Former UBC Players in Pro Ball

Jeff Francis

Tuesday, 14 December 2004 05:03

His playoff numbers were 2-1, 4.86 ERA, 15 strikeouts, and six bases on balls in 16 2/3 innings pitched. Jeff was the first Canadian ever to start the first game of a World Series. CBC’s The National did a story about it, with film clips of him working on the infield at Nat Bailey Stadium, and a short interview with Coach McKaig. Click here to view the MP3 clip.

His numbers for 2006 were 13-11, 4.16 ERA, and 117 strikeouts. His ERA was good enough for 21st place in the National League. At the plate, he was .115, but he drew an exceptional eight bases on balls, which brings his on-base percentage to a not-bad .211. He was also credited with nine sacrifice bunts (also not bad) and two sacrifice flies. For his complete numbers, click here.

In 1995, Jeff’s record was 14-12, 5.68 ERA, and 128 strikeouts. At the plate, he was .103, but hit two doubles, and drew seven walks, one of which was with the bases loaded.

Colorado Rockies Home Page: http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/
Rockies blog: Purple Row
Rockies fan page: Denver Baseball Observer
Last Updated on Tuesday, 24 February 2009 06:00

Brooks McNiven

Brooks McNiven was drafted in the fourth round of the 2003 draft.

In 2008, Brooks got a cup of coffee with the class AAA Fresno Grizzlies. He pitched 17 innings, had a record of 0-2, 11.12 ERA. He was returned to the AA Connecticut Defenders, where he spent the 2007 season. His record there was 2-2, 1.84 ERA.

His best performance of the year, however, came in Beijing. He started for Canada at the 2008 Olympics against The Netherlands, and got a win. He allowed only one hit in six innings.

An earlier start against Cuba didn’t go as well. He was relieved after giving up three runs (one of them unearned) in two innings.

He spent three seasons with the Class A San Jose Giants before moving up to the Defenders. In his first season in AA, he was 7-6, 3.55 ERA, 41 strikeouts in 116 2/3 innings pitched, He was named Eastern League Pitcher of the week for the week ending July 22, 2007. At the plate, he had one hit in 11 at-bats.

He finished the 2006 season in San Jose with a record of 8-7, 3.98 ERA, and 78 strikeouts in 108 2/3 innings pitched. He set a team record with 336 career innings pitched. He was named California League Pitcher of the Week twice.

In 2005, he had a record of 7-2, 4.24 ERA. In 2004, he had a record of 6-8, 4.35 ERA.

He played for the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes of the class A Northwest League in 2003, and had a regular-season record of 7-5, 3.62 ERA.

 Connecticut Defenders Home Page: http://www.ctdefenders.com/

Joe Forest

Jonathan “Joe” Forest was signed as a free agent by the Phillies in March, 2007. His first assignment was with the Gulf Coast League Phillies in Clearwater, FL. His record for the 2007 season was 4-1, 3.56 ERA, 40 strikeouts and 21 bases on balls in 30 1/3 innings pitched. However, he was released by the Phillies in March, 2008.

Forest is from Saint Hubert, Quebec, and he was drafted out of high school. He chose to go to Chipola College in Florida (Adam Loewen played there) and transferred to UBC. For his first season, 2005, he was 6-4, 5.53 ERA, 71 2/3 innings pitched, and 65 strikeouts. He was drafted in the late rounds by the Dodgers.

Joe had control problems in his second season. He was switched from a starter to a reliever, and played little toward the end of the season. His numbers were 3-1, 4.46 ERA, 38 1/3 innings pitched, 44 strikeouts, and, uh, 45 walks, 16 wild pitches, and 10 hit batters. During the summer, however, he played for the Trois-Rivières Eagles of the Quebec Elite League, and did much better.

GCL Phillies page: http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/clubs/ip_index.jsp?sid=milb&cid;=t469

Connor Janes

Photo by Bob Broughton
Connor was drafted in the 27th round of the 2006 MLB draft by the Diamondbacks. He started the 2006 season with the Missoula Osprey of the rookie-level Pioneer League, but his stay there was a short one. After hitting .391 over eight games, he was moved up to the Yakima Bears of the Northwest League. He returned to the Osprey at the start of the 2007 season, but was released by the Diamondbacks at the end of June after hitting .267, with a home run, in 15 at-bats.
Connor had a breakthrough year in his senior year at UBC. He hit 11 home runs, one short of the school record held by Adam Campbell. The last one, at the NAIA national championship tournament in Lewiston, ID, nearly cleared the left field bleachers at Harris Field. He hit another home run at Nat Bailey Stadium (vs. Concordia-Portland) that went a long way.

He had a fielding average of .995, and he is tied for the school record (with Brendan Kornberger) in this category. He led the team with 17 doubles. He hit .349 in 2006, and .343 in 2005. He played for Capilano College prior to UBC, and played for the Langley Blaze during the summers.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 11 March 2008 11:42

Cory Stuart

Cory was assigned to a AAA team during spring training, then unceremoniously released by the Yankees just before the start of the 2007 season.

Cory played for the Class A Charleston Riverdogs in 2006. His record was 6-1 (very high for a closer), 3.06 ERA, 9 saves, and 48 strikeouts in 50 innings pitched. He was named to the South Atlantic League all-star team.

Stuart also pitched for the Canadian Olympic Team in 2006, in the qualifying tournament in Havana. His record was 4 1/3 innings pitched in three appearances, three runs allowed on six hits, two strikeouts, and three bases on balls.

Cory also had an excellent year with the Class A Staten Island Yankees in 2005. He had an ERA of 0.83, 3-1 won/lost, 32 2/3 innings pitched, and 50 strikeouts.

Story from PinstripesPlus.com: Cory Stuart’s Greatest Achievement

A very effective closer with the Thunderbirds (1-1, 2.88 ERA, 6 saves, and 38 strikeouts in 25 innings pitched in 2003), Cory was drafted by the Yankees in the fifth round of the 2003 draft. He spent most of the 2003 minor league season on the Disabled List. He had one outing with the Gulf Coast Yankees; went two innings, allowed no runs, two hits, struck out three.

Cory had surgery on his arm in early 2004, and was on a rehabilitation program. He pitched two innings for the Gulf Coast Yankees, gave up two hits, one run, and was credited with a save.

Derran Watts PDF Print E-mail
Wednesday, 15 December 2004 05:07
Derran was the first UBC player drafted, in 2001. He spent three seasons at the Class A level with the Mets organization. His best record was with the Class A Hagerstown (MD) Suns, where he hit .285, with four home runs. He retired from pro ball in 2006.
Last Updated on Monday, 17 April 2006 15:13

Mark Zamojc PDF Print E-mail
Wednesday, 15 December 2004 04:52
Mark Zamojc was UBC’s best hitter for 2003, at .391. Unfortunately, he missed most of the season as a result of a couple of injuries. He was signed by the Minnesota Twins, who drafted him in the 42nd round.
Mark played for two years at the Class A level. He played for the Swing of the Quad Cities during 2004. He batted .236, 46 RBI, and 74 strikeouts.

Mark started the 2005 season with the Beloit Snappers of the Class A Midwest League. He was moved to the Fort Myers Miracle of the “High Class A” Florida State League at the beginning of July. He hit .237, with five homes runs, for the Snappers, and .222 for the Miracle.

Mark was cut at the end of spring training in 2006, despite hitting .400. He is now playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the Intercounty Baseball League.

Last Updated on Friday, 14 July 2006 22:43

Jeff Brewer PDF Print E-mail
Wednesday, 15 December 2004 01:55
Jeff was drafted in 2002 by the Mets. He played two seasons with the Class A Kingsport Mets. His record for 2003 was 0-2, 7.71 ERA. His record for 2004 was 5-3, 3.81 ERA, and a team-high four saves. He was unceremoniously released by the Mets at the end of the 2004 season.
He continued his career with the Calgary Vipers of the independent Northern League. His record with the Vipers for 2005 was 4-5, 4.95 ERA. He was released by the Vipers in April, 2006.

Last Updated on Monday, 17 April 2006 15:20