Former Notre Dame standout Dan Slania was recently promoted to Triple-A Sacramento within the San Francisco Giants organization.

Around The Bases: Minor League & Summer League Updates

Aug. 1, 2016

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – As the fall gets closer and closer on the horizon, plenty of University of Notre Dame baseball current and past stars begin to wrap up impressive summers that could position them nicely for future success.

There have been promotions in minor league baseball and all-star appearances in the collegiate summer leagues. All of that will be covered in the latest edition of Around The Bases:

SUMMER LEAGUE ROUNDUP

– Some impressive summers have been put together by a group of junior pitchers in the premier Cape Cod League … RHP Peter Solomon (Harwich) has been the talk of the Cape all summer long, posting a ridiculous 0.57 ERA over 31.1 innings of work … he has a 1-0 record with two saves and 27 strikeouts in four starts & nine appearances overall … fellow RHP Brad Bass (Harwich) isn’t far behind with a 1.56 ERA over 13 appearances and 23.0 innings on the bump … he has struck out 31 batters to just four walks … RHP Brandon Bielak (Orleans) has been outstanding in relief, going 2-1 with a 1.66 ERA over 18 appearances and 21.2 innings … he has struck out 27 batters to just seven walks … LHP Sean Guenther (Orleans) is also on the Cape, having posted a 2-3 mark with a 5.06 ERA over eight starts and 37.1 innings of work … he has 23 strikeouts to just six walks … for their efforts, both Solomon and Bielak earned spots at the Cape Cod League All-Star Game.

– OF/RHP Jake Shepski has been outstanding all summer long for the Mankato Moondogs, earning invitations to both the Northwoods League All-Star Game and the Northwoods League Home Run Contest … he is currently hitting .360 with 72 hits, 19 doubles, 10 homers, 48 RBI, 48 walks, seven hit by pitch, seven stolen bases and 47 runs scored in 56 games played … he ranks first in the league in doubles, second in RBI, third in runs, home runs and walks, tied for third in hits and fourth in average.

– Sophomore OF Eric Feliz has turned in a spectacular year in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League for the Brockton Rox … he was named to the all-star team and is hitting .327 with 54 hits, six doubles, one triple, three homers, 26 RBI, 11 walks and 22 runs scored … he sits sixth in the league in average.

– RHP Evy Ruibal put together a solid summer for the Wisconsin Woodchucks, posting a 1.63 ERA in 19 appearances and 22.0 innings of work.

– RHP Jack Connolly did some nice work in the New England Collegiate Baseball League, totaling a 1.22 ERA over nine appearances and 14.2 innings of work.

MINOR LEAGUE ROUNDUP

Mancini Update
Former All-American and 2015 Notre Dame graduate Trey Mancini has remained consistent with the Norfolk Tides, the Baltimore Orioles Triple-A affiliate, this summer … in 90 games since being promoted from the Double-A Bowie Baysox after only 17 contests, Mancini is slashing .295/.365/.457 with 102 hits, 16 doubles, five triples, 10 homers, 40 RBI, 35 walks and 41 runs scored and is ranked in the top three on the team in every one of those categories … for his efforts in June, Mancini was named the Baltimore Orioles June Minor League Player of the Month.

Slania Update
2013 fifth-round MLB pick Dan Slania continues to thrive in his newly-found starting role on the bump, recently earning a promotion to Triple-A and the Sacramento River Cats of the Pacific Coast League … in 10 appearances as a starter at Double-A Richmond, Slania was 4-2 with a 1.48 ERA over 60.2 innings of work … he struck out 49 batters to just 18 walks and opponents totaled a .206 batting average … in the month of July he posted a slim 0.65 ERA over four starts and 27.2 innings of work while allowing batters just a .175 average … he has picked up right where he left off since moving up to Triple-A … in one start, he earned the win after allowing just one run on two hits and one walk while striking out five over seven innings of work.

Johnson Update
After an outstanding 14 games (7-6, 2.70 ERA, 86.2 IP, 48 SO) with the New Britain Bees of the Atlantic League, Notre Dame graduate Cole Johnson was signed by the Arizona Diamondbacks July 6 and sent to the Triple-A Reno Aces … while with New Britain, Johnson was second in the Atlantic League in ERA and tied for first in wins … after a tough couple of outings with the Aces, Johnson headed to the Double-A Mobile BayBears and has begun to show improvement … in two starts (14.2 IP), Johnson has a 3.07 ERA with eight strikeouts … opponents are batting just .208 against him.

Biggio Update
Through 35 games with the Vancouver Canadians (Single-A Short Season) of the Northwest League, Biggio is slashing .279/.369/.331 with 38 hits, seven doubles, 14 RBI, 17 walks, six stolen bases and 17 runs scored … for his efforts over the early part of the season, Biggio was one of three Canadians players to earn an invitation to the Northwest League vs. Pioneer League All-Star Game set for Tuesday, August 2 in Ogden, Utah … he will make the start at second base for the Northwest League.

For more information on the Notre Dame baseball team, follow the Irish on Facebook (/NDBaseball), Twitter (@NDBaseball) and Instagram (notredamebaseball).

–ND–