Globe iconLogin iconRecap iconSearch iconTickets icon
Single-A Affiliate
The Official Site of the Carolina Mudcats Carolina Mudcats
Tickets & Promotions
Individual Tickets Promotions Group Options Season Tickets Mini Plans Luxury Suites DRB Homes Sky Lounge Ticket Terms & Conditions TicketSmarter - Ticket Resale Marketplace
Schedule
Schedule Game-by-game Results 2024 Season Schedule (PDF) 2024 Schedule Poster (PDF) Rain Out Policy Bark in the Park Guidelines Bark in the Park Waiver (PDF)
Stats & Scores
Scoreboard Individual Stats Team Stats Standings MiLB Stats Franchise Records
Team
Roster Coaching Staff Pescados de Carolina Social Media Clubhouse Watch Video Mudcats in the Majors Transactions Brewers Affiliates Mudcats Awards Brewers Prospect Watch
Club Info
About Us Front Office Corporate Sponsors Advertising Opportunities Contact info Full-Time Positions Employment Mudcats Media Five County Stadium CBS17 Five County Stadium Weather Cam
Shop
Caps Apparel Novelties Micro Brews Pescados de Carolina
News
News Home MiLB.com News
Muddy the Mudcat
Community
TicketSmarter - Ticket Resale Marketplace
Sweepstakes & Contests
(919) 269-2287

Plenty of Past Mudcats Are Playoff Bound

Over a dozen former Mudcats are headed to the MLB postseason
October 5, 2021

The playoff field is set and over a dozen former Carolina Mudcats are headed to the postseason across seven of the 10 Major League Baseball postseason bound teams. The following list is based on the final active rosters for each of the playoff bound MLB teams.

The playoff field is set and over a dozen former Carolina Mudcats are headed to the postseason across seven of the 10 Major League Baseball postseason bound teams. The following list is based on the final active rosters for each of the playoff bound MLB teams.

Milwaukee Brewers

RHP Corbin Burnes (2017 Mudcats), RHP Freddy Peralta (2017 Mudcats), LHP Aaron Ashby (2019 Mudcats), RHP Brad Boxberger (2010, 2011 Mudcats)

As Carolina’s current Major League affiliate, it should come as no surprise that the Brewers boast the most playoff bound Mudcats with (at least) four players available for the postseason roster. Former Mudcats Corbin Burnes, Freddy Peralta, Brad Boxberger and Aaron Ashby were all on Milwaukee’s end-of-season roster. Each of those four should see significant innings with the Brewers in the post-season. Burnes and Peralta in particular headline that list as both were All-Star starters with Milwaukee earlier this season. They also both pitched for the Mudcats in 2017 with Burnes going 5-0 with a 1.05 ERA and 56 strikeouts over 60.0 innings and 10 starts. While Peralta pitched in 12 games and totaled 78 strikeouts over 56.1 innings during what was a Carolina League All-Star run for Peralta. Ashby started in 13 games for the Mudcats during the 2019 season and pitched to a 3.46 ERA and .229 average against following a mid-season promotion to High-A Carolina from Low-A Wisconsin. Ashby also totaled 55 strikeouts against 32 walks over 65.0 innings as a Mudcat between June 13 and August 30, 2019. Boxberger first pitched for the Mudcats in 2010 before returning in 2011 where he would go on to put together an All-Star season with the then-Reds affiliated Mudcats. Boxberger appeared in 30 games for Carolina in 2011 and pitched to a 0.84 WHIP and 1.31 ERA.

Atlanta Braves

SS Dansby Swanson (2016 Mudcats), LHP A.J. Minter (2016 Mudcats)

Both Dansby Swanson (2016 Mudcats) and A.J. Minter (2016 Mudcats) played for the Mudcats during Carolina’s second season as an affiliate of the Braves in 2016. Neither, however, played for the Mudcats very long as Swanson appeared in just 21 games (.966 OPS, 26 H, 12 2B, 14 R) with the Mudcats before a mid-April promotion to Double-A in 2016. Minter pitched in eight games and totaled 9.1 innings with Carolina in 2016 (0.00 ERA, 4 BB, 10 SO) after first arriving from Low-A and later earning a promotion to Double-A.

St. Louis Cardinals

LHP Andrew Miller (2008 Mudcats)

Perennial playoff reliever Andrew Miller is the lone former Mudcat on the St. Louis Cardinals’ potential playoff roster. The left-handed throwing Miller made a rehab appearance with the then-Marlins affiliated Mudcats in 2008.

Los Angeles Dodgers

RHP Phil Bickford (2018, 2019 Mudcats), RHP Evan Phillips (2016 Mudcats)

Relievers Phil Bickford and Evan Phillips are both available for the playoff bound Los Angeles Dodgers. Bickford pitched for the Mudcats in 2018 and 2019 before making his MLB debut with the Brewers in 2020. He then went on to make one appearance with Milwaukee earlier this season before being designated for assignment and claimed by the Dodgers back in early May. Bickford went 3-0 with a 2.48 ERA and 53 strikeouts over 32.2 innings pitched during his second season with Carolina in 2019. Phillips, a Raleigh native and product of Clayton High School, pitched to a 1.27 ERA over 21 appearances with the Mudcats in 2016 was a Carolina League All-Star that same season. Phillips originally came up through the Atlanta Braves farm system before he was traded to the Baltimore Orioles in 2018. The Orioles released Phillips earlier this year, but he would go on to sign with Tampa Bay, before being claimed off waivers by the Dodgers in mid-August.

Tampa Bay Rays

INF Yandy Díaz (2014 Mudcats), RHP Drew Rasmussen (2019 Mudcats), INF Joey Wendle (2013 Mudcats)

The Tampa Bay Rays feature three former Mudcats, including infielder Yandy Díaz, pitcher Drew Rasmussen and All-Star infielder Joey Wendle. Díaz spent the 2014 season with the Mudcats during the club's final year as an affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. He hit .286/.396/.367 with seven doubles, five triples, two home runs and 37 RBIs in 76 games for the Mudcats in what was his first season as a professional after signing with the Indians as a non-drafted free agent in 2013. Wendle led the 2013 Mudcats in runs (73), doubles (32), homers (16), RBI (64) and OPS (.885) while slashing .295/.372/.513 over 107 games for Carolina during it’s second season as an affiliate of the Indians. Rasmussen made four appearances and totaled 16 strikeouts over 11.1 innings while pitching for the Mudcats briefly during the 2019 season. He went on to make his MLB debut with the Brewers in August of 2020 and was traded (part of the season altering Willy Adames trade) to Tampa Bay earlier this season on May 21.

Chicago White Sox

C Yasmani Grandal (2011 Mudcats)

The Chicago White Sox had just one former Mudcat on the club's end of season roster. That lone player is of course catcher Yasmani Grandal who played for the Mudcats during the 2011 season. Grandal appeared in 45 games for the then-Cincinnati Reds affiliated Mudcats and hit .301/.360/.474 with 47 hits, 15 doubles, four home runs and 26 RBI.

New York Yankees

LHP Aroldis Chapman (2011 Mudcats), INF Gio Urshela (2012 Mudcats).

Former Mudcats Aroldis Chapman and Gio Urshela are both headed to the post-season with the New York Yankees. Chapman started twice and pitched in a total of five games as part of a rehab assignment with the Mudcats in 2011. He was 1-1 with a 6.14 ERA and 11 strikeouts over seven and 1/3 innings with the then Double-A affiliate of Reds in 2011.

Urshela, meanwhile, totaled a Carolina League leading .964 fielding percentage while playing third for the 2012 Mudcats. Urshela slashed .278/.309/.446 all while totaling a .755 OPS, 30 doubles (tied with two others for the team lead), 14 homers and 59 RBI over 114 games during the 2012 season with Carolina.