Rice baseball alums will take the diamond in the weeks to come as the 2022 season draws near. Here’s the latest on each of these MLB Owls.
Glen Otto – Texas Rangers
Otto was shipped from New York to Texas in a deadline deal between the Yankees and Rangers last season. He made his major league debut shortly after against the Astros, throwing five scoreless innings, striking out seven and allowing two hits.
He finished his debut season with a 9.26 ERA and a 1.714 WHIP. He struck out 28 batters across 23.1 innings, averaging 10.8 punchouts per nine innings. Early reports indicate h could be in the mix for one of the Rangers’ spots in the starting rotation this year.
Anthony Rendon – Los Angeles Angels
Hip surgery stole the majority of Anthony Rendon’s 2021 season. He appeared in 58 games before being shut down, the fewest outings (in any full 162-game season) of his professional career. Prior to the injury. Rendon was hitting .240 with a .712 OPS. He had 34 RBI in between stints on and off the injured list.
Rendon spoke with the media at the beginning of camp, addressing what it was like dealing with injury and looking forward to the season:
3B Anthony Rendon on dealing with injuries the last couple of years and the team being healthy pic.twitter.com/NlXIYYHIFc
— Angels News (@AngelsNews27) March 17, 2022
Tyler Duffey – Minnesota Twins
Duffey frequently worked as a set-up man in the seventh and eighth innings last season, setting a career-high in appearances with 64 outings while compiling a 3.18 ERA with a career-best three saves. He’s set to hit free agency following the 2022 season and could use a bounce-back campaign after seeing his strikeouts rates and walk rates go the wrong direction last year.
In the meantime, Duffey is enjoying the clubhouse this spring. “It seems like every day this week there’s been new faces overnight that have showed up and they’re all good ones,” he told Twins reporter Do-Hyoung Park. “It’s an exciting time. It’s one of the more memorable springs I can remember being here.”
Lucas Luetge – New York Yankees
Pitching in the majors for the first time since 2015, Luetge enjoyed an incredible resurgence last season. He made one start and 56 additional appearances as a reliever, ending the season with a 2.74 ERA and 78 strikeouts compared to just 15 walks.
Luetge is set to return to the Yankees bullpen once again this season where he’ll slide into his role as a middle reliever with the flexibility to go multiple innings when needed.
J.T. Chargois – Tampa Bay Rays
After spending the 2020 season overseas playing in Japan, Chargois made his way back to the MLB last year. He spent the first half of the 2021 season with the Mariners before being traded to the Rays at the deadline.
Chargois boasted a 1.90 ERA after he was moved, and struck out a total of 53 battlers in 53.2 innings across both organizations. He’s expected to be a quality option in the Rays dugout once again this season.
Jon Duplantier – Los Angeles Dodgers (m)
Selected by the Dodgers from the Diamondbacks in the Rule 5 Draft in December, Duplantier was a non-roster invite to big league spring training this month.
Duplantier made four major league appearances in 2021, finishing the year with an 0-3 record and a 13.15 ERA. He struck out 12 batters and allowed 19 hits before an injury sidelined him for the remainder of the season in July.
Brock Holt – Atlanta Braves (m)
Signed to a minor-league deal this week, Holt will get a shot with the defending World Series champs. After beginning his major league career a seven-season in Boston with the Red Sox, Holt has played for the Brewers, Nationals and Rangers over the course of the last two seasons.
Holt manned third base for the Rangers in 2021, making 57 starts and appearing in 76 games. He hit .209 on the season with 23 RBI and 16 extra-base hits.
