Boston College Baseball: Big League Birdball Updates

After the signings over the past week of Nick Sciortino, Justin Dunn, and Mike King, there's been an added emphasis on where the Boston College baseball alumni are in their journeys to the Major Leagues. More than a dozen

Here's a handy tip sheet as to where some of the names from years past are currently playing. Please note that these are only MLB and MiLB-affiliated teams. Independent league rosters are not reflected.

Jesse Adams, Billings Mustangs

There was no loud social media announcement of Adams' signing, but that's something truly befitting a quiet, unassuming lefty who moved from the starting rotation to the closer's role in '16. Adams is officially listed on the Billings roster, though he hasn't yet made an appearance. The Mustangs are an affiliate of the Reds, who drafted Adams this year, and have been since 1974 for the Advanced Rookie Class Pioneer League.

Matt Alvarez, Northwest Arkansas Naturals

The Naturals are the Double-AA affiliate of the Kansas City Royals, playing in the Texas League's North Division. Alvarez joined the team at the beginning of June after opening the year in Class-A Wilmington in the Carolina League. He's thrown 3.2 innings since joining the Naturals in three appearances, giving up seven earned runs. Prior to that, though, he was 3-2 in 16 appearances, including a perfect 2-for-2 in save opportunities, in Wilmington with a 3.97 ERA over 22.2 innings.

Jeff Burke, Salem-Keizer Volcanoes

Burke makes for a great story. San Francisco drafted him in the 32nd round last year despite a torn ulnar collateral ligament that ended his season with Boston College. The surgery requires the infamous Tommy John Surgery, and it kept the righty out of action for the entire summer. A year after undergoing the operation, he took the mound for Salem-Keizer in short-season Single-A ball. He's appeared in two games, throwing 2.2 innings, allowing two hits and no runs after debuting on June 19th.

Blake Butera, Princeton Rays

After spending last year with Princeton, Butera found himself openin this year in Single-A Hudson Valley. But after four games top open the year, in which he went 2-for-13, the Rays organization sent him back to Princeton to begin the process anew. He's flourished since, going 3-for-9 in two games, including a 2-5 monster game earlier this week in which he scored two runs and drove in one.

Eric Campbell, Las Vegas 51s

Despite making the Opening Day roster for the New York Mets, Campbell was demoted on April 12th after just three appearances. Three days later, he was called up again when Jacob deGrom left the team for his child's birth.  He stuck around with the Mets until the end of May from there, when the team sent him back to Las Vegas to make room for James Loney. At the time, he was hitting only .159 but had one homer and five RBI.

Campbell remains a solid player down at the AAA level, hitting .296 with two homers and 14 RBI.

Joe Cronin, GCL Twins

One of the captains of this year's Eagles squad, Cronin was drafted late (34th round) by Minnesota. Following the postseason, he signed with the program and was assigned to the Gulf Coast League. This week, he made his debut, going 2-for-5 against the GCL Red Sox with a stolen base.

Pat Dean, Rochester Red Wings

Dean found himself called up to the Minnesota in May, where he made eight appearances and six starts for the Twins over two months. After throwing 5.1 innings against the Tigers in relief, Dean made his first start by throwing six innings against the Toronto Blue Jays on May 21st. He won his second start six days later, defeating the Seattle Mariners with seven innings thrown.

He leveled off after, despite throwing 6.1 innings against Boston on June 12th, and he was demoted to Rochester after lasting just 2.1 innings, giving up seven runs, against the Yankees on June 17th. In his first outing in AAA, he was roughed up by Columbus, giving up seven runs in six innings.

Justin Dunn, Brooklyn Cyclones

After Dunn signed with the Mets, the first round draft pick was formally assigned to Brooklyn to start his career. He has not yet pitched for the team, but he was active as of the team's recent road trip to Norwich.

John Gorman, AZL Athletics

A 31st round draft pick of the Oakland A's, Gorman appeared in 15 games last year, saving one game in two opportunities in 20.1 innings, advancing to Class-A to pitch for the Vermont Lake Monsters. At present, he's on the seven day disabled list while being assigned to the Arizona League A's.

Mike King, GCL Marlins

After signing with the Marlins, King finds himself assigned to their Gulf Coast League affiliate down in Florida. More than likely, he'll eventually join the Batavia Muckdogs down in Single-A, hopefully before they come to Lowell for a late-July date with Nick Sciortino and the Spinners.

Tony Sanchez, Buffalo Bisons

Pittsburgh released Sanchez this past offseason, and the #4 overall draft pick in the 2009 MLB Draft signed on with Toronto in the offseason, receiving a minor league contract and invitation to spring training. Placed in AAA with the Bisons, he's hit .200 in 28 games with five doubles, three homers, and 10 RBI.

Matt Pare, Augusta GreenJackets

Playing in the Full Season Single-A South Atlantic League, Pare's hit .200 in 12 games with a triple and two homers, driving in eight runs with three walks.

Nick Sciortino, Lowell Spinners

The first of the '16 Eagles to sign, Sciortino's appeared in two games for the Single-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. After an 0-3 debut against Vermont, he went 1-2 against Wilmington and 1-4 against Hudson Valley, scoring a run on the road against the Renegades. Not surprisingly, people still haven't figured out that they shouldn't run on him.

Chris Shaw, San Jose Giants

The hottest prospect of the Boston College baseball alumni, Shaw started the season in Advanced Class-A ball with San Jose after hitting .287 last year for Salem-Keizer. In 67 games this year, he's hit .280 with 43 runs scored, 14 homers, and 48 RBI. He's turned into a doubles machine, hitting one roughly every three games for a total of 21. He was named a California League All Star, taking part as a member of the league's best in a 6-4 loss to the Carolina League All Stars. Trailing 6-1 in the ninth inning, Shaw recorded a two-run double that nearly completed a comeback as part of a three-run inning.