NC Product Alec Zumwalt Moves up to Double A!

Alec Zumwalt a RHP from East Forsyth in Kernersville was moved up to the Greenville(SC) Braves last Thursday! They are of course the double a affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. Congrads to Alec!!

 

definite stud!!!!!!

I had the opportunity and pleasure to coach Ale(x) ? in the State Games out of Region Five TWICE as a 10th and 11th grader from East Forsyth! Also my HS team was in the same conf for three years and competed with him! He is def legit in all respects and my recollection of him as a person in addition is he was a fine KID with character!!! I am almost sure however he is a LEFTY yet swings the bat right!?!? Awesome I mean awesome power cannot believe they (Braves) took the bat away from him! hmmmmmmmm

 

Two springs ago, Ashbrook's Coach Peanut Parks received a call from one of his former players, Wes Helms. Wes told Coach Parks about a young player in the Braves' farm system who was living in the Gastonia area who needed a place to work out and someone to throw with, prior to reporting for spring training. Coach Parks agreed to help. The player was Alec Zumwalt. Alec was being converted from the outfield to pitcher, so Coach Parks arranged for an Ashbrook player to meet with Zumwalt each afternoon to run and throw. That player was Ashbrook sophomore, Wes McCall. The two became friends. Occasionaly, Zumwalt would hand McCall his cell phone and say, "Here, someone wants to talk to you." On the other end might be Chipper Jones or Andruw Jones, etc. What a treat for the young Ashbrook pitcher!

Alec is a fine young man! We wish him all the best. By the way, the reason for "taking the bat out of his hands" was that Alec was throwing 95 plus, so the Braves thought maybe he can pitch! Seems as though they were right.

 

I've known Alec since he was 13 and consider him a close friend so I'm definitely biased but......

Alec is a right-handed pitcher and now that he is up to Double-A, he is a right-handed hitter once again since pitchers hit. In only his 2nd full season since being converted from outfield, he is doing exceptionally well and I'm proud of him. He did a great job at Myrtle Beach where he went 5-2 with 6 saves and a 2.22 ERA, and has continued at Greenville. His combined ERA for the year is now 1.98!!!! He evolved into Myrtle Beach's closer and is now working middle relief for Greenville.

Alec signed with UNC but was then drafted in the 4th Round in 1999 by Atlanta as an outfielder and anyone who has ever watched him hit knows why. However, he couldn't stay consistent enough and the Braves knew his arm was good enough to be a pitcher so he was converted during Fall Instructionals in 2001. He's topping out at 95 right now and sports what Bruce Del Canton of the Braves says is one of the nastiest sliders you'll see in the minors. Alec's story of being converted is a great lesson for all young players and parents. It absolutely crushed Alec to put the bat down but he also realized that he was fortunate to have the arm to give him a second chance at his dream.

Alec is a quality young man as well and has always remained true to his family and friends and loves giving back to the game. In fact, Alec worked with NC-Dad's son last winter and has claimed Ryan again this winter as his workout partner. I couldn't think of a better example for a young player with similar dreams and talent. It's also a compliment to Ryan cause I know Alec wouldn't spend his time with someone not as serious about baseball as he is. Alec is now in the process of moving back to Kernersville from the Charlotte area.

Great idea to post NC-Dad. Alec still has a lot of work ahead of him but he has already proven a lot and I know he has the talent to achieve his dream.

 

In agreement...

Both posters are correct! As I age my memory goes as well! Always knew he was as capable if not more so as a pitcher!!! Also, he I believe spent considerable time in HS as a left fielder!?!? KUDO's to Alec and best wishes for his continued success...

 

HOW MANY HOME RUNS DID HE HIT FOR KERNERSVILLE LEGION TEAM?.

 

If I remember correctly, 26 or 27 was his high for a season.

 

Rule 5 Draft

Alec was taken by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays yesterday in the Rule 5 Draft. He was the third overall pick and the first pitcher taken. He will now have a chance to make Tampa Bay's 40-man this spring. He's excited about the new opportunity. The Braves still have the option of buying Alec back if it doesn't work out with Tampa Bay. Congrats and Good Luck Zoom!

 

I just read this news on BaseballAmerica, but you beat me to the post.

Exactly what is the "Rule 5 Draft"? I was reading additional articles on the subject and they said a lot of young players are hurt by the draft beacause they make the major league club for a year, but don't get to play much and really miss a year of development.

How about some help here guys.

 

The Rule 5 draft was born in the mid-'90s as a way of keeping well-endowed clubs from stockpiling minor-league talent, essentially holding them hostage until the club could promote or trade them.
The Tigers have done nicely since Rule 5 was written into the 1996 Basic Agreement. Deivi Cruz was claimed from San Francisco, and Jose Macias (from Montreal) was another steal. Mark Johnson was claimed in 1999 from the Yankees and is now part of Triple-A Toledo's starting rotation. But Jermaine Clark, a promising second baseman, had to be returned to Seattle this spring when the Tigers ran out of room on their 25-man roster.
That's the rub. Make a Rule 5 claim on a minor-leaguer who is spinning his wheels, and you are obliged to carry that player on your game-day roster or return him to the previous club for half the $50,000 acquisition fee.
It's an interesting process, Rule 5, which is determined by a player's status and time of service. Any player 18 years or younger signed by a big-league team must be on the protected 40-man roster within four years. Any player 19 or older must be on the big-league roster within three years