June 11, 2024 by Sam Weiderhaft “It’s been a blessing to finally get back on the field.” After being selected in the 14th round of the 2022 MLB Draft by the Chicago Cubs, Shane Marshall had to wait to put the uniform on. He underwent Tommy John surgery in August...
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Alfonsin Rosario Makes Full-Season Debut in Myrtle Beach
Tuesday, May 28 by Sam Weiderhaft At 16 years old, Alfonsin Rosario moved away from his native Dominican Republic to play baseball in the United States. From there, he developed into one of the top high school prospects in the country. Now, he’s showcasing that at the professional level. “It...
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Muscle Beach: Andy Garriola Provides the Pelicans’ Power
May 14, 2024 by Sam Weiderhaft For the last two seasons, the Pelicans have been one of the best power-hitting teams in the Carolina League. In 2023, they led the league with 104 homers. This season, their 20 dingers currently rank fourth. A big reason for that is power-hitter Andy...
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Chris Paciolla Gains Valuable Experience Through First Part of the Season
May 7, 2024 by Sam Weiderhaft Heading into the 2024 season, Chris Paciolla had minimal exposure to professional baseball. The high school draft pick was taken in the third round of the 2022 draft by the Chicago Cubs and played just seven games in the Arizona Complex League during the...
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Catcher Conversion: Inside Carter Trice’s Transition to a New Position
April 16, 2024 by Sam Weiderhaft Being a professional comes with challenges. Increased competition, adjusting to new routines, and playing with a new organization. For Carter Trice, those challenges have been increased with an adjustment to an entirely new position. Trice was drafted in the 12th round of the 2023...
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A Deep Dive into the 2024 Pelicans Roster
(Sorted alphabetically) PITCHERS
#20 Juan Bello: The 19-year-old pitched in the Arizona Complex League last season in four games with three starts. Bello threw just 4 1/3 innings last year, but tossed 31 1/3 innings in 2022 in the Dominican Summer League, with an ERA of 4.02, being used mainly...
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Spring Break(out): Inside the Pelicans’ Trip to 2024 Cubs Spring Training
March 28, 2024 by Sam Weiderhaft Experiencing spring training has become my favorite annual tradition. Reconnecting with old friends and catching up with the players who have established themselves in the Cubs’ organization always makes for a fulfilling trip. For the second year in a row, Hunter Horenstein and I...
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Player Profile: Brett Bateman
September 5, 2023 by Sam Weiderhaft At the Single-A level, plate discipline is hard to come by. With this being the first stop for many players in professional baseball, seeing the advanced levels of pitching typically calls for adjustments for young hitters. For Brett Bateman, it hasn’t changed a thing....
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Player Profile: Jonathon Long
August 22, 2023 by Sam Weiderhaft August is a busy month in Single-A. After the draft concludes in July, players will typically spend some time at the complex in Arizona before being sent to an affiliate. Going from college, to the draft, to professional baseball in the span of two...
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Player Profile: Reivaj Garcia
August 8, 2023 by Sam Weiderhaft At just 16 years old, Reivaj Garcia took the field for the Arizona Complex League Cubs in 2018. He was the youngest player in all of Minor League Baseball at the time. He held a batting average over .300 in the 40 games he...
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“He Hit the Ground Running”: Jefferson Rojas Begins Career in Myrtle Beach
July 18, 2023 by Sam Weiderhaft Not many players, especially international signings, get the call up to Myrtle Beach without getting a good amount of playing experience in the United States. For Jefferson Rojas, it was just one game in the Arizona Complex League before joining the Pelicans on June...
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The Closer: Oquendo Keeps the Door Slammed for Pelicans
July 13, 2023 by Sam Weiderhaft At the Single-A level of Minor League Baseball, the presence of certain roles within a pitching staff is often limited. Typically, in a Major League setting, there are starters, setup pitchers, long relievers, middle relievers, and closers. Organizations are still trying to find those...
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“Focusing on My Strengths”: How Grant Kipp Has Excelled on the Mound this Season
June 27, 2023 by Sam Weiderhaft The summer of 2022 will always be remembered by Grant Kipp. There were three big life events that happened. One, he graduated from Yale, one of the United States’ premier academic institutions. Two, he got the opportunity to pitch in the Cape Cod Baseball...
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“Here to Get Better”: Inside Nick Hull’s Solid Start to the Season
May 16, 2023 by Sam Weiderhaft There’s not a ton of flash when Nick Hull takes the mound for the Pelicans. The right-hander provides a consistent pitch mix, great command skills, and an even-keeled attitude on the mound. And he’s getting results. The seventh-round selection by the Cubs last year...
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A Welcomed Return: Felix Stevens Improves in 2023
May 8, 2023 by Sam Weiderhaft “He’s really, really strong.” That’s what Pelicans hitting coach Roberto Vaz said about the 2019 International Free Agent signing out of Cuba, Felix Stevens. “It’s not surprising how hard he can hit the ball.” Stevens has spent bits of the last three seasons in...
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Back at the Beach: Inside Christian Franklin’s Return From Injury
April 18, 2023 by Sam Weiderhaft It was days before the start of the 2022 season. Christian Franklin had just come off his first taste of professional baseball, playing 20 games at the tail end of the 2021 season with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans after being drafted by the Cubs...
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Former Pelicans Voice Tyler Maun Broadcasts the World Baseball Classic
April 11, 2023 by Sam Weiderhaft “Hey, that was a lot of fun, do you guys have more events?” That was a message that broadcaster Tyler Maun sent to the WBSC (World Baseball Softball Confederation) a year after broadcasting the Premier 12 baseball tournament in 2015. Two weeks later, he...
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A Deep Dive into the 2023 Pelicans Roster
By Sam Weiderhaft (Sorted alphabetically) PITCHERS
#19 Jack Aldrich: A 2021 draft pick by the Kansas City Royals, Aldrich was signed as a free agent by the Cubs in 2023. He pitched in 23 games out of the bullpen for the Single-A Columbia Fireflies in 2022, including two at Pelicans...
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Sunburns and Backfields: A Look into the Pelicans Trip to Spring Training
March 22, 2023 by Sam Weiderhaft I had never been to MLB Spring Training. I’ve been a baseball fan my whole life and had always dreamt of making a trip to Arizona to see the stars of the game prepare for their seasons. When the Pelicans asked Hunter Horenstein and...
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Pelicans Add McGeary’s Power Bat Late in the Season
September 5, 2022 by Sam Weiderhaft As the Pelicans gear up for their first playoff appearance since 2017, the late-season roster moves have taken place with a handful of games to go. Players who have impressed have received promotions, and the 2022 draft picks are making their way up to...
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Ethan Hearn Turns Season Around in Second Half
August 23, 2022 by Sam Weiderhaft Being a catcher comes with many responsibilities. From being the team captain, to calling pitches, to throwing out runners trying to steal, many aspects are looked at when evaluating a team’s backstop. Hitting can often be overlooked with catchers because the defensive duties take...
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Jacob Wetzel Heats Up in Second Season with Pelicans
August 8, 2022 by Sam Weiderhaft Baseball is the sport of the summer. Every night, there’s a game going on from early April to September. Players can be fatigued both mentally and physically as the season goes on with the number of games. In his second season with the Pelicans,...
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Little Leads Rotation in Second Half
August 1, 2022 by Sam Weiderhaft The 2022 Pelicans pitching staff has been nothing short of incredible. Their 3.43 team ERA ranks third in Minor League Baseball, and they have the most strikeouts in the Carolina League at 1,050. With these performances, promotions to the higher levels have been frequent....
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Pagan Powers Pelicans to Victory
July 11, 2022 by Sam Weiderhaft At the beginning of every Minor League Baseball season, there’s a potential for “breakout” seasons. A player who isn’t expected to catch the eyes of fans, but ends up doing so. Being at the Single-A level, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans have the potential to...
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Luis Devers Deals Through First Half
June 27, 2022 by Sam Weiderhaft The first half of the 2022 season for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans was historic. They led Minor League Baseball in wins with 47, tallied the biggest run differential at +149, and took home the Carolina League South Division title to make their first playoff...