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, Greenville Drive (Red Sox High-A)
After being traded last week to the Boston Red Sox organization, Holobetz was promoted to its High-A affiliate, Greenville Drive.
In his first appearance for the Drive, Holobetz started where he left off with the Carolina Mudcats in Single-A ball.
He earned a win (his fourth of the season), going 5 innings, allowing 3 hits and 4 runs (just 1 earned) while striking out 4 and walking none.
For the season, Holobetz has posted a 4-0 record overall with a 2.79 ERA. He’s recorded 35 strikeouts in just 29 innings.
Kaleb Sophy (Blue Mountain) – Pitcher, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (White Sox A)
The Chicago White Sox signed Sophy to a minor league contract this past weekend and assigned him to their Single-A team in Kannapolis, NC.
Sophy had a very solid start to the 2025 season with the MLB Partner League team Lexington Legends, coming out of the bullpen in 4 games, throwing 6 innings and allowing just 1 run on 3 hits while striking out 8 and walking just 1.
On Sunday, Sophy debuted in relief for the Cannon Ballers. He went two innings in which he didn’t allow a run and struck out 2 while walking 4 batters, allowing just 1 hit.
Thomas Schultz (Mount Carmel Area) – Pitcher, Wilmington Blue Rocks (Nationals High-A)
After making a spot appearance for the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings last week, Schultz was sent back to the Blue Rocks. He made two appearances for Wilmington this past week.
On May 8, he went 1.1 innings, allowing 2 hits and 2 runs (1 earned).
Then on May 10, he took his first loss of the season after going 1.2 innings, allowing 3 runs (2 earned) on 3 hits, striking out 2 while walking 1 batter.
Joe Nahas (Marian Catholic) – Pitcher, South Bend Cubs (Cubs High A)
Nahas worked part of the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings for the Cubs in a game Friday night against the Fort Wayne TinCaps (Padres).
He allowed just 1 hit and no runs in that span. That outing helped lower his early-season ERA to 7.71.
Travis Blankenhorn (Pottsville Area) – OF/DH, Rocket City Trash Pandas (Angels AA)
Blankenhorn was officially placed on the Trash Pandas 7-day injured list on May 10. He last appeared in a game for Rocket City on April 29.
In 2025, Blankenhorn is batting 9-for-62 (.145) with 4 runs scored and 3 RBI.
Tom Reisinger (Mount Carmel Area) – Pitcher, Lansing Lugnuts (Athletics High A)
Reisinger allowed 1 run on 2 hits over 1.2 innings of work for the Lugnuts in their May 9 game against the West Michigan Whitecaps (Tigers).
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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