While several Rice Baseball alums are producing at the highest level, others are working their way up the ladder. Here’s the latest on the MiLB Owls.
Triple-A
Matt Canterino (Twins) was a non-roster invite to big league spring training but did not throw as he continues to recover from shoulder surgery he underwent last March. Canterino hasn’t pitched competitively since 2022, but the Twins have stuck with him through every setback.
Trei Cruz (Tigers) opened the 2025 season in AAA for the first time in his career after reaching that level midway through last season. He’s gotten off to a slower start, collecting two extra base hits across his first 19 games with a .209 average. He was recently placed on the injured list near the end of April.
Double-A
Hayden Durke (Diamondbacks) is 2-0 in eight appearances this season with a 7.71 ERA, with those less than stellar numbers are a byproduct of two bad outings. Durke hasn’t allowed an earned run in six of eight appearances and has 14 strikeouts to seven walks so far this season.
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Roel Garcia (Rays) has gone through a rollercoaster of results, too. Two truncated appearances in which he was unable to finish an inning of work have marred his overall ERA (10.57), but recent outings have been much better. He’s struck out six and allowed no hits in his last 5.1 innings of work, spanning two games.
High-A
Justin Long (Braves) had been coming off a career-year, posting a 2.52 ERA in 2025. His 2026 outings haven’t been as crisp, amounting to a 12.96 ERA in seven appearances so far, although he posted his first scoreless outing in his most recent appearance to close out the month.
Parker Smith (Astros) has only made four starts this season, amassing 20 innings of work with a 6.30 ERA. It hasn’t been flashy, but he’s been largely competitive, topping out at seven strikeouts in his first professional quality start on April 17.
Single A
Garrett Stratton (Mets) has been a trustworthy reliever in his professional appearances thus far after being a 20th round selection in the 2025 MLB Draft. He owns a 3.27 ERA this season with 15 strikeouts and seven walks across 11 innings pitched.
Davion Hickson (Dodgers) has yet to make his professional debut. He was placed on the 60-day injured list before the minor league season began.