FGCU 2014 Minor League Season Wrap Up

By: Bryan Cooney

With the World Series ending a few weeks ago, and the San Francisco Giants coming out on top over the Kansas City Royals for their third championship in the last five years, the baseball season is officially complete. Minor league affiliates finished their seasons months ago with 15 former Eagles scattered across the professional baseball system in 2014. The performance of the most recognizable FGCU alum Chris Sale, of the Chicago White Sox, is the gold standard for these aspiring Major Leaguers. Sale’s stellar season consisted of a 12-4 record with a 2.17 ERA over 174 innings and 26 starts, compiling 208 strikeouts. His 0.966 WHIP and 10.8 K/9IP ranked second and first respectively in the American League and will certainly look appealing to place him in the Top 5 in Cy Young voting, which will be revealed in the next week.

Many former Eagles in the minor league system also had solid performances in 2014. The most notable performance was from Casey Coleman. Coleman pitched for the Chicago Cubs from 2010 to 2012. He began 2014 with the Iowa Cubs (AAA), but was granted his release at the start of the season. He signed with the Royals and his performance with Triple-A Omaha earned him a promotion to the Royals, where he appeared in 10 games. If the Royals had won the World Series, Coleman would have been the first Eagle to have a World Series ring, but that hunt will have to wait until 2015.


Casey Coleman (KC) Iowa Cubs/Omaha Storm Chasers/Kansas City Royals
Major League Statistics: 10 G, 1-0 W-L, 12 IP, 5.25 ERA, 5K/6BB
Minor League Statistics: 35 G, 5-1 W-L, 68 IP, 2.65 ERA, 54K/28BB

Richard Bleier (TOR) New Hampshire Fisher Cats/Buffalo Bison
35 G, 5 GS, 6-5 W-L, 86 2/3 IP, 3.95 ERA, 45K/11BB

Jacob Barnes (MIL) Huntsville Stars/Brevard County Manatees
26 G, 21 GS, 2-6 W-L, 113 IP, 4.06 ERA, 83K/38BB

Tim Roberson (BOS) Greenville Drive/Salem Red Sox
231/.294/.369, 10 HR, 26 2B, 52 RBI in 111 G

Stephen Wickens (MIN) New Britain Rock Cats/Fort Myers Miracle
.242/.296/.301, 1 HR, 8 2B, 24 RBI in 72 G

Brandon Bednar (SF) San Jose Giants/Augsuta GreenJackets
261/.307/.340, 6 HR, 16 2B, 40 RBI in 122 G

Mike Reeves (TOR) Vancouver Canadians/Lansing Lugnuts/Dunedin Jays
.213/.312/.257, 1 HR, 6 2B, 16 RBI in 63 G

Sean Dwyer (COL) Tri-City Dust Devils/Modesto Nuts
.240/.331/.367, 8 HR, 27 2B, 58 RBI in 122 G

Ricky Knapp (NYM) Savannah Sand Gnats
22 G, 20 GS, 7-9 W-L, 120 1/3 IP, 4.34 ERA, 92K/39BB

Harrison Cooney (LAA) Burlington Bees
25 G, 22 GS, 9-8 W-L, 129 IP, 2.65 ERA, 91K/51BB

Brandon Bixler (MIN) Cedar Rapids Kernels
41 G, 7-4 W-L, 74 IP, 2.68 ERA, 77K/37BB

Jason Forjet (SF) Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
15 G, 14 GS, 7-1 W-L, 87 IP, 3.10 ERA, 87K/16BB

Michael Suchy (PIT) Jamestown Jammers
.236/.331/.333, 1 HR, 8 2B, 17 RBI in 66 G

Zach Tillery (MIN) Elizabethton Twins/GCL Twins
12 G, 5 GS, 2-3 W-L, 38 IP, 2.37 ERA, 27K/9BB

Ryan Atwood (SD) AZL Padres
1 G, 0-0 W-L, 1 IP, 9.00 ERA, 1K/0BB

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Chris Sale: FGCU's Best is now one of MLB's Best

When I hear "Florida Gulf Coast University athletics" come up in a conversation, two immediate thoughts pop into my head. The first topic is of course Dunk City. If you haven't been living under a rock for the past two years, then you are at least somewhat familiar with the FGCU men's basketball team's miraculous run to the Sweet Sixteen in the 2013 NCAA Basketball Tournament. The second topic, but definitely not any less noteworthy, is Chris Sale.

I would hope that anyone that reads a sports website on Florida Gulf Coast University is familiar with who Chris Sale is. If you are familiar with Chris Sale, good, he's a spectacular pitcher in Major League Baseball. If you are not familiar with Chris Sale, then strap in, keep your hands and feet inside the vehicle at all times, and prepare to become familiar with the three time MLB All Star. Regardless of whether you know who he is or not, Sale is having a masterful 2014 season, and there are plenty of statistics that verify that.

Sale is from Lakeland, Florida. He attended Lakeland Senior High School where he played baseball. His fastball generally sat between 83 and 86 MPH, while his change up sat high 70s and his curveball high 60s. The skinny southpaw always had goof stuff, but was not heavily recruited out of high school because of his odd "inverted-W" throwing motion. In 2007, after his senior year in high school, Sale was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 21^st round of the MLB First Year Player Draft. Instead of signing the contract to play pro ball at the age of 18, Sale opted to go to college to play at FGCU.

Chris Sale pitched for the Florida Gulf Coast University Eagles from 2008 to 2010 and was named the college baseball National Player of the Year in 2010. In three seasons at FGCU Sale threw 228.2 innings with a 2.53 ERA, 293 strikeouts, and only allowed 51 walks. What's even more impressive are his peripherals. Sale had an absurd 11.57 K/9 rate (strikeouts per nine innings), a minuscule 2.01 BB/9 rate (walks per nine innings), and a low WHIP (walks + hits per inning) of 1.11. Yeah, that's a pretty darn good three year run.

Many of those great numbers were in part because his 2010 National Player of the Year campaign was off-the-charts good. In 2010 Sale appeared in 17 games, 15 of which he started, and totaled 103 innings. He had an ERA of 2.01, walked only 14 batters, and led the country in strikeouts with 146. Once again his peripherals back up his dominant season. In his final season at FGCU Sale had a 12.76 K/9 rate, a 1.22 BB/9 rate, a 7.25 H/9 rate (hits per nine innings), and a WHIP of 0.94. Yep, those are the kind of statistics that get you labeled as the best pitcher in college baseball.

Chris Sale's success led to him being drafted 13^th overall by the Chicago White Sox in the 2010 MLB First Year Player Draft. After logging a mere 10.1 innings in the Minor Leagues in 2010 Sale was called up to the Chicago White Sox on August 4^th, and made his Major League debut on August 6^th out of the bullpen. In his rookie season Sale logged 23.1 innings of work with an ERA of 1.93, along with 32 strikeouts.

Today, Chris Sale finds himself as the ace of the White Sox pitching staff. He is widely regarded across baseball as one of the top 10 pitchers in Major League Baseball, and one of the top 3 left handed pitchers. Although the South Side Sox find themselves in fourth place of the American League Central Division, Chris Sale has kept on performing at an exceptionally high level. Sale has been nothing short of spectacular since coming to the big leagues, but 2014 is proving to be his best season yet.

Chris Sale has made 20 starts in 2014, and has totaled 136 innings. All of the following statistics that I am about show you are the best of Sale's career since becoming a starter in 2012. Sale has an ERA of 2.12, a K/9 rate of 10.46, a BB/9 rate of 1.72, a H/9 rate of 6.55, and a WHIP of .92. Every single one of those categories is in the top 5 for starters in the MLB except for his BB/9, which is in the top 15.

There is another statistic that I like to use to measure the performance of a pitcher called FIP, or fielding independent pitching. FIP measures what a pitcher's ERA would be if he had a league average defense behind him. Sale's FIP is 2.42, which is good for 4^th in Major League Baseball among starting pitchers, and another stat that is the lowest of his career. A few reasons behind Chris Sale's low FIP is that he is striking out 29.9% of the batters he is facing (highest of career), allowing a 18.3% line drive rate (lowest of career), and a 42% ground ball rate (lowest of career), so he's not leaving a whole lot for his defense to potentially mess up.

Put simply, Chris Sale has been taking care of business on the mound his entire life, and he is only getting better. The lanky lefty that use to sit 86 MPH is now sitting 96 MPH, and his slider that use to be a pitch he needed to work on is now widely considered one of the nastiest pitches in all of baseball. If Sale hadn't missed starts between April and May with a strained flexor muscle in his left arm, he'd be right in the thick of the AL Cy Young conversation. Even with his injury Chris Sale has been worth 4.5 WAR (wins above replacement) which is good for 6^th in the American League.

Still, an AL Cy Young award is probably in Chris Sale's future. Sale is an established pitching power house in Major League Baseball, and he is only 25 years old. If recent history tells us anything about pitchers, then Sale hasn't even reached the age of his prime yet. It's hard to imagine Chris Sale getting any better, but with the way he is consistently improving his statistics every season, and as he continues to refine his pitches, he very well could keep improving. I would not be the least bit surprised if in a year or two I am writing about how the FGCU product is the best pitcher in Major League Baseball.

Written by Cameron J. Kaiser

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FGCU Minor League Wrap: Mid-August Edition

(Courtesy of Minda Haas)

With the middle of August upon us, the majority of the minor league seasons are drawing to a close. Across the country, there are currently 13 former Eagles in the minor league baseball system. All of these players are hoping to reach levels of stardom that arguably the most famous alum of Florida Gulf Coast University, Chris Sale, is experiencing. Sale’s last outing resulted in a frustrating no-decision after a sparkling 12 strikeout, two hit performance in eight shutout innings against the Giants. Sale’s 2.01 ERA ranks third in all of the majors, and he's also tallied 150 strikeouts in 130 innings.

Casey Coleman, RHP, Kansas City Royals/Omaha Storm Chasers/Iowa Cubs

Coleman has spent time with the Royals this season, allowing an earned run in 3 2/3 innings, but has played the majority of the year in AAA Omaha. There, he has posted a 2.45 ERA in 58 2/3 innings. His performance in short and long relief, as well as past MLB experience could make him a candidate to move up with Kansas City when the rosters expand on Sept. 1.

Jacob Barnes, RHP, Huntsville Stars/Brevard County Manatees (Milwaukee Brewers) 

Barnes has spent the majority of the year in AA Huntsville, posting a 2-5 record with a 4.61 ERA in 91 2/3 innings, a .249 OBA, and a 67-38 K/BB ratio. I got a chance to see Barnes in action on the CBS Sports Network Game of the Week on August 7th against Birmingham where he threw extremely well in seven innings of work, allowing four hits and an earned run. 

Richard Bleier, RHP, New Hampshire Fisher Cats/Buffalo Bison (Toronto Blue Jays)

Bleier has pitched for AA New Hampshire the majority of the season, posting a 4-5 record and a 4.28 ERA in 77 2/3 innings. He has primarily pitched in long relief while also making five starts this season. 

Stephen Wickens, INF, New Britain Rock Cats/Fort Myers Miracle (Minnesota Twins)

Wickens earned a promotion to AA New Britain after posting a .310 average in 58 ABs in June at A(Adv.) Fort Myers. He has found consistent playing time harder to come by, with a .209 BA in 115 ABs.

Brandon Bednar, INF, San Jose Giants/Augsuta GreenJackets (San Francisco Giants)

Bednar has had the best year of any offensive former Eagle in the minors this season, earning a promotion from A Augusta after posting a .275 BA in 291 ABs. He has adjusted well at A(Adv.) San Jose, recording a .282 BA in 131 ABs, while playing multiple positions on defense. He recently had a 13-game hitting streak, spanning from July 20th to August 3rd. 

Mike Reeves, C, Vancouver Canadians/Lansing Lugnuts/Dunedin Jays (Toronto Blue Jays)

Reeves has had an interesting trek through the Blue Jays system this season, starting out at A(Adv.) Dunedin and posting a .196 BA in limited action. He hit .223 at A Lansing in 92 ABs, and is currently at Short Season A Vancouver, and is 3-13 in three games.

Harrison Cooney, RHP, Burlington Bees (Los Angeles Angels)

Cooney has had an impressive season in his first full year as a starter at A Burlington. The former Eagle was a Midwest League All-Star, aided by a complete game shutout on May 30th against Peoria, striking out eight. Currently sporting a 8-7 record, posting a 2.73 ERA in 112 innings while allowing only a .221 OBA, he has struggled his last two outings allowing 9 earned runs over 9 2/3 innings.

Brandon Bixler, LHP, Cedar Rapids Kernels (Minnesota Twins)

Bixler has posted an impressive season to date: going 6-4, and posting a 2.61 ERA over 65 1/3 innings. With a 70/34 K/BB ratio and a sparkling .191 OBA, Bixler has put up particularly solid numbers against righties. Right-hand hitters are only hitting .200 in 45 2/3 innings, and he only has allowed two home runs all season to Midwest League batters.

Ricky Knapp, RHP, Savannah Sand Gnats (New York Mets)

Knapp has posted solid numbers at A Savannah, going 7-6 with a 4.02 ERA in 112 innings, with a 88/38 K/BB ratio. Has posted a 3-0 record in August, with a 3.00 ERA in 18 innings. Opponents are hitting .278 against Knapp, in a historically hitter-friendly league.

Sean Dwyer, OF/1B, Tri-City Dust Devils/Modesto Nuts (Colorado Rockies)

Dwyer struggled at A(Adv.) Modesto, posting a .204 BA in 274 ABs, but after being sent to Short Season A Tri-City, he has registered a .276 BA in 116 ABs. The ex-FGCU star has heated up his last 10 games, with a .389 BA in 36 ABs, and a .820 OPS at Tri-City.

Tim Roberson, 1B, Greenvile Drive/Salem Red Sox (Boston Red Sox)

Roberson has split time with A(Adv.) Salem and A Greenville this season, posting a .219 BA in 151 ABs at Salem, and a .234 BA in 231 ABs at Greenville. He has a combined 25 doubles and eight home runs in 2014 to date, registering a .656 OPS in 382 ABs.

Michael Suchy, OF/1B Jamestown Jammers (Pittsburgh Pirates)

Suchy started slowly with Short Season A Jamestown, but has picked up his average to .249 in 181 ABs. The 5th round pick in this past year’s draft by the Pirates has posted a .294 BA in his last 10 games, but still is looking for his first professional home run.

Zach Tillery, RHP, Gulf Coast LeagueTwins (Minnesota Twins)

Tillery has posted a strong start to his professional career, with a 1.69 ERA in 26 2/3 innings. The former FGCU stud has only allowed 16 hits for a OBA of .178 with a 21/8 K/BB ratio in nine appearances, making four starts.

Written by Bryan Cooney, a recent addition to our FGCU Eagles Nest staff.

Greetings, Eagle fans! My name is Bryan Cooney, a recent graduate of Florida Gulf Coast University (sociology). I currently live on the east coast of Florida in Vero Beach and have spent the last three years at FGCU - finishing up my courses this past summer. I am the third in my family to have come to FGCU, following my older brother and younger brother, Harrison Cooney, who played on the baseball team from 2011 to 2013. Harrison was drafted in the 6th round by the Angels in 2013, and is currently in his second season in the minor leagues.

For this website, I will look to specialize in covering the former Eagles in the minor league system, tracking their progress during their seasons, and providing in-depth interviews. During my time at FGCU, I conducted a research project covering international student athletes that attended FGCU. I conducted interviews talking about their experiences, and I hope to expand upon this with interviews to get a perspective of these athletes. I am always interested in covering different angles and stories that viewers would find interesting. The presence of international student athletes has been something I noticed when I first came to campus, and I found it very cool to see at a young university such as FGCU. I will look to cover stories surrounding FGCU Athletics as they arise, with basketball being a primary focus as both the men's and women's teams look to reach the NCAA Tournament with strong rosters this upcoming season. 

You can follow me at @Coondog16 on Twitter, as I often share information about FGCU sports and former Eagles when I come across it, and also discuss things you may like to see covered in our articles! I look forward to contributing to the site and am really excited for our seasons to begin starting with the soccer teams and volleyball this month!

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Hi! I'm the New Guy...

Hello to all of the readers of the website FGCU Eagles Nest! My name is Cameron J. Kaiser, and I am a freshman at Florida Gulf Coast University. I am from Toledo, Ohio, so I am about 1,200 miles away from home.

I am an avid sports fan. I grew up in a household that revolved around baseball. I follow Major League Baseball religiously. I cheer adamantly for the Detroit Tigers, but also have a soft spot for the Chicago Cubs. However, baseball is not the only sport that I follow. I watch both college and professional football in the fall, and I cheer for the Michigan Wolverines and Pittsburgh Steelers, respectively. I'm not a huge NBA fan, but somehow find myself watching the Detroit Pistons every night in the winter. College basketball is my favorite sport next to Major League Baseball, and I'm sure you can guess the team that I cheer for (Dunk City hint hint).

Although I was never a very good baseball player, I stayed involved in my high school's baseball program for four years filling various management roles. This is not the first website that I have ever written for. In 2012 I started the Detroit Tigers blog T-Town Tiger, and am still writing it today. I have also written articles for the Toledo Free Press, and the baseball statistics website Fangraphs. I am a statistics nut. I will do everything I can to incorporate advanced metrics into my articles on here, whether it be about baseball or basketball. I don't have very much experience writing about basketball, but I can promise you I will be voicing my opinions loud and clear on the men's upcoming season.

With that being said, baseball is still my specialty. Once the 2015 baseball season rolls around you will be hearing a lot from me on the progression of the Eagles. I will do my best to keep you all updated on recruiting news along with some recaps of big games, but the majority of my work will be statistical analysis. As I stated previously, I am crazy for statistics. I have a vast understanding of advanced metrics in baseball. I will use my understanding to analyze the team and individual players throughout the season. I'm a big believer in sabermetrics, and I'm going to conduct my analysis in a way so that you, the reader, can understand the points I will try to make. I want you to learn more about the wonderful game of baseball as you read my work. It's a beautiful game, and it only gets better the more you understand about it.

I am looking forward to writing on this website, and I hope that you are excited to follow along! Go Eagles!

(Courtesy of Captive Photons)

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FGCU Baseball: Hidden Ball Trick In Northwoods League

Most college baseball players spend their summers sharpening their skills in collegiate summer leagues. A popular destination for FGCU athletes is the Northwoods League, located in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and even Canada. In a recent game between the Willmar Stingers and Waterloo Bucks, a few FGCU stars faced off against each other.

After Florida Gulf Coast catcher Blake Berger (Waterloo) reached first base, he stole second on a wild pitch in the dirt. Although Berger was initially safe, Willmar shortstop Max Dutto secretly kept the ball and applied the tag after Berger stepped off the bag. This was all assisted by the small talk of Berger's FGCU teammate, and Willmar second baseman Brian Pruett.

Enjoy the video:

Pruett is hitting .188 with 5 RBIs so far this summer and fellow FGCU infielder Nick Rivera, also with Willmar, is holding an average of .283 to go along with 9 RBIs and a home run. Eagles righties Brady Anderson (2-0, .90 ERA) and Garrett Anderson (0-1, 2.45 ERA) don the Stingers uniform as well.

Florida Gulf Coast finished this season with a 39-22 record and fell to No. 4 Lipscomb in the Atlantic Sun Tournament. Eagles Michael Suchy, Zack Tillery, and Ryan Atwood were all selected in the MLB Draft. Suchy has already signed and the same is expected for Tillery. FGCU signee Dash Winningham was drafted by the Mets and has already signed while Devin Smeltzer fell to the 33rd round and it looks as if he will be headed to Fort Myers.

For more on FGCU, make sure to follow us on Twitter (@FGCUEaglesNest)

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Florida Gulf Coast 2014 Recruiting Profile: Devin Smeltzer

Devin Smeltzer
Height & Weight: 6'3" | 190 lb.
School: Bishop Eustace Prep (NJ)
Position: LHP

When a pitcher and batter duel in a long at bat, it's often referred to as a battle. While Eagles signee Devin Smeltzer experienced this at Bishop Eustace Prep, the 6-foot-4 southpaw encountered a more perilous battle off the diamond.

At the age of 10, Smeltzer was diagnosed with cancer and was held out of school for long periods of time. "I was diagnosed and then went through a year of treatments and then it went into remission," Smeltzer said.

Throughout his battle with cancer however, the Voorhees, NJ never left left the game of baseball.

"It gave me a normal life because I couldn't go to school. Just being able to play the game kept me active and kept me being a kid," Smeltzer said.

Eventually, two Decembers ago, his cancer was completely cured. Despite that, Smeltzer takes the lessons with him whenever he takes the mound.

"It makes me treat every game like its my last," Smeltzer said.

Sticking to 'America's past time', he developed into a college and professional prospect. His fastball reached the low 90s and his slider has nasty break. Smeltzer's talent caught the eye of Perfect Game, and he was invited to the Perfect Game All American Classic.

"It was a blast and a ton of fun playing in a big park with the pro lifestyle," Smeltzer said.

Months earlier, Smeltzer had committed to Florida Gulf Coast.

"I had a good relationship with the coaches. After my visit, I just fell in love with the campus," Smeltzer said. "I like what the coaches do, it's like a big family."

After seeing six players selected in last year's MLB Draft, FGCU witnessed the selections of Michael Suchy, Zack Tillery, and Ryan Atwood this season.

"It's in a great spot for the draft, being around all the minor league and spring training stadiums," Smeltzer said. "The coaches really attempt and work hard to get you to the next level."

Smeltzer and fellow southpaw Chris Sale, the Eagles highest drafted player, have some rough similarities.

"We both have some funky deliveries," Smeltzer said. "I'd love to throw it as hard as he does one day and hopefully with hard work it will get there."

The San Diego Padres selected Smeltzer in the 33rd round of this year's MLB Draft; the second of two Eagles signees drafted.

"I'm taking it day by day. I look at is a win, win. I can either get my pro career started or be at an awesome place with awesome coaches and potentially start the road to Omaha as soon as I get down there," Smeltzer said prior to the draft.

For more on FGCU, make sure to follow us on Twitter (@FGCUEagleNest)

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FGCU Baseball: MLB Draft Day Two - Suchy, Winningham Selected

Round 5 - No. 161

Michael Suchy, OF

Pittsburgh Pirates

Eagles outfielder Michael Suchy became the second highest MLB pick in FGCU history today as the Pittsburgh Pirates selected the junior with the 161st overall pick (5th round). Suchy hit .318 this season, including 49 RBIs and 8 home runs. The 6-foot-4 outfielder was named to the All Atlantic Sun First Team and started in all 60 appearances he made. His power and athleticism will be strengths at the next level, but he will have to limit his strikeouts.

Round 8 - No. 235
Dash Winningham, 1B
New York Mets

A Trinity Catholic High School slugger and Florida Gulf Coast signee, Winningham was the first of FGCU's commits to hear their name called. Last season, the 6-foot-2 first baseman knocked in 36 RBIs on his way to a .410 avg and a 4A State Championship. Signs point to Winningham signing with the Mets but nothing is official yet.

STILL ON THE BOARD
Zack Tillery - 3B/RHP
Devin Smeltzer - LHP (signee)
Jack English - RHP
Nick Deckert - LHP
Cody Hoffner - OF
Alex Diaz - SS

For more on FGCU, make sure to follow us on Twitter (@FGCUEaglesNest)

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FGCU Baseball: MLB Draft Preview

(Courtesy of Linwood Ferguson)

The 2014 MLB Draft takes place June 5 through June 7, and multiple Florida Gulf Coast players and signees will likely hear their name called. With a relatively young team, it is unlikely that FGCU will see as many players selected as last year when six Eagles were drafted. For juniors and current FGCU commits, the question is whether to sign with the potential professional team or continue their amateur career. FGCU Eagles Nest breaks down FGCU's draft prospects, when they might be selected, and the decision they'll have to make.

Watch Live
Thursday, June 5 - 7:00 p.m. start on MLB.com (1-2 rounds)
Friday, June 6 - 1:00 p.m. start on MLB.com (3-10 rounds)
Saturday, June 7 - 1:00 p.m. start on MLB.com (11-40 rounds)

Michael Suchy | Jr. | OF | R/R | 6-4 | 230 
FGCU's top professional prospect eligible for this year's draft, Suchy landed on the 2014 Atlantic Sun First-Team after finishing season with 49 RBIs and .318 avg. The Bradenton, Fla. native possesses great power and led the Eagles in home runs this year. While his power and athleticism proved to be his greatest strengths, his swing also leads to a relatively high strikeout rate. At 6-foot-4, Suchy has impressive speed and runs the bases well; he recorded 10 steals this season.

Rankings
Baseball America: 217
Perfect Game: 164
SB Nation (Astros): 4th-7th rounds



Zack Tillery | Jr. | RHP/3B | R/R | 6-4 | 210
The junior out of Naples, Fla. is another interesting draft prospect. Tillery usually starts at third base and hit for a .314 avg last season. But his work on the mound is the most intriguing. His fastball has decent speed and his slider is absolute dominant when he gets in rhythm. Tillery worked out with the Yankees on Tuesday. As for his decision, he told the Naples Daily News "It's definitely a consideration."

Rankings
Baseball America: N/A
Perfect Game: N/A


Jack English | Jr. | RHP | R/R | 6-0 | 205
Entering this season, Baseball America ranked English as the No. 6 Atlantic Sun professional prospect. The Delray Beach, Fla. product went 4-4 with a 3.00 ERA in his junior campaign. He will draw attention with his fastball, which reaches the low-to-mid 90s. With spurts of brilliance, including his complete game shutout in the Atlantic Sun Tournament, don't be surprised if English hears his name in the late rounds.

Rankings
Baseball America: N/A
Perfect Game: N/A

Devin Smeltzer | Sr. (HS) | LHP | R/L | 6-3 | 190
Out of Bishop Eustace Prep (Vorhees, NJ), Smeltzer is ranked as the top Eagles signee prospect. With a wide delivery, his fastball gets into the lower 90s and his slider possess deceptive movement. The southpaw told the Eagles Nest he is looking to get bigger and stronger, which is something that would help his velocity at the next level. A cancer survivor and selfless person, Smeltzer sees his decision to go pro or head to FGCU as a "win, win" and is "taking it day by day."

Rankings
Baseball America: N/A
Perfect Game: 285

Dash Winningham | Sr. (HS) | 1B | L/L | 6-2 | 220
The lefty slugger out of Trinity Catholic HS possesses superb power and has worked out numerous times with the New York Mets, most recently in New York City itself. His junior year, Winningham recorded 36 RBIs en route to a .410 avg. According to Perfect Game, he "swings hard and has very good raw bat speed, aggressive hitter, timing works well and barrel is consistently in the zone at the right time." As for a decision, Winningham told the Star Banner last summer "Hopefully, I'll get drafted and get offered some good money. If that doesn't happen. I'll go to Florida Gulf Coast for three years and try to do a good job there."

Rankings
Baseball America: N/A
Perfect Game: N/A

Other Eagles Prospects
Nick Deckert | Jr. | LHP | L/L | 6-3 | 180
Cody Hoffner | Jr. | OF | R/R | 6-3 | 215
Alex Diaz | Jr. | SS | R/R | 6-2 | 190

For more on FGCU, make sure to follow us on Twitter (@FGCUEaglesNest)

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Dunks of the Day: Sweat, Cooney, Mazziotta

(Courtesy of TechAndPhoto)

1: Former Florida Gulf Coast volleyball star Brooke Sweat made a great run in the AVP St. Petersburg Open this weekend. As a four seed, Sweat and her partner Lauren Fendrick breezed through the first two rounds and then took down number one seeded Emily Day and Summer Ross, 21-14, 17-21, 15-10, in the quarterfinals. After their semifinal opponents forfeited due to injury, Sweat/Fendrick were pitted against US Olympians April Ross and Kerri Walsh Jennings. After Brooke and Fendrick took the first set 21-19, they dropped the next two, 15-21 and 11-15. However, this is a promising start to the 2014 season for Sweat, who is tied for fifth in the USA Beach Volleyball player rankings. Next up on the AVP Tour is the Milwaukee Open from July 3 through July 6.

3: The first of six FGCU players selected in the 2013 MLB Draft, Harrison Cooney (Burlington Bees) put together his most impressive performance of the 2014 season, on Friday. The righty tossed a complete game shutout, striking out eight batters while only giving up six hits. With a 2.05 ERA, he is now 4-3 with the Class A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels.

4: Daniel Mazziotta is looking to qualify for the US Open on Monday. The former FGCU golf standout will be competing in a sectional qualifier at the Colonial Country Club in Memphis, Tenn. Over 36 holes, 145 golfers will compete for only 13 available spots. Mazziotta has been competing in the PGA Latin America Tour, and in just his fourth start, he won the Mundo Maya Open. Live scoring for the qualifier can be found here.

Dunks of the Day is a series of smaller FGCU news bits put together into one post. If you have a news tip or idea, please email us at fgcueaglesnest@gmail.com

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FGCU Baseball Splits Double Header, Captures Atlantic Sun Regular Season Title

(Courtesy of Linwood Ferguson)

Despite splitting Friday's double header at Lipscomb, the FGCU baseball team clinched the Atlantic Sun regular season title.

In game one, redshirt sophomore Brady Anderson started on the mound. Over 7.1 innings, the Arcadia, Fla. native struck out six Bison while giving up zero earned runs. In support, both Colton Bottomley (Parkland, Fla.) and Zack Tillery (Naples, Fla.) sent solo shots over the wall. Tillery then pitched a clean slate in the ninth to capture the save, as the Eagles won 3-2.

Florida Gulf Coast ran out of steam in the final game of the series, however. Jack English allowed two earned runs in three innings of work, and the Bison tacked on more later to defeat the Eagles, 7-1. But with Mercer's 7-6 loss to ETSU, the Eagles still claimed the outright Atlantic Sun regular season title.

This is Florida Gulf Coast's fifth Atlantic Sun Regular Season Championship of the 2013-14 season. The men's basketball, women's basketball, men's soccer, and women's soccer programs captured the other four. It is also the Eagles' 35th Division I conference title.

With team success, person accolades are just icing on the cake. After recording two base knocks in each double header contest, Jake Noll's season hit total is now up to 96 - tied for best in the NCAA.

@Jake_Noll's 96 hits are tied for best in the NCAA #EagleUp (photo via @tessamort) pic.twitter.com/XYYhDs0NsV
— FGCU Eagles Nest (@FGCUEaglesNest) May 17, 2014

The Eagles finished the regular season with a 19-8 conference mark which, in addition to the title, gives them the No. 1 seed in the Atlantic Sun Baseball Championship in Fort Myers. The Blue and Green will face off against the No. 8 seeded North Florida Ospreys on Wednesday, May 21 at 5:00 p.m.

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Royals Call Up Former FGCU Baseball Star Casey Coleman

Just a month after signing a minor league contract with the Class AAA Omaha Storm Chasers, former Florida Gulf Coast star Casey Coleman received his MLB call-up from the Kansas City Royals.

In Omaha, Coleman went 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA over 12 innings of work out of the bullpen.

"He's a guy that's got really good stuff: 95-mile-an-hour fastball, good breaking ball, good competitor," Royals manager Ned Yost said in the release. "Grew up in a baseball family, been throwing the ball well down in Omaha."

Earlier this spring, the former FGCU pitcher was released from the Chicago Cubs after spending his entire professional career in the organization. Although much of his time was spent with the Class AAA Iowa Cubs, he did pitch over 160 innings in Chicago from 2010-2012. In that time, Coleman went 7-13 with a 5.76 ERA.

The Cubs selected Coleman in the 15th round of the 2008 Draft after he went 7-3 with a 4.11 ERA as a junior in Fort Myers.

Coleman's promotion gives FGCU two alumni in the major leagues. Former Eagle Chris Sale is the Chicago White Sox ace, but he is currently on a rehab assignment after straining his muscle flexor.

The Royals host the Orioles this weekend before the White Sox come to town for a three game set to start next week. Although this hypothetically could set up an Eagle vs. Eagle showdown, Sale is not expected to return until the end of the month.

UPDATE: Friday, May 16 | 10:00 p.m.

In his debut with the Royals, Coleman worked a perfect 1-2-3 ninth inning. Kansas City still fell, 4-0, to the Orioles.

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Mike Murray's Historic Season Continues With Another Record Breaking Performance

(Courtesy of Linwood Ferguson)

Florida Gulf Coast sophomore Mike Murray surpassed historic company on Friday night.

The West Palm Beach native dealt six innings of scoreless work to capture his 12th win of the season, breaking the program record for single season wins. The mark was previously held by former Eagle and current White Sox ace Chris Sale who went 11-0 in his junior year in Fort Myers.

“It’s a great win for Mike Murray,” head coach Dave Tollett said in a release. “Everybody knows what Chris Sale meant to this program. Chris Sale was National Pitcher of the Year and for Mike to exceed what Chris did, I think it speaks very loudly of just how good of a pitcher Mike Murray is.”

Murray (12-0, 1.42 ERA) gave up just three hits and struck out two batters as the Eagles gave him plenty of run supporting - defeating ETSU, 14-0.

Now the current NCAA leader in wins on the season, Murray has garnered some much deserved national attention. Headlining the honors is his name on the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award 30-Man Watch List. On the way to naming the top amateur baseball player in the country, the award will cut down to semifinalists on May 27. After more rounds of voting, the winner will be announced on June 17.

But a larger task awaits for the Eagles (33-18, 16-6) as they still sit in second place in the Atlantic Sun, behind arch rival Mercer. The Blue and Green return to Swanson on Saturday when Brady Anderson takes the mound for game two against ETSU.

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White Sox Ace Chris Sale Continues Domination, Lacks Run Support

Although Chris Sale's unorthodox release caused many teams to overlook him, the former Florida Gulf Coast stud has those front offices shaking their heads in regret.

Now in his fifth season with the White Sox, Sale has grown into Chicago's reliable ace. Thursday night was no exception. The southpaw built a no hitter into the sixth inning and ended the night with 10 strikeouts, and only one earned run allowed over seven innings.

Boston's Jon Lester was also working a perfect game until it was broken up in the sixth inning by Tyler Flowers. On the other hand, Sale's bid for a no hitter was broken up by a solo shot courtesy of Xander Bogaerts

"It’s kind of who is going to crack first. I think I lost that one by about 490 feet," said Sale, the two time All Star.

Unfortunately in what has become a common situation for Sale, the White Sox were unable to provide much run support. Adam Eaton's RBI single in the sixth inning scored Chicago's lone run of the contest.

"I don’t think we got outpitched or outhit," Sale said. "We got outlucked I think."

Sale threw out a career high 127 pitches and has now gone over 100 pitches in every outing this season. His 10 strikeouts also gave him his 11th career double digit strike out outing - good for fifth in White Sox history.

"That’s what I’m supposed to do, especially after a night like last night," Sale said.

Despite another phenomenal start from Sale, Chicago fell, 3-1, to Boston. He maintains a 3-0 record and 2.30 ERA for the 2014 season.

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FGCU Baseball Falls To Jacksonville In Pitcher's Duel

(Courtesy of Linwood Ferguson)

Despite seven phenomenal innings from junior pitcher Jack English, Florida Gulf Coast (24-13, 9-3) dropped the final game, 1-0, of their weekend series to Jacksonville.

Through the first seven innings, neither Atlantic Sun squad could seem to solve the opposing pitcher. The Eagles put their first batter on base in the 8th inning when Nick Rivera singled to left field. Unfortunately, the Blue and Green couldn't advance a runner past second in the inning.

On the other side of the coin, the Dolphins faced similar troubles. Junior Jack English (Delray Beach, Fla.) stumped JU batters for 7.1 innings as he struck out three while only giving up six hits. But in the eighth, Jacksonville finally broke through when Angelo Amendolare doubled and eventually scored on a wild pitch from freshman Garrett Anderson (Arcadia, Fla.).

The Eagles, with Gage Morey due up, faced a 1-0 deficit heading into the top of the ninth. It looked promising to start the inning, as Morey tripled to right center, but he was immediately caught stealing home. With one out, Alex Diaz singled but no Eagles could advance him further.

Despite dropping this final game of the weekend, Florida Gulf Coast still took home a series win, outscoring the Dolphins 16-6 over the three contests. Sitting at 9-3 in conference play, the Eagles hold 2nd place in the Atlantic Sun; Mercer sits in 1st with a 12-2 A-Sun record.

Before continuing Atlantic Sun play with North Florida next weekend, FGCU plays host to the No. 12 Florida Gators on Tuesday night at Swanson Stadium. Florida Gulf Coast split two games with the Gators earlier this year; they won the first meeting, 2-1, on Feb. 27 before falling 4-0, two days later. The two teams met at Hammond Stadium last season as well. The Gators defeated FGCU, 5-3, behind five innings of work from Bobby Poyner.

In addition, the Eagles have already took the field at Swanson once this season, against Miami. Despite an evenly matched affair through nine innings, the Hurricanes scored three runs in extras to take home a win.

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Eagles In The Pros Update: MLB and Minor Leagues

With Major League Baseball finishing its opening week of the season, the FGCU Eagles Nest took a look at some former Eagles now in the MLB and minor leagues. Check out how they're doing so far and feel free to use this page as an index of easy links for the future.

Chris Sale (Chicago White Sox)

The only current major leaguer who made their way from Swanson Stadium, Sale is now 2-0 on the season. He took the mound on Opening Day and went 7.1 innings while giving up three earned runs and striking out eight. In his second outing, the southpaw went 8 innings and gave up no earned runs, while striking out six batters. His slider continues to dominate the South Side of Chicago. White Sox veteran Paul Konerko said "I don't think I've ever played with a lefty with as good stuff as him."

Casey Coleman (Free Agent)
The Chicago Cubs cut Coleman after the former FGCU pitcher spent his entire career in Chicago following his selection in the 15th round of the 2008 draft. He is headed to Arizona to work out and throw while he awaits other teams' calls. (Des Moines Register)

Richard Bleier (Buffalo Bisons (AAA) - Toronto Blue Jays)
The former FGCU lefty has recorded some big league time and has pitched once already this season for the Bisons (1.2 innings - 0 earned runs). He holds the most experience besides Coleman and Sale and is definitely a name to watch.

Harrison Cooney (Burlington Bees (A) - LA Angels)
Drafted by the Angels in the 6th round of the 2013 Draft, Cooney picked up his first win already with the Bees. He is one of the Eagles brightest young prospects.

Brandon Bednar (Augusta GreenJackets (A) - SF Giants)
Another Eagle selected in the 2013 Draft, Bednar is off to a hot start, hitting .500 with the GreenJackets - that team name has to be one of the best in the minors as well.

Ricky Knapp (Savannah Sand Gnats (A) - New York Mets)
Knapp possess phenomenal command of his pitches, to go along with a game IQ. He has yet to see time with the Gnats, but there is no doubt he'll make his mark felt whenever he takes the mound.

Brandon Bixler (Cedar Rapids Kernels (A) - Minnesota Twins)
The recent Twins draftee already has two innings of his shutout ball under his belt. Be sure to watch this former Eagles' growth.

Mike Reeves (Dunedin Blue Jays (A) - Toronto Blue Jays)
The former FGCU catcher has made one appearance already and will be playing for the Florida based team, trying to achieve the big goal of returning to Canada to play for the Blue Jays.

Sean Dwyer (Modesto Nuts (A) - Colorado Rockies)
Another 2013 draftee, Dwyer has knocked in 3 RBIs already on the season, all coming from a double and a triple. He has taken advantage of his increased playing time.

Tim Roberson (Greenville Drive (A) - Boston Red Sox)
A 2009 Atlantic Sun All First Team selection, Roberson signed, undrafted, to the Red Sox and just began his 2nd season in Greenville.

Jacob Barnes (Brevard County Manatees (A) - Milwaukee Brewers)
He has already pitched five innings of shutout ball for the Manatees in 2014.

Stephen Wickens (New Britain Rock Cats (AA) - Minnesota Twins)
After spending last season with the nearby Fort Myers Miracle, Wickens was promoted to the Rock Cats in late March.

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Murray Leads Eagles To 5-0 Win Over Kennesaw State

(Courtesy of Linwood Ferguson)

Florida Gulf Coast ace Michael Murray continued his season long domination on Friday night, pitching nine innings of shutout ball as the Eagles soared to a 5-0 victory over conference foe Kennesaw State.

Murray, a West Palm Beach, Fla. native, only allowed four base runners and struck out four batters as well. With the win, he is now 7-0 on the season and has a .43 era, good for 4th in the entire nation.

The FGCU bats started early to gave Murray some support. With Michael Suchy on first and Colton Bottomley on second in the first inning, third baseman Zack Tillery doubled down the left field line to send both runners home. Gage Morey and Tyler Selesky contributed RBIs in the third innings to build the Eagles lead up to 5.

The Owls couldn't get anything off of Murray, and the closest Kennesaw State got was in the final frame when they put runners on second and third with two outs. Murray, however, finished the complete game by causing a groundout to second base.

The FGCU ace has now completed 62.2 innings on the season, giving up only three earned runs during that span. His 57 strikeouts during that period are top ten in the nation.

The Eagles (20-11, 6-1) face off agains the Owls in game two of the series tomorrow at 2 p.m. - Nick Deckert will take the mound at Swanson Stadium.

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FGCU Baseball Opens Season With 7-3 Win Over Rhode Island

(Courtesy of Linwood Ferguson)

On opening night of the 2014 season, the Florida Gulf Coast baseball team gave Swanson Stadium a great one as they defeated Rhode Island, 7-3.

Starting on the mound for the Eagles was sophomore Michael Murray. The 2013 unanimous A-Sun All Freshman selection gave the Blue and Green six sold innings of work; he gave up 1 earned run on 7 hits and struck out 4 of the 29 batters he faced. Finishing off the game and getting the win was freshman Garrett Anderson. In 2.1 innings, the Arcadia, Fla. native struck out two and only let up two hits.

After the first five innings proved a pitcher's duel, the young FGCU lineup finally got on the scoring sheet in the sixth. After URI scored two in the bottom half, singles from Drew Valencia and Kevin Young gave the Eagles a 3-2 lead.

Florida Gulf Coast put the nail in the coffin the next inning, where a Michael Suchy triple capped off a scoring bonanza. The Eagles continue their four game series against URI with a double header tomorrow: Game 1 (Nick Deckert) at 1:00 p.m and Game 2 (Jack English) at 4:00 p.m.

Winning Pitcher: Garrett Anderson (1-0) - 2.1 innings, 2 hits, 2 strikeouts, 0 earned.
Box Score

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Former Coastal SS Pruett Making Most Of Transfer Season

Part of the reason former Coastal Carolina shortstop Brian Pruett transferred to FGCU was to be closer to his home and family. When he arrived, Pruett found another family.

"The program is family orientated," Pruett said. "Coach Tollett is very down to earth and cares about the players. When that happens you get the best out of the guys."

Now donning the Blue and Green, Pruett will have to sit out the 2013-14 season due to NCAA transfer rules.

"This next whole semester I plan on being the best I can be and try to not let the time go to waste even though I'm not competing this year," Pruett said. "I can work out and get bigger, faster, and stronger."

When he returns following the spring semester and time playing summer ball up in Minnesota, the Sarasota native has high expectations for his time as an Eagle.

"I hope to come back in the fall and the spring and be a big time player on the roster, be a everyday starter and get to a regional and further," Pruett said.

During his freshman season at Coastal, Pruett started 57 of the Chanticleers' 59 games at shortstop and batted .400 during their NCAA regional.

So although fans won't see him turning double plays when the Eagles open their season February 14th against Rhode Island, there is no doubt Pruett is working hard to make the Eagles 'family' better.

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FGCU Signing Day Special

Courtesy of Linwood Ferguson

Today marks the beginning of an early signing period that lasts until Nov. 20. A plethora of Florida Gulf Coast commits from many different sports will be signing their LOI today so the Eagles Nest breaks it down.

*If you will be signing today and are not on the list, contact me (fgcueaglesnest@gmail.com)!

Men's Basketball
Christian Terrell (Providence HS), 6-2 SG: The internet sensation will be signing his LOI to Florida Gulf Coast today. Terrell, in addition to throwing down monster dunks, has great court vision and can drive to the rim with control. His fellow teammate, Grayson Allen, will also be signing with his respective college, Duke, today.

Eric Moeller (Co. Central Florida) 6-11 C : The junior college signee is currently at the College of Central Florida. Out of high school he had offers from FGCU and Belmont. He has a good inside presence and can also run well in transition.

Other commits: Zach Johnson (will be signing Monday, Nov. 18)

Baseball
Devin Smeltzer (Bishop Eustace Prep) 6-3 LHP: The New Jersey native is a phenomenal pitcher who throws up to 91 mph; he can continue in a great line of tradition in Fort Myers. At a young age, Smeltzer overcame cancer and now is pursuing his dream. You can watch him pitch in the Perfect Game All American Game here.

Dash Winningham (Trinity Catholic) 6-2 1B: The 2013 Underclass High Honorable Mention visited FGCU, with multiple other commits, and will sign with the Eagles today.

Chris Hopkins (DeLand HS) 6-5 RHP: Hopkins, a righty, is another talented young pitcher in Dave Tollett's class of 2014. He joined Winningham as a 2013 Underclass High Honorable Mention.

Kyle Gilbert (Seminole HS) 6-0 C: The lone catcher of FGCU's class, Gilbert was the 2012 PG WWBA Underclass World Championship MVP.

Zeke Pietrzyk (Estero HS) 6-2 LHP: Pietrzyk is another southpaw, who has been clocked at 85 mph. The local kid will be fun to watch with the Eagles. He was the Most Valuable Pitcher at the same 2012 PG WWBA Underclass World Championship.

Zach Spivey (Spruce Creek HS) 5-8 OF: The speedster covers a lot of ground in the outfield and has a nice swing at the plate. Great addition to the Eagles' class.

Other commits: Matthew Reardon

Softball
Brittany McGuire (Florida Storm) 5-8 3B: Started on varisty as a freshman and led the county in RBIs and slugging percentage.

Kori Dunn (Lake Howell HS) C/OF: Last season, as a junior, Dunn batted .389 with 16 RBIs and was a perfect 27 for 27 in stolen bases.

Brianne Innamorato (Bishop Eustace Prep): From Jersey to Dunk City, Innamorato joins Smeltzer as Eagles commits from Bishop Eustace.

Other commits: Gabriela Draney, Chandler Middlebrook, Natalie Lopez, Riley Randolph

Women's Basketball
Taylor Goodall (Columbus North HS) 5-9 G: During her junior season Goodall averaged 13.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.4 steals en route to a 25-1 Bulldogs record.

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Eagles In The Classroom: NCAA Release GSR

Courtesy of Linwood Ferguson

Today the NCAA released its annual Graduation Success Rate (GSR) reports. This is the class that began college in 2006 and is calculated by students who graduated within six years. Headlining FGCU sports are Women's Soccer and Women's Tennis, both of whom had a 100% GSR rate. Here is FGCU's full list.

Men's Sports
Basketball: 53%
Baseball: 60%
Cross Country: 38%
Golf: 80%
Tennis: 73%

Women's Sports
Basketball: 40%
Cross Country: 56%
Golf: 83%
Soccer: 100%
Softball: 72%
Swim & Dive: 67%
Tennis: 100%
Volleyball: 89%

Overall, the Atlantic Sun conference had 26 perfect scores, including every Women's Tennis team (for the 2nd year in a row). Fifty-one A-Sun schools posted a score equal to or higher than the national average.

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