals.
RHP Edgar Garcia: He is 1-0 in two games with Triple-A St. Paul (Twins) after being traded from the Reds, where he was 0-1 with a 16.62 ERA in five July games with Cincinnati.
LHP Tyler Gilbert: He made his MLB debut Tuesday with two strikeouts in a scoreless eighth inning for the Diamondbacks. He was 5-2 with a 3.44 ERA in 11 games with Triple-A Reno — the last 10 as a starter. The Phillies converted him from a starter in 2017.
UTL Phil Gosselin: He’s batting .280 with 24 RBIs in 58 games with the Angels after spending chunks of the previous two seasons with the Phillies.
C Deivy Grullon: He’s hitting .241 in eight games with Charlotte after coming over from the Rays organization. He batted .226 in 21 games with Durham. The 25-year-old got in one game last season with the Red Sox.
OF Jan Hernandez: He has one hit in 14 at-bats with Triple-A Louisville (Reds) after being signed out of independent ball in Kansas City.
LHP Cole Irvin: Traded by the Phillies in the offseason for cash, he is 7-10 with a 3.50 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 21 starts for the A’s. He has only 22 walks in 123 ⅓ innings.
RHP Luke Leftwich: He is 1-1 with a 5.91 ERA in nine games with the Double-A Rocket City Trash Pandas, where former IronPigs VP Lindsey Knupp and director of multimedia, design and entertainment Rob Sternberg are now. Knupp is the Trash Pandas’ VP of marketing, promotions and entertainment. Sternberg is Rocket City’s senior director of production and entertainment.
UTL Austin Listi: He was batting .221 in 46 games with the IronPigs before being released. He was the Phillies’ minor league player of the year in 2018.
1B Logan Morrison: The 33-year-old hit .340 in 14 games with Triple-A Louisville (Reds), but has not played since July 1 because of a right knee injury.
RHP Nick Pivetta: He’s 8-5 with a 4.57 ERA and 1.52 WHIP in 21 starts with the Red Sox. That win total equals his career best in his debut season (2017) with the Phillies.
RHP Yacksel Rios: He is 3-0 with a 3.60 ERA and 1.25 WHIP in 17 relief outings with the Red Sox. He has walked 14 in 20 innings.
OF Shane Robinson: The 36-year-old hit .316 in four games in independent ball in Mexico.
LHP Josh Tols: The Australian is 3-5 with a 4.16 ERA, 1.38 WHIP in 15 games
with Kane County in independent ball. He spent 2020 pitching in the Australian Baseball League.
RHP Tyler Viza: The 26-year-old is 4-1 with a 2.85 ERA and 1.12 WHIP in 11 starts (one complete-game shutout) with Kane County, Illinois, in independent league ball.
OF Nick Williams: He was hitting .262 with 12 extra-base hits in 36 games with Charlotte, Triple-A affiliate of the White Sox before being released last week. He was 0-for-10 to start the year with Chicago.
LHP Tom Windle: He is 1-3 with two saves, a 5.24 ERA and 1.43 WHIP in 21 appearances with the Syracuse Mets, who come to Coca-Cola Park at the end of August.