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Print | E-mail to a friend MARSHALL SPORTS

Herd draftees begin pro careers

June 25, 2008 @ 12:00 AM

HUNTINGTON -- Marshall University baseball draft picks Steve Blevins and Tommy Johnson are playing in the minor leagues.

Blevins, a 21-year-old from Louisa, Ky., is pitching for the GCL Twins of Fort Myers, Fla., in the Gulf Coast League (Rookie).

He picked up a win in his first appearance. The right-hander went 1.2 innings of relief June 19 against the Bradenton Pirates. He allowed one hit and had two strikeouts.

The Minnesota Twins drafted Blevins in the 21st round.

Johnson, 22, is a catcher playing for the Pulaski (Va.) Mariners of the Appalachian League (Rookie).

He was 2-for-8 in his first three games for a .250 batting average with one double, two walks and one strikeout. He doubled Monday night against the Burlington Royals.

The Gaithersburg, Md., native was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the 27th round.

Following is a look at other Tri-State players in professional baseball compiled with the help of Tom "T-Bone" Baker, a Pittsburgh Pirates scout in Huntington, and information from www.minorleaguebaseball.com.

(Send additions and corrections to Rick McCann, sports editor of The Herald-Dispatch at www.hedge@herald-dispatch.com).

Brandon Webb

Arizona Diamondbacks

National League

Schools: Ashland H.S.; U. of Kentucky

Position: Right-handed pitcher

Age: 29

2008 season: 11-4 record, 3.23 ERA, 16 starts, 106.0 innings.

Jon Adkins

Louisville Bats

International League (AAA)

Schools: Wayne H.S.; Oklahoma State U.

Position: Right-handed pitcher

Age: 30

2008 season: 1-3 record, 3.26 ERA, 31 relief appearances, 14 saves, 38.2 innings.

Patrick Arnold

GCL Nationals (Viera, Fla.)

Gulf Coast League (Rookie)

School: Huntington H.S.

Position: Right-handed pitcher

Age: 19

2008 season: 1-0 record, 3.60 ERA, 1 start, 5.0 innings.

Zach Baldwin

Winnipeg Goldeyes

Northern League (Independent)

Schools: Cabell Midland H.S.; West Virginia State U.

Position: Left-handed pitcher

Age: 25

2008 season: 4-1 record, 3.89 ERA, 8 games, 41.2 innings.

Josh Newman

Colorado Springs Sky Sox

Pacific Coast League (AAA)

Schools: Wheelersburg H.S.; Ohio State U.

Position: Left-handed pitcher

Age: 26

2008 season: 1-0 record, 2.55 ERA, 15 relief appearances, 1 save.

Daniel Carte

Tulsa Drillers

Texas League (AA)

Schools: Hurricane H.S.; Winthrop U.

Position: Outfielder

Age: 24

2008 season: .283 batting average, 64 games, 7 home runs, 35 RBIs.

Kenneth Durst

Tri-City Dust Devils (Pasco, Wash.)

Northwest League (Rookie)

Schools: Point Pleasant H.S.; WVU

Position: Left-handed pitcher

Age: 22

2008 season: 1-1 record, 0.84 ERA, 2 starts, 10.2 innings.

Caleb Stewart

Binhamton Mets

Eastern League (AA)

Schools: Boyd Co. H.S.; U. of Kentucky

Position: Outfielder

Age: 26

2008 season: .221 batting average, 20 games, 1 home run, 9 RBIs.

Andrew McCormick

Chillicothe Paints

Frontier League (Independent)

Schools: Boyd Co. H.S.; Pikeville College

Position: Right-handed pitcher

Age: 23

2008 season: 1-3 record, 5.01 ERA, 7 appearances, 32.1 innings.

Brendan Murphy

Kalamazoo Kings

Frontier League (Independent)

School: Marshall U.

Position: Infielder

Age: 23

2008 season: .310 batting average, 27 games, 1 home run, 14 RBIs.

Steve Blevins

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Tommy Johnson

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