Several local baseball talents, who were picked in the 2022 Major League Baseball Draft, are tirelessly working towards their dream of making it to the big leagues.
Dale Stanavich, a southpaw relief pitcher hailing from Amsterdam, recently climbed up the ranks to join the Miami Marlins’ Double-A affiliate, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.
This marks Stanavich’s second promotion within the season. After wrapping up 2023 with Miami’s Single-A affiliate, the Jupiter Hammerheads, the 25-year-old showcased his skills in the Arizona Fall League.
Stanavich kicked off the 2024 season with a promotion to the Beloit Sky Carp, Miami’s High-A affiliate based in Wisconsin.
During his stint with Beloit, Stanavich recorded a 2-3 win-loss record and a 4.15 ERA across 17 1-3 innings in 14 games. He notched up 24 strikeouts and six walks, along with one save.
Stanavich returned to Florida on May 28, following his promotion to Pensacola.
So far, he has pitched 11 innings over eight games, maintaining a 4.91 ERA. He has conceded just one run in his last three games, spanning 3 2-3 innings.
Ballston Spa graduate Luke Gold has been a consistent performer in the infield and at bat for the West Michigan Whitecaps this season, the High-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers.
Gold has spent most of his games this year at a new position, first base, while also playing a few games at third and in left field.
Gold boasts a .260 batting average (61 for 235) and a .340 on-base percentage. His tally includes 10 home runs, 14 doubles, 36 RBIs, and 42 runs.
Gold is currently enjoying a five-game hitting streak, which started on June 19 when he scored 3 for 5 in a game against the Dayton Dragons.
Daniel Keaney, who was drafted by the Texas Rangers from Guilderland High School in 2022, made his professional baseball debut in May.
Keaney is currently playing at the Rookie level with the Arizona Complex League (ACL) Rangers. He has a 2-2 win-loss record over seven games, including three starts.
In 23 innings, the Guilderland right-hander has conceded nine earned runs, with a 3.52 ERA. He has 32 strikeouts and six walks to his name.
Keaney’s standout performance came last Thursday, when he pitched three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit, no walks, and striking out five, against the ACL Royals.
Michael Kennedy, a left-handed pitcher from Troy, started the 2024 season with a string of impressive performances for the Pittsburgh Pirates Single-A affiliate, the Bradenton Marauders.
However, Kennedy faced a challenging period in June and was eventually placed on the 7-day injured list on June 16.
Over 11 starts this year, Kennedy has a 1-5 win-loss record with a 4.70 ERA in 53 2-3 innings.
His best game was on April 20, when he allowed just one run on two hits over five innings against the Daytona Tortugas. He struck out eight in the game, without conceding a walk.
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