Two former UB baseball standouts earn Major League opportunity

Courtesy of UBBulls.com

BUFFALO, NY – A pair of former University at Buffalo baseball standouts, Tom Murphy and Steve Geltz, earned another Major League Baseball call ups last week as Murphy was promoted by the Colorado Rockies and Geltz earned the call-up to the Tampa Bay Rays.

This marks the second time in UB baseball history, joining last season, that they had two former players playing in the majors at the same time. Prior to Geltz and Murphy, the UB baseball program had only one player ever reach the majors and they are one of just two MAC schools to have at least one guy drafted in five straight seasons.

Murphy has been hot since getting the call up to the big leagues as the former All-MAC performer is batting .571 (4-for-7) with a homer and two RBI. The powerful righty went 1-for-4 with an RBI single in his first game against the Arizona Diamondbacks before going 2-for-2 with the fourth longest home run hit in the majors this season against the D-Backs the next day.

Murphy spent all season with the Rockies AAA affiliate the Albuquerque Isotopes before earning the call up. While with Albuquerque, Murphy was a beast at the plate as he played in 80 games and notched a .327 batting average, 99 hits, 19 homers, 59 RBI, 53 runs, 26 doubles and seven triples.

Relief pitcher Steve Geltz also earned the call back up to the majors with the Tamp Bay Rays after starting the season in their bullpen. The righty has pitched in two games since being promoted and has struck out a pair of batters in two innings of work.

On the season for the Rays, Geltz has appeared in 23 games and has pitched 22.0 innings while striking out 19 major league batters. This marks Geltz’s third year as a major league reliever after spending 2012 with the Los Angeles Angels and the last two seasons with the Rays.

At the A level the Bulls have three former players who are seeing some success. 2014 MLB draftee Mike Burke played most of the season for the Delmarva Shorebirds, the Baltimore Orioles A affiliate, before getting the call to the Frederick Keys, the advanced A affiliate of the Orioles. Burke has pitched in 26 games while notching 52 innings of work and striking out 60 batters.

2015 MLB draftee Nick Sinay just completed his second season for the Toronto Blue Jays A affiliate Bluefield Blue Jays. The speedster appeared in 58 games while owning a career-best .246 batting average with 52 runs, 11 RBI, 40 walks and a team-best 34 stolen bases. Sinay’s bag stealing ability has continued on to the next level as he ranked second in the NCAA in 2015 with 39 pilfers, setting a UB program record.

After only three appearances for the Orem Owls in Rookie ball, 2016 MLB draftee Mike Kaelin has enjoyed some success on the mound for the Los Angeles Angels A affiliate the Burlington Bees. Kaelin has appeared in 18 games out of the bullpen for the Bees and owns a 1-1 record to go along with a 2.16 ERA while pitching in 33.1 innings and striking out 25 batters. The hard-thrower has allowed just eight runs over his 18 appearances including just four earned runs in his final nine games.

Joining the group of former players in the minors is Minnesota Twins signee Blair Lakso. The hard-throwing righty signed a professional contract with the Twins two weeks ago and will get his chance to prove himself at the next level next week as he heads to the Fall Instructional League with the Twins.