From the draft to Tri-City
Campbell University
The MLB Draft is behind us, and most of a team’s draft picks have signed and have reported to Arizona to the ACL. However, some teams decide to send their prospects right to Low/High-A. That is the case for two of the newest members of the Tri-City Dust Devils. Let’s get to know the two new pieces of the High-A Dust Devil's rosters as they begin the climb to LA to join the Angels.
SS Zach Neto, the 1st round pick in the draft by the Angels and 13th overall. Neto has spent the last two seasons at Campbell University playing collegiate summer ball. The 21yo SS played in 100G at the NCAA level in the BigS conference. In 377AB, he had 152H, 27HR, 31SB in 36 tries, 56BB-49K, to give him a slash line of .407/.514/.769 and an OPS of 1.283 and 153TB. Just an incredible college career. An interesting tidbit for Neto he spent time at 1B, 2B, and 3B, but the majority is coming at SS, where in 83G committed 6E. I’m not going to say that Neto is a 2-way player, but in 2021 in 11 pitching appearances with 1S, he owned a 3.43ERA in 21IP with 15BB-16K. In 2022 those numbers dropped to 4 appearances on the mound and in 4.2IP 2ER, 8K-3BB. I think it’s unlike Neto pitches in the Minors, but who knows, if any system can accommodate it, it's this system.
OF Joe Stewart out of Michigan and a 9th-round pick. Stewart has spent four seasons in the NCAA while also playing in 3 summer leagues. Stewart played his 1st three seasons at Michigan State in the Big10 before transferring to Michigan for his final season at age 24. In 119G played at the college level, in his first two seasons and M.S, he was a part-time player and got a more regular role in 2021, playing in 40g and 62G in his final season of college ball at Michigan. The final season was a true breakout as he posted a .349/.409/.543 for an elite .982OPS and 154TB. He also hit 13HR and swiped 23SB. The potential is there for a 20/20 season when he gets an entire season under his belt. Steward has spent most of his career in the OF, playing mostly CF and RF and occasionally LF; he has also spent 14G at 1B and 1G at 2B/3B. In 149 career games in the OF, he has only committed 4E and 0 at 1B. Stewart also pitched 1IP in 2019, allowing 1B and giving up 0ER.
Tri-Cities welcomes the new members of the organization and the following members of the team.
In other news, 3B Mitch Nay and INF Jose Guzman were released, RHP Ryan Costeiu was placed on the 7-day IL, and RHP Ivan Armstrong was promoted from the ACL. This will be Armstrong’s 2nd time with the Dust Devils after spending time with the club in 2021. He spent the beginning of 2022 with AA Rocket City.