BOONE, N.C. — With five Appalachian State baseball alums currently in MLB farm systems, Jeffrey Springs and Dillon Dobson have ascended to the Double A ranks as the 2018 season hits full swing.
In addition to Jeremy Dowdy, who is in his second season as a bullpen catcher for the Oakland Athletics, the list of recent Appalachian alums in uniform for professional teams also includes 2015 draft pick Jaylin Davis (Single A Advanced) and 2017 draft pick
Matt Brill (Single A).
Chandler Seagle, another 2017 draft pick, is in extended spring training as a catcher in the San Diego Padres organization.
Here's an update of App Alums in the Minors.
Jeffrey Springs (left-handed relief pitcher, drafted in 2015)
Springs is playing for the first time with the Frisco RoughRiders, the Double A affiliate of the Texas Rangers.
Appearing in five games through Monday, Springs holds a 1-0 record with 15 strikeouts, one walk and a 4.70 ERA in 7.2 innings as a Texas League reliever. He has three scoreless appearances, including five strikeouts during two scoreless innings to pick up an April 6 win in his season debut.
The 25-year-old Springs was the second-youngest of 15 pitchers who received non-roster invites to the Rangers' big league camp.
Dillon Dobson (first baseman, drafted in 2015)
The left-handed-hitting Dobson is in his first season with the Richmond Flying Squirrels, the Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants.
Assigned to Richmond on April 1, Dobson has a .200 average with one home run and seven walks in 25 at-bats. He homered Saturday and went 2-for-3 with a walk in a 7-6 loss at Altoona.
Dobson had 15 homers last season at the Single A Advanced Level and 13 homers in 2016 at the Single A level. He ranks fifth in App State history with 29 home runs.
Jaylin Davis (outfielder, drafted in 2015)
Davis is in his second season with the Fort Myers Miracle of the Florida State League, and he's hitting .280 with one homer, six doubles, seven runs scored and 10 walks through 50 at-bats. On Sunday, he was placed on the seven-day disabled list.
Davis homered on April 8 in his fourth game of the season and is 7-for-15 during his current five-game hitting streak.
Davis homered 15 times in 2017 and 16 times in 2016.
Matt Brill (right-handed relief pitcher, drafted in 2017)
Brill was assigned to the Kane County Cougars on April 4 after being drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 12th round last year and pitching in the Short-Season Northwest League for the Hillsboro Hops. He grew up a little over two hours from Kane County in Coal Valley, Ill.
Brill has a 1-0 record and is 2-for-2 in save opportunities this season with seven strikeouts, four hits allowed and one run allowed in 6.2 innings, giving him a 1.35 ERA over five appearances. He picked up a win in his season debut, as he gave up one hit and no runs in 1.1 innings of relief, and he has three-out saves in each of his last two appearances. He struck out the side in the ninth inning of a 5-4 win on April 17.
In 23 games and 27.0 innings as a minor league pitcher, Brill has a 1.00 ERA with 32 strikeouts, 16 hits allowed and three earned runs allowed.
