Here is our regular roundup of Schuylkill County and other coal region players currently with Major League Baseball organizations or playing in an MLB Partner League in the 2025 season.
Let’s have a look at how our local players in the pros are doing so far in August:
John Holobetz (Pottsville Area) – Pitcher, Salem Red Sox (Red Sox A)
Holobetz was the Player To Be Named Later in a trade between the Brewers and Red Sox in which Milwaukee received pitcher Quinn Priester.Â
In his final appearance for the Carolina Mudcats, Holobetz worked 5.1 innings of relief, allowing 2 earned runs on 3 hits while striking out 5 and walking 2 batters. He did allow his first home run as a pro.
Still, for the season so far, Holobetz has posted some impressive numbers: 3-0 (W-L), 3.00 ERA, 24 IP, 31K
Thomas Schultz (Mount Carmel Area) – Pitcher, Rochester Red Wings (Nationals AAA)
Schultz was promoted on Sunday to the Nationals AAA team, the Rochester Red Wings, for whom Blankenhorn starred in the last two seasons.
Since our last update, Schultz – the Mount Carmel native and Lourdes Regional alum – made two more appearances for the Single-A Wilmington Blue Rocks against the Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets) and debuted with the Red Wings in their series finale against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Phillies).
He worked 2 innings of relief on April 29, allowing 2 hits and 1 earned run while striking out 3. He then pitched a scoreless inning on May 2, striking out 1 while allowing a hit.
In his Triple-A debut, Schultz got touched up a bit by the most experienced batters he’s faced as a pro.
In 1.2 innings, he allowed 6 earned runs on 5 hits (including a home run to Cade Fergus) in a 13-1 Red Wings loss.
Joe Nahas (Marian Catholic) – Pitcher, South Bend Cubs (Cubs High A)
Nahas made two relief appearance for the Cubs in a recent series against the Cedar Rapids Kernels (Twins).
On April 30, Nahas worked 2 scoreless innings, striking out 2 and walking none. In the series finale on Sunday, Nahas got roughed up in an inning of relief, allowing 3 earned runs on 4 hits while striking out 2 in a 9-1 Cubs loss.
Travis Blankenhorn (Pottsville Area) – OF/DH, Rocket City Trash Pandas (Angels AA)
Blankenhorn has not appeared in a game for the Trash Pandas since April 29, when he went 0-for-4 in a game against the Knoxville Smokies.
In 2025, Blankenhorn is batting 9-for-62 (.145) with 4 runs scored and 3 RBI.
Kaleb Sophy (Blue Mountain) – Pitcher, Lexington Legends (MLB Partner League)
Sophy made two more appearances and continues to pitch well for the Legends. So far this year, he’s worked 6 innings, allowed just 2 hits and no runs while striking out 7 and walking none.
He leads Legends relievers in strikeouts during the early part of the season.
Tom Reisinger (Mount Carmel Area) – Pitcher, Lansing Lugnuts (Athletics High A)
Reisinger made an appearance for the Lugnuts on May 2 against the Lake County Captains (Guardians). He recorded 4 outs (1.1 IP), striking out 2 and walking 1, allowing 1 hit in relief during a 5-3 Lugnuts loss.
Reggie Crawford (North Schuylkill) – Pitcher, San Francisco Giants organization
Crawford is likely to miss the entire 2025 season after undergoing surgery to repair the labrum in his left shoulder back in September.
The procedure has a 10-12 month rehab period.
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LET US KNOW: Someone missing from this roundup who plays for a Minor League team or MLB-affiliated league with ties to the coal region? Send us an email (newscanary@gmail.com) with their name, team, and their connection to the area and we’ll add them to future roundups.
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