Movin' On Up: Top Draft pick gets first taste

The following players made their Major League debut between May 9 to May 15:

Greg Reynolds, RHP, Colorado Rockies

It was a mother of a Major League debut.

Right-hander Greg Reynolds, the Colorado Rockies' top Draft pick in 2006, got his first taste of the big leagues on Sunday, May 11, in a Mother's Day start against the host San Diego Padres.

Despite being on the road, he still managed to gather more than 20 members of his own family for the big event.

The 21-year-old Stanford product, selected with the second overall pick in 2006, took the 6-1 loss in the game, allowing four runs on six hits over 5 2/3 innings -- including homers to Khalil Greene and Scott Hairston -- while walking two and striking out one.

Reynolds was summoned to make his debut from Triple-A Colorado Springs when southpaw Mark Redman was sent down. With the SkySox, he'd posted a 4.86 ERA over seven starts, though he'd been limited to two innings in each of his last two outings.

After posting a 3.33 ERA in 11 starts at Class A Advanced Modesto in his pro debut in 2006, Reynolds showed more than a few flashes of the greatness predicted for him when he opened the 2007 campaign at Double-A Tulsa and reeled off a 1.42 ERA in eight starts. But the 6-foot-7 Reynolds was then shut down for what would be the remainder of the season due to an inflamed rotator cuff and finally underwent surgery that August.

This has basically been a "comeback" season for Reynolds, who throws a low 90s fastball, good curve and a solid changeup as his primary repertoire.

Jose Arredondo, RHP, Los Angeles Angels

CALLED UP: Recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake May 12 when P Nick Adenhart was sent down.

DEBUT: May 14 in a 6-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox. The last of four pitchers, he struck out one and allowed a solo homer to Nick Swisher in the ninth inning.

NOTES: This was actually Arredondo's second trip to the big leagues this season after being recalled April 25 and sent back down April 28 without having gotten into a game. Arredondo could project as the Angels' closer of the future. Originally signed by the club as a shortstop in 2002, he hit .250 over three short-season campaigns before moving to the mound in 2004. Used as a starter at first, he went to the bullpen full-time in 2007 and posted a 2.52 ERA with 10 saves in 23 games at Double-A Arkansas to start the season. However, after getting upset about being replaced in the ninth inning of a game, he was sent to Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga to work on harnessing his emotions. Ironically, he had been named to the Texas League All-Star Game and was replaced on that roster by Rich Thompson, with whom he came up to the Majors. The plan obviously worked, as his start to '08 can attest, with a 2.12 ERA and 10 saves in as many opportunities at Salt Lake.

Luke Carlin, C, San Diego Padres

CALLED UP: Contract purchased from Triple-A Portland May 9 when catcher Colt Morton was optioned to Double-A San Antonio.

DEBUT: May 10 in a 3-2 win against Colorado. The starting catcher, he batted eighth and went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts and one passed ball.

NOTES: Luke Carlin more than made up for what might be considered a shaky debut on paper the next night, but he'll definitely remember his official debut as he caught future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux for his 350th Major League victory. The next night, with regular starting catcher Josh Bard still sidelined with a sore wrist, Carlin once again started, this time with Chris Young on the mound, and delivered an eighth-inning double for his first big-league hit, scoring his first run as well. He also showed his stuff on defense as he threw out Rockies' infielder Jonathan Herrera on an attempted steal, marking the end of a streak of 56 baserunners who had successfully stolen against Young. The 27-year-old switch-hitter, originally a 10th-round Draft pick in 2002, was raised in Quebec and attended Northeastern University in Boston. He played for Team Canada in the 2005 World Cup tournament and is known as an excellent catch-and-throw guy.

Edgar Gonzalez, IF, San Diego Padres

CALLED UP: Contract purchased from Triple-A Portland May 12 when IF Callix Crabbe was designated for assignment.

DEBUT: May 12 in a 12-3 loss to the Chicago Cubs. A late-game insertion at third base, he went 1-for-2 with an RBI and struck out once. His first was an RBI single in the seventh inning.

NOTES: The older brother of Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, Gonzalez made his Major League debut just over a month before his 30th birthday. The fellow San Diego State product gives the club its fourth pair of active brothers, joining Brian and Marcus Giles (2007), Tony and Chris Gwynn (1996) and Robert and Sandy Alomar (1988-89). He was originally drafted in the 30th round of 2000 by Tampa Bay, a few hundred picks after his baby brother was taken with the first overall pick. Gonzalez is with his sixth organization (Tampa Bay, Texas, Montreal/Washington, Florida, St. Louis and San Diego) and came into '08 with a career .297 average in nine seasons and a .326 average at Triple-A. He was twice taken in the Minor League phase of the Rule 5 draft, first by Texas from Tampa Bay in 2003 and a year later by Montreal from the Rangers. He primarily plays second and third base but can also fill in at shortstop and in the outfield.

Alex Hinshaw, LHP, San Francisco Giants

CALLED UP: Contract purchased from Triple-A Fresno May 15 when RHP Merkin Valdez went on the DL.

DEBUT: May 15 in an 8-7 loss to Houston. The fourth of five pitchers, he allowed one hit in a third of an inning, striking out one.

NOTES: The Giants drafted Hinshaw three times before finally getting their man. They took him out of high school in the 28th round of 2000, the 29th round of 2002 and the 15th round of 2005 out of San Diego State (he was also drafted by Florida in the 25th round of 2003). He has shown he was worth the effort, posting an 0.57 ERA with seven saves at Fresno so far this season (including each of his last six games) and limiting Pacific Coast League batters to an .098 average! And yes, that is worth the exclamation point. Last year at Double-A Connecticut, he had a 1.96 ERA in 41 1/3 innings and held hitters to a .155 average.

Paul Janish, SS, Cincinnati Reds

CALLED UP: Recalled from Triple-A Louisville May 14 when IF Jeff Keppinger went on the DL.

DEBUT: May 14 in a 7-6, 10-inning win against Florida. Coming into the game in the eighth inning, he was 1-for-3 and delivered the game-winning hit in the 10th inning when he singled home pinch-runner Johnny Cueto with two outs.

NOTES: Janish was MiLB.com's pre-season pick for the Reds' Comeback Player of the Year after the fine-fielding defensive shortstop hit just a combined .235 between Double-A Chattanooga and Louisville last season. He picked it up this year with the Bats, hitting .293 with four homers and 20 RBIs already when summoned from Louisville to fill in for Keppinger, who could be out for two months with a fractured knee. A fifth-round pick in 2004, Janish (pronounced YAH-nish) was riding a seven-game hitting streak when he came up.

Doug Mathis, RHP, Texas Rangers

CALLED UP: Contract purchased from Triple-A Oklahoma May 11 when P Kevin Millwood went on the DL.

DEBUT: May 12 in a 13-12, 10-inning win against Seattle. The last of six pitchers, he got the win with a perfect 10th inning.

NOTES: A 13th-round pick out of Missouri in 2005, Mathis joined his college teammate Ian Kinsler on the Rangers squad. A solid starter over three pro seasons, he shifted into relief mode in his big league callup. He was 5-0 with a 3.55 ERA in seven starts at Oklahoma and had only issued walks in four of those games. In 2007 at Double-A Frisco, his 3.76 ERA ranked sixth in the Texas League.

Luis Maza, IF, Los Angeles Dodgers

CALLED UP: Contract purchased from Triple-A Las Vegas when SS Rafael Furcal went on the DL.

DEBUT: May 14 in a 6-4 win against Milwaukee. A late-game insertion on defense at shortstop after starting shortstop Chin Lung Hu was pinch-hit for, he did not bat.

NOTES: In his 11th pro season without making it to the Majors, the 27-year-old Maza finally got the call from the 51s. With Las Vegas, he was hitting .402 (.472 against left-handers) and had played second, third, shortstop, left and right field. Ironically, he wasn't even the team's leading hitter at the time (that honor went to third baseman Terry Tiffee and his .430 average). But while Tiffee strictly profiles as a corner infielder and left fielder, Maza's middle infield versatility worked in his favor. Originally signed by Minnesota out of Venezuela in 1997, he was a .273 career hitter coming into 2008. He spent his first nine years moving up the Twins' ranks before signing with the Dodgers in 2007 as a Minor League free agent.

Jonathan Van Every, OF, Boston Red Sox

CALLED UP: Recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket May 14 when P Clay Buchholz went on the DL with a broken fingernail.

DEBUT: May 14 in a 6-3 loss to Boston. The starting center fielder, he batted ninth and went 1-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts.

NOTES: With the Sox needing an additional bat off the bench while they wait for the return of Buchholz as his nail heals, they turned to Van Every, now in his eighth pro season. Originally signed as a 29th-round draft-and-follow out of Itawamba Community College in Mississippi by the Cleveland Indians, the Sox picked him up on waivers. A .257 career average in seven seasons coming into this year, he was coming off his best year as he batted a combined .307 with 12 homers and 57 RBIs between two levels and was hitting .287 at Pawtucket with six home runs and 20 RBIs when called up.