By John Bohnenkamp
Hector Yan was on a big stage on Sunday.
The former Burlington Bees pitcher was part of Major League Baseball’s SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at Coors Field in Denver.
Yan, a left-hander, pitched 2/3 of an inning, walking one, for the American League team in the 8-3 loss to the National League.
Yan, ranked the No. 8 prospect in the Los Angeles Angels organization by Baseball America, is pitching for the Tri-City Dust Devils, the Angels’ affiliate in the High-A West league this season. He is 0-5 with a 6.02 earned run average, but has struck out 51 in 46 1/3 innings.
A look at some of the players who played for the Bees in the last few seasons when they were a Midwest League (Low-A) affiliate of the Angels:
• Jo Adell (2018), the Angels’ top prospect according to Baseball America, is batting .275 with 18 home runs and 50 runs batted in in Triple-A. Adell, an outfielder, played 38 games for the Angels last season, with three home runs and a .161 average.
• Outfielder Brandon Marsh (2018), the No. 2 prospect, is also at Triple-A. He’s batting .253 with three home runs and 12 RBIs.
• Chris Rodriguez (2017), the No. 3 prospect, is in Double-A, but was with the Angels to start the season. He was 2-0 with a 3.66 ERA, striking out 20 in 19 2/3 innings. At Double-A, Rodriguez is 0-1 with a 1.64 ERA.
• Outfielder Jordyn Adams (2019), the No. 5 prospect, is batting .181 with one home run and 11 RBIs at High-A.
• Oliver Ortega (2018), ranked as the No. 10 prospect, is pitching in Double-A. He is 2-2 with a 7.40 ERA, striking out 35 in 24 1/3 innings.
• Denny Brady (2018), the No. 17 prospect, is 0-1 in Double A, striking out 23 in 15 2/3 innings.
• Infielder Livan Soto (2019), the No. 20 prospect, is batting .205 in High-A, with five home runs and 16 RBIs.
• Outfielder Orlando Martinez (2018), the No. 23 prospect, is batting .245 in Double-A with 10 home runs and 29 RBIs.
• Robinson Pina (2019), ranked as the No. 29 prospect, is 1-3 with a 3.78 ERA in High-A. He has struck out 67 in 47 2/3 innings.
• Austin Warren (2018), the No. 30 prospect, is 2-2 with one save and a 7.57 ERA in Triple-A. He has struck out 32 in 27 1/3 innings.
Some other interesting stories among the Bees’ alumni:
• Pitcher Andrew Wantz (2018) is with the Angels. His lone appearance was on July 4 against Baltimore when he struck out two and allowed one hit in 1 2/3 innings.
• Infielder Michael Stefanic (2019) has risen to Triple-A this season. Stefanic is hitting .313 with seven home runs and 30 runs batted in, after hitting .345 to open the season at Double-A.
• Pitcher John Swanda (2019), a Des Moines native who underwent elbow surgery during the 2019 season with the Bees, is at Low-A Inland Empire. Swanda is 2-5 with a 5.69 ERA. He has struck out 43 in 49 innings.
• First baseman David MacKinnon (2018) is batting .335 in Double-A, with seven home runs and 30 RBIs.
THE WEEK AHEAD
• Tuesday, at Illinois Valley. Wednesday, vs. Illinois Valley. The Bees get the first of two home-and-home series with the Pistol Shrimp, who play in the Prospect League’s Eastern Conference.
• Thursday, at Clinton. Friday, vs. Normal. Saturday, at Quincy. Sunday, vs. Quincy. The Bees are 1 1/2 games back in the Great River Division standings, which makes this a pivotal weekend against the other three teams in their division.
Photo: Hector Yan throws a pitch for the Burlington Bees in 2019. (Steve Cirinna/Burlington Bees)
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