Former University of Maine catcher Chris Bec burst onto the social media scene last month.
Bec, who is with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats of the Eastern League, exhibited an innovative way to register an out.
Akron’s George Valera was on second base and tried to score on a base hit to right field by Jose Tena. Right fielder Sebastian Espino’s throw to the plate was on time to nail Valera, but Valera dodged a couple of swipes by Bec, who was attempting to tag him out.
However, in avoiding Bec’s tag, Valera wasn’t able to touch the plate and ran past it.
Valera tried to make his way back to the plate but Bec sat on it, cross-legged, to completely cover it and Valera, realizing he had no recourse, simply walked over to Bec to be tagged out.
Bec is one of two former Black Bears playing at the AA level, along with Cody Laweryson. Several other former Black Bears are also playing professional baseball, headlined by Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena. Pena returned from the injured list (thumb) on Sunday, and the 24-year-old rookie went 1-for-4 in a 6-3 loss to the Yankees.
The Fisher Cats, the AA franchise of the Toronto Blue Jays, are in Portland for a six-game series with the Sea Dogs that got underway on Tuesday night. Bec is currently hitting .211 in 21 games with a double, a run-batted in and four stolen bases in eight attempts. He also appeared in one game for AAA Buffalo and went 0-for-3.
He was a fifth round draft pick of the Jays in 2018, the 146th overall pick.
When talking about the tag at home, Bec told Manchester Ink Link that it was a situation he had gone over in the Instructional League, and that they came to the conclusion the best play was to sit on the plate.
“Here it came up in an actual game, and that was the first thing that came into my head. Sit on the plate. Flexibility as a catcher is very important,” Bec said.
Former UMaine first team All-America East righthander Laweryson has been promoted from the high Class A Midwest League Cedar Rapids Kernels to the AA Texas League Wichita Wind Surge. The move was made last Friday.
Laweryson, who is from Moscow and starred at Valley High School in Bingham, has already made one appearance for the Wind Surge and pitched two innings of two-hit shutout relief against the San Antonio Missions. He struck out three.
Laweryson, a 14th round draft pick of the Minnesota Twins (419th overall), got promoted courtesy of a terrific 12-game stretch leading up to the call-up.
In those 12 appearances spanning 29 ⅓ innings, he registered a 0.92 earned-run average with 35 strikeouts, seven walks and 19 hits allowed.
Between the Kernels and Wind Surge, he is 1-0 with a 2.43 ERA and he has 45 strikeouts in 37 innings. He has made 17 appearances, 15 in relief.
He has yet to allow a homer this season.
Bangor’s Justin Courtney, a relief pitcher for the high Class A Brooklyn Cyclones in the South Atlantic League, hasn’t allowed an earned run over his last six outings spanning 9 ⅔ innings. Overall, he is 4-2 with a 3.76 ERA. He has made 18 appearances and is a perfect 4-for-4 in save opportunities and he also has three holds. He has allowed 26 hits in 26 ⅓ innings with 27 strikeouts and 14 walks.
Former Hampden Academy star Alex McKenney was slowed by injury early in the season but the pitcher is back with the Philadelphia Phillies’ Class A Florida State League Clearwater Threshers where he has allowed three hits and three runs in two appearances spanning four innings. He has four strikeouts and three walks.
He had made two appearances with their Florida Complex rookie league team earlier this month, which was his first action of the season.
Two other former Black Bears who played on this past year’s team — pitcher-right fielder Jordan Schulefand and pitcher Brett Erwin — have signed contracts with Pioneer League teams.
The Pioneer League is an independent league whose teams aren’t affiliated with Major League Baseball.
Schulefand, a University of Richmond transfer, was a first team All-America East and second team All-New England selection this season and signed with the Boise Hawks.
Erwin, a University of California Davis transfer, signed with Rocky Mountain Vibes.
