University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Photo by: Joe Harper
Update: Golden Eagles in Professional Baseball
6/25/2021 9:48:00 AM | Baseball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – As professional baseball continues to work through the long, hot summer months, seven former Southern Miss baseball players continue to play the game that they have since childhood to chase their dream of making it to The Show.
For one Golden Eagle, that dream already came true on April 30.
Nick Sandlin, who played for the Golden Eagles from 2016-18, now calls himself a member of the Cleveland Indians and continues to dazzle out of their bullpen.
Sandlin, who has thrown in 17 games at the big-league level, posts a 1-0 record and a 2.25 earned run average with three holds for a young Indians bullpen. In 20 innings of work, Sandlin has allowed five runs on seven hits with nine walks and 31 strikeouts. His WHIP is a minuscule 0.80, while opponents are hitting just .106 against him in his rookie season.
When Sandlin made his debut, he became the 19th former Southern Miss player to reach the big leagues.
Three other former Golden Eagles hold roster spots on Triple-A rosters, including Kirk McCarty, who has posted a 5-1 record in nine starts for the Columbus (Ohio) Clippers in the Indians organization. In 51 2/3 innings, McCarty has fanned 35 and walked 14 while posting a 4.53 ERA.
In his seventh professional seasons, Bradley Roney works as a reliever for the Syracuse Mets for the New York Triple-A affiliate where he holds a 0-2 record and a 4.74 ERA over two minor league squads. Always known as a being a strikeout pitcher, Roney has fanned 23 in 15 innings for Syracuse.
Another Triple-A pitcher, Cody Carroll, works to regain a spot back in Major League Baseball after playing in parts of two seasons with the Baltimore Orioles. His current stop is with the Orioles top minor league club, the Norfolk (Va.) Tides, where he has posted a 1-0 record and a 5.23 ERA in 12 appearances. He has registered eight strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings.
Two former teammates, J.C. Keys and Chuckie Robinson, are back together again for the Double-A Chattanooga (Tenn.) Lookouts in the Cincinnati Reds organization.
Keys, who was promoted earlier this summer from High-A, has made 12 appearances with one start for the Lookouts, recording an 0-2 record with a 6.14 ERA. In 14 2/3 innings, he has fanned 19 and walked just eight.
Robinson, in 26 games for the Lookouts, owns a .266 batting average with three home runs and eight RBI. From behind the dish, he has not allowed one passed ball and thrown out 20 percent of potential base stealers.
One other player, Matt Wallner, the school's all-time home run leader, has been a member of the Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Kernels in High-A for the Minnesota Twins. Wallner was hitting .333 with four home runs, 14 RBI and a 1.005 OPS as the team's right fielder before hitting the 7-Day injured list on May 26 with a hand injury. He is not expected to return to action until July.
The dream of reaching the big-league potential starts later this summer for current Golden Eagles when this year's MLB First-Year Player Draft takes place July 11-13. After a draft the was only five rounds last summer, it increases to 20 rounds next month.
Here is a complete listing of former Golden Eagles currently playing professional baseball:
For one Golden Eagle, that dream already came true on April 30.
Nick Sandlin, who played for the Golden Eagles from 2016-18, now calls himself a member of the Cleveland Indians and continues to dazzle out of their bullpen.
Sandlin, who has thrown in 17 games at the big-league level, posts a 1-0 record and a 2.25 earned run average with three holds for a young Indians bullpen. In 20 innings of work, Sandlin has allowed five runs on seven hits with nine walks and 31 strikeouts. His WHIP is a minuscule 0.80, while opponents are hitting just .106 against him in his rookie season.
When Sandlin made his debut, he became the 19th former Southern Miss player to reach the big leagues.
Three other former Golden Eagles hold roster spots on Triple-A rosters, including Kirk McCarty, who has posted a 5-1 record in nine starts for the Columbus (Ohio) Clippers in the Indians organization. In 51 2/3 innings, McCarty has fanned 35 and walked 14 while posting a 4.53 ERA.
In his seventh professional seasons, Bradley Roney works as a reliever for the Syracuse Mets for the New York Triple-A affiliate where he holds a 0-2 record and a 4.74 ERA over two minor league squads. Always known as a being a strikeout pitcher, Roney has fanned 23 in 15 innings for Syracuse.
Another Triple-A pitcher, Cody Carroll, works to regain a spot back in Major League Baseball after playing in parts of two seasons with the Baltimore Orioles. His current stop is with the Orioles top minor league club, the Norfolk (Va.) Tides, where he has posted a 1-0 record and a 5.23 ERA in 12 appearances. He has registered eight strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings.
Two former teammates, J.C. Keys and Chuckie Robinson, are back together again for the Double-A Chattanooga (Tenn.) Lookouts in the Cincinnati Reds organization.
Keys, who was promoted earlier this summer from High-A, has made 12 appearances with one start for the Lookouts, recording an 0-2 record with a 6.14 ERA. In 14 2/3 innings, he has fanned 19 and walked just eight.
Robinson, in 26 games for the Lookouts, owns a .266 batting average with three home runs and eight RBI. From behind the dish, he has not allowed one passed ball and thrown out 20 percent of potential base stealers.
One other player, Matt Wallner, the school's all-time home run leader, has been a member of the Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Kernels in High-A for the Minnesota Twins. Wallner was hitting .333 with four home runs, 14 RBI and a 1.005 OPS as the team's right fielder before hitting the 7-Day injured list on May 26 with a hand injury. He is not expected to return to action until July.
The dream of reaching the big-league potential starts later this summer for current Golden Eagles when this year's MLB First-Year Player Draft takes place July 11-13. After a draft the was only five rounds last summer, it increases to 20 rounds next month.
Here is a complete listing of former Golden Eagles currently playing professional baseball:
| Player | Team | Level | Organization |
| Nick Sandlin | Cleveland Indians | MLB | |
| Cody Carroll | Norfolk Tides | Triple-A | Baltimore Orioles |
| J.C. Keys | Chattanooga Lookouts | Double-A | Cincinnati Reds |
| Kirk McCarty | Columbus Clippers | Triple-A | Cleveland Indians |
| Chuckie Robinson | Chattanooga Lookouts | Double-A | Cincinnati Reds |
| Bradley Roney | Syracuse Mets | Triple-A | New York Mets |
| Matt Wallner | Cedar Rapids Kernels | High-A | Minnesota Twins |
.jpg&height=340&type=webp)
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ BaseballTrue Grit: Final Episode
Friday, October 20
Episode 1: War Damn Golden Eagle
Tuesday, August 22
Episode 5: Battle for the Belt
Thursday, August 17
Episode 4: Battle for the Belt
Saturday, August 12