Golden Spikes Nominee

Former Rocky Mount Gryphon, Barton college and now Senior redshirt third baseman for UNC Pembroke Collins Cuthrell has made the top 60 cut for the Golden Spikes Award as the best Amateur baseball player in America.

58 nominees are from division 1 baseball as Cuthrell is the only DII player on the list.  There is also one JUCO player in the top 60.  May 27 will but the first round of cuts from the top 60 and the winner will be announced June 23rd.

So far this year the Braves third baseman has hit 458 collecting 19 home runs driven in 55 rbi and added 17 doubles to his resume'.  He has struck out a only  21 times in over 165 plate appearances.  Just last summer Collins help with Post 58 Legion team here in Rocky Mount and as a graduate of Barton had one year of eligibility left so he is in Grad school at UNCP.

Thursday night started the minor league baseball season and I could not find Brian Goodwin on any roster.  One big issue for minor league players the teams are not required to let everyone know when a player is on the disabled list like in the majors.  Rumors all spring were that Brian is still hurting from his surgery last summer and is on the disabled  list even though there isn't one in the minors.

Hobbs Johnson has been promoted to AA Biloxi in the Southern league.  The former Gryphon just two summers ago pitched for Carolina in the College World Series is right now ranked as the 23rd prospect for the Milwaukee Brewers organization.  Should get his first start of the year this weekend.

Two former Gryphons who have sons in minor league baseball began their season Thursday.  Bill Merfifield  who's son Whit was a member of the national Champions South Carolina has risen to triple AAA Omaha for the Kansas City Royals went 2-5 and drive in a run in his opening game playing left field.  Sonny Wooten's off spring John Wooten who played for Eastern Wayne if you remember they played Northern Nash in the East Regional.  He also played at ECU and will start out the year as first baseman for Potomac. He went 1-4 with a double and RBI.