By Alex Gratys
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – A couple of pitchers got some big promotions to Triple-A this week, including former CWLers Kevin Matthews and Kevin Lenik getting called up to the Gwinnett Braves and Omaha Stormchasers, respectively.
Matthews appeared in 5 games, all as a reliever, sporting a 0.93 ERA with 8 strikeouts in 9 2/3 innings at Single-A Rome (Atlanta Braves organization) before making the jump to Triple-A Gwinnett. As a CWL player in 2017, Matthews pitched in 6 games, making 5 starts and had a 33/9 K/BB ratio in 15 innings.
Lenik started his 2017 season in rookie ball and made 2 appearances with the Burlington Royals (Kansas City Royals organization) , recording a save and striking out 4 in 5 innings pitched. He was then promoted to Single-A Lexington where he tossed 8 1/3 innings of relief work, notching a save and striking out 11. Lenik got called up this week to Triple-A Omaha and pitched 2 1/3 innings out of relief, striking out 4 batters. He was a player in the CWL during the 2016 season where he pitched in 5 games, striking out 27 in 16 innings of work with a sparkling 1.75 ERA, earning him a major league contract at the end of the campaign.
Matthews and Lenik are the second and third players to get promoted to Triple-A this season, with the first being former 2014 CWLer Nick Schulz, who is currently with the El Paso Chihuahuas (San Diego Padres organization). For more information on the 2018 California Winter League, contact General Manager Peter Wagoner at (760) 778-4487 or e-mail at [email protected].
To register for the 2018 California Winter League, click here.
