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 2026 season.
This is how our players did in games during the first series of the 2026 season:
John Holobetz (Pottsville Area) – Pitcher, Portland Sea Dogs (Red Sox-AA)
Holobetz picked up the 2026 season right where he left off in 2025, when he shot up through the lower ranks of the Red Sox farm system.
On Saturday, Holobetz (1-0) recorded his first win of the new season, pitching 5 scoreless innings in a 1-0 Sea Dogs victory over the Somerset Patriots (Yankees) in the Eastern League.
The Pottsville Area grad struck out 3, walked 2, and only allowed 2 basehits in his first start of the year, earning the win. He threw 79 pitches, 51 for strikes and 8 of his 11 outs were recorded on groundouts.
Thomas Schultz (Mount Carmel Area) – Pitcher, Harrisburg Senators (Nationals-AA)
Schultz made his first appearance of the 2026 season on April 2 in relief for the Senators on April 2. He worked a perfect 8th inning for Harrisburg in its 7-2 win over the Altoona Curve (Pirates).
Schultz needed just 10 pitches to get out of the inning and threw 6 for strikes.
Reggie Crawford (North Schuylkill) – Pitcher, San Francisco Giants organization
Crawford underwent his most recent shoulder shoulder in September and, according to San Francisco Chronicle, his “best-case scenario” has him returning to the mound midway through the 2026 season. The goal, however, is just to get him back on the field this year at some point.
The North Schuylkill graduate was a 2022 first-round pick (30th overall) of the Giants and when he’s pitched, he’s been brilliant, but the early part of his pro career has been plagued by serious injuries and surgeries.
Kaleb Sophy (Blue Mountain) – Pitcher, Lexington Legends (MLB Partner League)
Sophy will return to the Lexington Legends, where he started the 2025 season before signing a contract to play with the Kannapolic Cannonballers (White Sox-A). The Legends season starts April 24.
Nate Nabholz (Blue Mountain) – Pitcher, Tri-City Valleycats (MLB Partner League)
Nabholz re-signed with the Valleycats for the 2026 season after finishing the 2025 season with the Frontier League club. Tri-City’s Opening Day is set for May 8.
Tom Reisinger (Mount Carmel Area) – Pitcher, Free Agent
Reisinger was released by the Athletics organization on March 20.
Brandon Schaeffer (Schuylkill Haven Area) – Pitcher, Free Agent
Schaeffer was released by the Everett AquaSox (Mariners-High A) on March 20.
NOTES: In the offseason, Travis Blankenhorn and Joe Nahas each announced their retirements from professional baseball.
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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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