Durham, N.C. — The contract of Laredo Lemurs RHP Ryan Beckman has been purchased by the Miami Marlins organization, the American Association announced on Monday. In his second season with Laredo, Beckman was one of the league’s top starters, finishing fifth in the AA in ERA (2.92) and innings pitched (132.2), ninth with 97 strikeouts, and tying for...Read More

Courtesy Kansas City T-Bones Media Relations Kansas City, Kan. – The Kansas City T-Bones announced on Tuesday that the Miami Marlins have purchased the contract of OF Dalton Wheat. A native of Augusta, Kan., he joined the T-Bones on June 6 and went on to hit a team-best .335 in 67 games with 69 hits, 27 RBIs...Read More

Durham, N.C. — Baseball America magazine released its annual Top Independent Prospects list on Friday, with Kansas City T-Bones OF Dalton Wheat first on the list. Five of the top seven prospects were from the American Association, up from four of the top seven in 2015. In 67 games, Wheat led the T-Bones with a .335 average and a...Read More

Independent Baseball Chatter – by Bob Wirz The American Association’s most prominent alum involved in the postseason continues to be Washington ace Max Scherzer, but as talent developers and evaluators continue to search everywhere for the next major leaguer one of those on the radar seems to be lanky Drew Muren, the onetime outfielder at...Read More

Independent Baseball Chatter – by Bob Wirz Two more former American Association righthanders have been in the news. Chris Smith, who pitched at Wichita three years ago, was taken off Oakland’s 40-man roster for the offseason and returned to Triple-A Nashville. Smith made it back to the majors for the first time since 2010 at age...Read More

Fargo, N.D. – The Cleburne Railroaders baseball organization took another step in its return to the diamond by officially joining the American Association of Independent Baseball on Thursday at the league owners’ meetings. Directors voted unanimously to accept the Railroaders’ application. It has been more than 100 years since the Railroaders have played baseball in...Read More

It is said that only about six per cent of the United States population gets to spend a lifetime working in a profession the person dreamed of since childhood.  Author Bob Wirz believes he is part of a much smaller group who has lived a long life rubbing shoulders with the biggest names in baseball...Read More

Courtesy St. Paul Saints Media Relations St. Paul, Minn. — The sequel usually isn’t as enjoyable as the original, but in the case of the St. Paul Saints that wasn’t true in 2016.  More fans entered the gates in fewer games, the league’s pre-eminent event, the American Association All-Star Game, was hosted over two days in...Read More

Durham, N.C. — The contract of Laredo Lemurs RHP Kamakani Usui was purchased by the San Francisco Giants organization, the American Association announced on Monday. Usui had an strong season out of the bullpen for Laredo in 2016, appearing in 41 games and assembling a 4-4 record with a 3.24 ERA. The Honolulu native fanned 48 hitters in...Read More

Writers covering the Milwaukee Brewers have dug deeper on the significance of Junior Guerra‘s 9-3, 2.81 record for 20 starts as a 31-year-old rookie before he was shut down because of the workload.  They came up with some mighty intriguing finds. The Wichita Wingnuts hurler from 2011 and 2013 is expected to earn some Rookie...Read More