Minor League Roundup: Policelli completes goal of playing all nine positions
Jun. 22—Brady Policelli is a rare super-utility player. Entering this season, he had appeared at every position in the minor leagues except for pitcher.
That all changed April 22.
Policelli, a Walkersville alum, got the call to take the mound in the ninth inning of Triple-A Toledo's 9-4 loss to St. Paul. He got the final out of the frame.
"I took it personal. I wanted that inning so bad to say I've played all nine in pro baseball," he said.
It's the only time he's pitched in the minors to date, but it completed that long-awaited career goal, even if it came at the expense of his team's defeat.
The Mud Hens had burned through five pitchers in the game prior to Policelli, so their bullpen was thin. As the Saints blew the contest open with a six-run eighth inning, Policelli went to Toledo manager Lloyd McClendon and let him know he'd be available to pitch if needed.
A short time later, McClendon told Policelli — primarily a catcher this season — to get loose.
"You never root for that to happen because you don't want to see your teammates getting hit around, but I was fortunate to get that opportunity," Policelli said.
Then, with two outs and a runner on first in the ninth, McClendon signaled to the bullpen, and Policelli suddenly found himself standing on the mound tossing pitches instead of receiving them.
And he did his job. Though Policelli walked the first batter he faced, he induced an inning-ending groundout, holding the Mud Hens' deficit at five runs.
"You never really realize it until you're the guy that actually has to go up on the mound how intimidating it can be seeing another Triple-A player ... staring at you knowing that you're going to have to lob a baseball over the plate and let him hit it as hard as he can," he said. "It was a really fun change of pace for me."
Policelli said it was the highlight of his season, and his teammates saved him the ball from that last out.
With a crowded catching room in Toledo, Policelli hasn't seen as much playing time in his first full season in Triple-A as in year's past. He's hitting .222 with two homers and three RBIs.
But he'll be able to wear his super-utility crown with pride having tossed that third of an inning.
Redmond, Wetzel, Albright also progressing through seasonMiddletown native Chandler Redmond has settled into a regular role as a first baseman and designated hitter for the Double-A Springfield Cardinals. He is hitting .224 with eight homers and 30 RBIs. Those eight blasts are tied for second on the team.
Redmond's best stretch came the week of May 9, when he was named Texas League player of the week. In that five-game stretch, he went 9-for-20 with three home runs and nine RBIs, including a 5 RBI game against Amarillo on May 10.
Down in Single-A, Walkersville grad Jacob Wetzel has also found himself regularly in the lineup. He's hitting .207 with a home run and 19 RBIs as an outfielder for the Carolina League-leading Myrtle Beach Pelicans.
Wetzel briefly found himself in the national spotlight on April 27, making a diving catch to end the game against the Columbia Fireflies that landed him at No. 2 on the next day's SportsCenter Top 10. He was injured on the play and missed the next two weeks, but Wetzel has since returned to the lineup and continues to produce.
Meanwhile, former Catoctin player Mason Albright has struggled in his first year in the Los Angeles Angels system. A 12th round draft pick in 2021, Albright is winless with an 8.12 ERA and 51 strikeouts for Single-A Inland Empire.
Nonetheless, the 19-year-old has a secure spot in the 66ers rotation as he continues to adjust to the minor leagues from high school ball.
All stats through June 20.
