#ProTops: Courtney Lee’s Season Ends, Baseball ProTops Update
As we are in the latter days of the month of April (holy moly, where has this month gone?), we are seeing the end of professional…
As we are in the latter days of the month of April (holy moly, where has this month gone?), we are seeing the end of professional basketball (something I have been known to welcome with open arms) and the baseball season starts to enter the day-to-day grind that only comes along with a 140+ game schedule
This NBA season, WKU fans only had one ProTopper to keep up with as Courtney Lee embarked on his maiden voyage with the New York Knicks, while three baseball ProToppers continue to work their way through the minors, and one remains on the doorstep of the show.
Courtney Lee, New York Knicks
It was far from a banner year for the Knicks, but Lee made the best out of a pretty awful season. In 77 games this year, he averaged 10.8 points and 2.3 assists, shooting just under 50% from the floor (45.5%) and tallying a 86.7% free throw shooting percentage.
Things aren’t comfortable around the Knicks so there could be a big wind of change sweeping across the Big Apple. Will Lee be a piece that is moved come this offseason? Only time remains to tell.
Anderson Miller, Wilmington Blue Rocks
While not considered a “top” prospect in the Royals organization, Miller didn’t have too shabby of a 2016 campaign, splitting time between Low-A Lexington and High-A Wilmington, totaling a season that saw him hit for a .244 batting average (a .244/.324/.398 slash line) with six home runs and 34 RBI. Miller also showed off his speed on the bases, swiping eight bags while being caught stealing just once.
Through the first 13 games of his season — where he begins with the Blue Rocks, where he ended last year — Anderson his hitting .208 with a home run and seven RBI, and has also stolen three bases already.
Defensively, he’s played in every outfield spot so far, but seems to be getting most time in right field, and has committed no errors. The Blue Rocks open a four-game homestand against Winston-Salem tonight at 5:35 CT, before embarking on a six-game road trip to Myrtle Beach and Buies Creek next week.
Andrew Edwards, Omaha Storm Chasers
Edwards is ranked the 23rd best Royals prospect according to MLB.com Pipeline and the 19th best prospect in Kansas City’s system by SB Nation’s Minor League Ball (where Miller is also noted as a prospect “of note”). Minor League Ball also gives Edwards a late 2017 ETA to the big leagues (so, essentially, September call-ups, if not sooner).
Edwards, who was an All-Star last season for the Pacific Coast League, returns to AAA Omaha to begin 2017. In just one game so far, Edwards took the loss (such is the life for a minor league reliever).
Last year, he went 0–1 with a 3.96 ERA between Omaha and AA Northwest Arkansas.
The Storm Chasers are currently in the midst of an eight-game road trip through Round Rock and New Orleans. They’ll face off against Round Rock tonight at 6:05 CT.
Danny Hudzina, Peoria Chiefs
After helping lead the State College Spikes to the New York-Penn League championship last season (a team I got to see play in person last year, which was pretty neat), Hudzina finds himself in Low-A, Peoria to be exact, in the same league that hosts the Bowling Green Hot Rods.
Through 56 games a season ago, Hudzina hit .239 with four home runs and 24 RBI. This year, he has logged a .208 batting average with two RBI and a stolen base in his first seven games.
The Chiefs open a six-game in Wisconsin tonight at 6:35 and will come to Bowling Green Ballpark to face the Hot Rods for a three-game weekend series from July 22–24.