MOBILE, Ala. – Ten former University of South Alabama baseball standouts are currently competing in Major League and Minor League Baseball. 

Left-handed pitcher Locke St. John made his Major League Baseball debut on June 25 against the Detroit Tigers as a member of the Texas Rangers. St. John appeared in five games with the Rangers from June 25 – July 5, and recorded four strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings pitched before being optioned to the Triple-A Nashville Sounds. In four relief appearances with Nashville, St. John has posted a 1.80 ERA with seven strikeouts against one walk in five innings pitched. At Double-A Frisco earlier this year, St. John went 3-2 with a 1.52 ERA and four saves, while striking out 42 batters and issuing 13 walks in 29 2/3 innings. 

David Freese is batting .308 with 10 doubles, eight home runs, 23 RBIs, 30 runs scored and a .407 on-base percentage in 56 games played with the Los Angeles Dodgers. In his last 15 games played, Freese is hitting .368 with three home runs, eight RBIs and 11 runs scored. The Dodgers lead the National League West Division by 13 ½ games over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Cole Billingsley was named a Carolina League All-Star as a member of the Advanced-A Frederick Keys in the Baltimore Orioles organization, and went 1-for-2 with an RBI, one run scored and two stolen bases in the All-Star Game. Billingsley is batting .322 with 10 doubles, eight RBIs, 25 runs scored, seven stolen bases and a .395 OBP in 42 games played with the Keys.

Right-handed pitcher Tyler Carr is 2-0 with one save and a 1.61 ERA in 14 relief appearances for the Clearwater Threshers, the Advanced-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies in the Florida State League. Carr has struck out 28 batters against eight walks in 28 innings pitched, while posting a 1.15 WHIP.

Brendan Donovan is batting .224 with 13 doubles, six home runs, 29 RBIs and 35 runs scored in 70 games played with the Peoria Chiefs, the Class-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Dylan Hardy is batting .266 with four doubles, two home runs, 11 RBIs, 16 runs scored and two stolen bases in 28 games played with the Salem Red Sox, the Advanced-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. Hardy also played one game at Double-A Portland and one at Triple-A Pawtucket this season as well.

Jordan Patterson is batting .249 with 14 doubles, one triple, 12 home runs, 37 RBIs, 46 runs scored and two stolen bases in 74 games played with the Buffalo Bisons, the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Patterson is hitting .310 in eight games in the month of July with one home run, four RBIs and six runs scored.

Right-handed pitcher Matt Peacock was named the Southern League Pitcher of the Week on July 8 after going 2-0 and posting a 0.64 ERA with 11 strikeouts against four walks in 14 innings pitched. Peacock is 5-3 with a 2.52 ERA in 12 appearances, 11 of which have been starts, this season for the Jackson Generals, the Double-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The right-hander has recorded 41 strikeouts and issued 21 walks in 64 1/3 innings pitched this season while posting a 1.13 WHIP.

Travis Swaggerty was named a Florida State League All-Star as a member of the Bradenton Marauders, the Advanced-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, and went 1-for-3 with a home run, one RBI and one run scored in the game. Swaggerty was recently named the FSL Player of the Week, and is batting .472 with three doubles, one home run, five RBIs, nine runs scored, two stolen bases and a 1.175 OPS, including a .537 OBP in the month of July. In 79 games played this season with Bradenton, Swaggerty is batting .249 with 10 doubles, two triples, six home runs, 25 RBIs, 46 runs scored and 15 stolen bases.

Right-handed pitcher Ben Taylor is 2-3 with one save in 27 relief appearances for the Reno Aces, the Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Taylor has recorded 44 strikeouts against 18 walks in 34 innings pitched. 

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with USAJaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at Twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Dugout Club - the baseball-specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. Members enjoy all games from inside the Stadium Club with climate control, private restrooms, private concessions and access to listen to the radio broadcast. All donations to the Dugout Club go directly to support the South Alabama baseball program. For more information on how you can join visit JaguarAthleticFund.com.