University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville Has Three Baseball Player in Minor Leagues This Year
04.05.2011 | Baseball
Outfielder Kevin Mattison has been promoted to Jacksonville, home of the Florida Marlins Double A squad. He played primarily for the Marlins High A squad, Jupiter last year. Mattison hit .218 with 44 stolen bases, three home runs and four triples. He also played for Jacksonville in 16 games a year ago and spent a few games with New Orleans, Florida's Triple A franchise. Kevin was drafted by the Marlins in 2008 First-Year Draft and went in the 28th round to Florida.
Right-handed pitcher Alan DeRatt will begin the 2011 season in Modesto, home of the Colorado Rockies High A club. Last season, DeRatt spent half the year playing for the Asheville Tourists and the second half of the season in Modesto. The 2008 Big South Pitcher of the Year had a combined 6-2 record for both teams a year ago with a 3.27 ERA. DeRatt struck out 71 hitters in 71.2 innings of work. Alan was drafted in 2008 in the 17th round by the Rockies.
Justin Schumer, a 2010 graduate of UNC Asheville, was signed as a free agent by the World Champion San Francisco Giants last summer. He will be the opening day starting pitcher for the Augusta Greenjackets of the South Atlantic League. Schumer will face the Greenville Drive in the opening game of the season on Thursday night in Greenville. Augusta is a promotion for Schumer, who pitched last summer for the Arizona Giants in the Rookie League and for the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes which is the Giants Short-Season Single A franchise. Justin pitched in nine games last summer with a 2-0 record and sparkling 1.27 ERA. He struck out 18 in 27 innings of work.
"We're really proud of all three of those guys and will be following them with a great deal of interest this season," stated Asheville head coach Tom Smith. "All three are excellent young men who are doing a great job of representing UNC Asheville."
