Former South Bend Players Starring in MLB

Miguel Montero, A.J. Pollock, Archie Bradley among former South Bend stars excelling at highest level

By Mike Monaco

May 18, 2015

Thirty former South Bend players have appeared in the major leagues this season across the nation, highlighted by National League standouts Ender Inciarte (Arizona), Miguel Montero (Chicago), Gerardo Parra (Milwaukee), A.J. Pollock (Arizona), Justin Upton (San Diego) and Archie Bradley (Arizona), among others.

Inciarte, Pollock and Bradley headline the seven former South Bend players who have contributed for the Diamondbacks in 2015. South Bend served as the Midwest League affiliate for Arizona from 1997 through 2014.

Inciarte, a 24-year old outfielder from Venezuela, has built on an impressive 2014 inaugural season in which he finished fifth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting. Through his first 36 games, Inciarte has posted a .309 average, 10 doubles and 14 RBI.

Pollock, meanwhile, has bounced back from a broken hand suffered last season to hit .292 with three home runs and 13 RBI through 35 games.

When right-handed pitcher and former top prospect Archie Bradley toed the rubber April 11 against the Dodgers, the starting pitcher became the 148th former South Bend player to reach the majors. Bradley dazzled in his debut with six innings of one-hit, shutout ball. Through five starts, the Oklahoma native and former first-round pick is 2-1 with a 3.27 ERA. During an April start against the Rockies, former South Bend outfielder Carlos Gonzalez ripped a line drive that hit Bradley in the face. He walked off under his own power but was placed on the 15-day disabled list. Bradley returned to his spot in the starting rotation Saturday and threw 60 pitches.

Baltimore infielder Rey Navarro joined Bradley a few weeks later, as the Puerto Rican debuted for the Orioles on April 24 after nine seasons and 887 games in the minors. As a 19-year old with South Bend in 2009, Navarro batted .262, smacked 25 doubles and drove in 46 runs in 121 games. Navarro cracked his first big-league home run Wednesday against Toronto.

Former Diamondbacks catcher Miguel Montero is now starring for the Cubs, who traded for the two-time MLB All-Star this past December. Montero has tallied a .313 average with four home runs and 15 RBI. Montero, who was signed out of Caracas, Venezuela, in 2001 by Arizona, arrived in South Bend in 2004 as a 20-year old debuting in full-season ball. He hit .263 for the Silver Hawks, adding 11 home runs and 59 RBI in 115 games.

Former No. 1 overall pick Justin Upton (.293, 10 home runs and 27 RBI) is in his first season in San Diego after being traded from the Braves in December. His former outfield cohort in Arizona, Gerardo Parra, is in his first full season with the Brewers. Parra has notched a .308 average and 10 doubles through his first 36 games.

Other former South Bend players who've appeared in the majors in 2015 include Dodgers pitchers Brett Anderson and Mike Bolsinger, Diamondbacks pitchers Chase Anderson, Enrique Burgos and Josh Collmenter, White Sox infielder Emilio Bonifacio, Braves infielder Pedro Ciriaco, Angels outfielder Collin Cowgill, Rays infielder Jake Elmore, Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez, Angels infielder Marc Krauss, Diamondbacks infielder Chris Owings, Cardinals infielder Mark Reynolds, Nationals infielder Dan Uggla, Indians infielder Zach Walters, Yankees pitcher Chris Capuano, Athletics pitchers Ryan Cook and Evan Scribner, Red Sox pitchers Tommy Layne and Wade Miley, Giants pitcher Javier Lopez, Rangers pitcher Ross Ohlendorf and Indians pitcher Bryan Shaw.