Buckeyes in the Minors: Hale assigned to Rookie Ball Missoula

Keeping up with Buckeyes in the minors, in a bit of puzzling news it appears just today the Arizona Diamondbacks sent former Buckeye All-American reliever Jake Hale down to the Missoula Osprey of the Pioneer League. Hale previously was with the Yakima Bears of the Short Season A Northwest League where Hale was assigned following the draft. The Pioneer Leaguer transaction page shows the move being made effective as today.


The move comes with just more than three weeks remaining in the minor league season. Hale in his time with Yakima was 2-2 with a 5.29 ERA as a reliever. Hale pitched 17 innings allowing 19 hits and 10 runs. In the 12 games Hale struck out 14, walked , while posting a .302 batting average against. Hale's last appearance as a Yakima Bear came August 8th where he pitched two innings of four-hit one-run baseball.

The puzzling part comes on three fronts. With such little left in the season if moves are made typically they are up a level to challenge a player breifly before the season is over, unless a player is in way over his head. Maybe the Diamondbacks do not view a move from SS-A to Rookie ball as a demotion, but with a Low A team in South Bend in the Silver Hawks having Hale face Midwest League batters, especially closer to home would appear to be the move if this was a promotion.

Also even though he allowed a run in his last game, Hale has came around after a rough start to his professional carerr. No signs at least numberwise that Hale was underpeforming. Lastly given Hale's age being 23 and spending 4 years in college to go to a Rookie team full of 1st and 2nd year professionals out of high school msotly 18-20, it isn't a "better fit" you would think.

But it is Arizona's decision and we wish Jake the best. Hopefully it is a mover to allow Jake to work specifically with someone or for other positive reasons as we hope Jake moves up the minor league ladder.