Since 1978 the New York Collegiate Baseball League (NYCBL) has been helping develop talent for the sport’s biggest stage. The tradition continues in 2016 with six NYCBL alums found on Major League Baseball rosters.
Rajai Davis (Hornell ’00), Mike Fiers (Saratoga ’08), J. D. Martinez (Saratoga ’08), Jason Motte (Rome ’01), Hunter Pence (Schenectady ’02) and Rob Scahill (Allegany County/Wellsville (’06) are all playing baseball at the highest level.
Davis played on the 2000 league champion Hornell Dodgers. Chosen in the 38th round of the 2001 MLB draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates, the New London, CT native reached the bigs in 2006. Davis ranks fifth among active players with 333 stolen bases. Playing for Cleveland, the UConn-Avery Point product has 11 stolen bases this season.
Fiers threw his first career MLB no-hitter last August for the Houston Astros. While in the NYCBL, Fiers set the NYCBL record for strike outs in a season with 76 – a mark that wasn’t broken until last season when Vince Apicella (Carson-Newman) fanned 77. Milwaukee selected the Fiers, a Nova Southeastern alum, in the 22nd round of the 2009 draft.
Martinez hit .392 with 14 extra-base hits including seven home runs and 19 RBI for the Saratoga Phillies. A 20th round pick in the 2009 MLB draft, Martinez debuted with the Houston Astros on July 30, 2011. The Detroit Tigers acquired the Nova Southeastern product prior to the 2014. Martinez connected for 38 home runs and drove in 102 runs last season.
Motte was part of the 2001 league champion Rome Indians. The right-hander went 5-2 with nine saves in 78 appearances for the 2011 World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals. He made 12 post-season appearances for the Cardinals. Motte has made one appearance out of the bullpen for the Colorado Rockies this season.
Pence, a 2009 and 2011 MLB All-Star, ranked fourth in the National League with 27 home runs in 2013. Playing 162 games for the San Francisco Giants, Pence also led all right fielders in Range Factor and Defensive Games. Pence started in right field for the 2012 and ’14 World Series Champion San Francisco Giants.
Scahill signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates prior to the 2015 season. The right-hander made 28 appearances for the Pirates last year. He struck out 24 over 30.2 innings of work. He has made 10 relief appearances for the Pirates this year. Scahill appeared 10 times for the ’06 Nitros. He was 2-4 with a 3.30 ERA. Colorado chose Scahill in the 2009 draft.
On the doorstep:
Sixteen alums occupy Triple-A roster spots including Justin Greene (Hornell ’05), Jon Kemmer (Olean ’12), Ryan O’Rourke (Brockport ’08) and Thad Weber (Alfred/AIA ’04).
View the complete list of NYCBL alums in minor league baseball here.
View the complete of NYCBL alums who have retired from MLB here.
View the complete list of NYCBL alums who’ve retired from professional baseball here.
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