ABL's Aces draw on diverse prospect group

If the Claxton Shield is to Australian baseball what the Stanley Cup is to North American hockey, then baseball teams from the state of Victoria are the Down Under nation's Montreal Canadiens. No other state's name has graced the Shield, awarded annually to the champions of Australian baseball, as often as Victoria's, which has claimed the trophy 22 times since it was first awarded in 1934.

This year, the Melbourne Aces are hoping that a revitalized mixture of promising young homegrown talent will join a diverse array of Minor League imports in bringing the Shield back to Victoria for the first time since 2010.

Ordinarily, ABL teams bring in non-Australian Minor Leaguers ("imports") from one or two Major League organizations. This year, Melbourne is going beyond. The Aces boast imported Minor Leaguers from the Brewers, Rangers, Phillies and White Sox systems as well as a manager, Tommy Thompson, from the White Sox, and players from the Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball (Japan).

"I'm excited to get this group of guys together," Thompson told TheABL.com.au prior to his team's season opener in last weekend's second round of series.

"I'm going to lean on some of the Australian players who have been there and have some experience. I'm going to use the people I know and talk to them a lot to get information to help give me experience. Baseball is baseball, so when the game starts, I'll feel comfortable."

In addition to right-hander Kyle Heckathorn (Brewers) and former second-round pick Cody Buckel and first-rounder Kellin Deglan (Rangers), two talented Phillies prospects have caught the attention of observers in Melbourne. 

"Melbourne Aces boom recruit Dylan Cozens combines power and speed like never before seen in the Australian Baseball League," The [Melbourne] Herald-Sun thundered prior to Opening Day.

Philadelphia's No. 14 prospect, Cozens blasted a homer during his team's series loss to visiting Brisbane over the weekend. His Phils teammate, catcher Chace Numata, handled duties behind the plate for three games and served as designated hitter for Melbourne's series finale. Numata, a 2013 South Atlantic League All-Star with Lakewood, batted .294 and gunned down two of eight attempted basestealers.

"The league is great for me because I haven't played all year," said Numata, who was limited to just 11 GCL games this season due to wrist and hand injuries. "I find it really great. It's a blessing that I'm here and being given the opportunity to play every day, and Australia itself is still new, so I'm loving it so far. I'm living it up."

Buckel, a Carolina League All-Star in 2012 with Class A Advanced Myrtle Beach, is working to overcome control issues that plagued him last season. The 22-year-old walked 56 batters in 59 2/3 innings for the Pelicans in 2014 but pitched three shutout innings in his Aces debut on Nov. 8.

"I'm back in that mental aspect where I can throw anything in any count again," Buckel told The Herald-Sun.

White Sox right-hander Nick Blount worked six one-run innings in his first start of the year for Melbourne, earning a win. Heckathorn appeared in two games in relief, not allowing a hit but giving up one run in 2 1/3 innings.

In brief

Double duty: A pair of ABL pitchers pulled extra work during Round 2. Former Cubs prospect and Brisbane right-hander Ryan Searle threw 6 2/3 one-run innings in a no-decision at Melbourne on Nov. 8 and came back two days later to earn a save by recording one out in a 2-1 Bandits win. D-backs import and Dormagen, Germany native Markus Solbach did Searle one better, spinning seven shutout frames in a win over Canberra on Nov. 6 and coming back on the 9th to pick up his first save with 1 1/3 perfect innings.

All in: For the first time this season, all six teams will be in action at the same time this weekend. Canberra and Melbourne had Round 1 off while Adelaide and Perth had byes last week.