Longpre makes his pro debut
GLENDALE — The following are updates on area baseball players in the minor leagues.
Bryan Longpre (Crescenta Valley High, 2005) GCL Blue Jays pitcher: Not long after he was signed to a free-agent contract, the former Falcons and CSUN pitcher made his professional debut during the Jays’ season opener and followed it four days later with his first victory on Friday.
Longpre entered Friday’s contest against the GCL Tigers in the third inning and tossed four innings for the victory, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits, while striking out three to no walks.
The Blue Jays, the Toronto Blue Jays’ rookie league affiliate, won, 11-3, giving them their first victory of the young season, as they improved to 1-4.
Longpre made his debut on Monday, as the Blue Jays opened with a 2-1 loss to the Phillies.
Longpre looked sharp in defeat though, as he entered the game in the sixth and pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings. He gave up two hits and a walk and struck out three, notching a hold in the process.
Over the span of his two appearances, Longpre is now 1-0 with the aforementioned hold and has a 1.59 earned-run average.
The Blue Jays take on the Tigers again today.
Brian Bistagne (St. Francis High, 2004) Tucson Toros infielder: Bistagne, who was signed as a rookie free agent by the Minnesota Twins organization last season, is now with the Toros, an independent professional baseball team in the Golden Baseball League.
Bistagne, a former standout at Glendale Community College, has played in 24 games, having gone 13 for 50 for a .260 batting average.
In addition, he’s got six runs, six runs batted in and four stolen bases.
He’s coming off perhaps his best game to date during a 19-8 loss to St. George on Thursday in which he started in left field. Bistagne went two for four with three runs batted in, a run scored and hit his first home run of the season.
Bistagne is joined on the team by catcher Mike Valadez, who was a former prospect in the Cleveland Indians organization. Valadez and Bistagne both played at GCC before moving on to Lee University.
Valadez has played in 16 games, having notched 10 hits in 47 at-bats for a .213 average. He’s driven in four runs and scored three.
Heading into action Friday night against the Maui Na Koa Ikaika, Tucson, which has previously been an affiliate of six Major League Baseball franchises, was 14-17 and in third place in the Golden Baseball League’s South Division.
Fernando Valenzuela, Jr. (St. Francis High, 2000) Leones de Yucatan designated hitter: The former Glendale Community College standout went 0 for four on Thursday, which snapped a torrid streak for the former Golden Knight.
Valenzuela had notched hits in each of his previous five games, going eight for 17 (.471) with four walks, four runs and five runs batted in.
Over the last 10 games, Valenzuela is hitting .343 with 12 hits, 10 RBIs and seven walks.
On the season with Yucatan, he’s hitting .306 (72 for 235) over 76 games with 28 runs, 17 doubles, four home runs, 41 RBIs, 30 walks and a .396 on-base percentage.
In the triple-A Mexican League, Yucatan was 16-16 heading into Friday and in fifth place in the Mexican League’s Madero Division.