Hundreds of minor league free agents are available according to Baseball America's free agent tracker. Looking at the players on the market, I can't help but wonder which ones might end up wearing a Sugar Land Skeeters uniform for all or part of the 2015 season.
The Skeeters roster is consistently a landing spot for players who cannot find a place in a big league organization. In three seasons, Sugar Land has provided an opportunity for numerous players to showcase their abilities and matriculate back to affiliated baseball. In a few cases, those players have made it all the way back to the Major Leagues from Constellation Field.
With this in mind, here is a look at eight free agents who might end up in Sugar Land for 2015. Ages are as of April 23, 2015-the Skeeters opening day.
Jeremy Barfield, 26, OF (Most recently with Oakland organization). Signed with Colorado
After spending time at Klein High School and San Jacinto JUCO, both in the Houston area, Barfield was drafted by Oakland in 2008. He reached AAA in the Athletics system in 2013. However, Barfield was at AA Midland for all of 2014. He has 67 home runs in seven professional seasons.
Tommy Field, 28, IF (Pittsburgh). Signed with Texas.
Field spent time with Salt Lake and Indianapolis in 2014. He has a total of 33 games in the Majors with Rockies and Angels. Field is an Austin native. He attended Texas St. a few years after Skeeters fan favorite Dominic Ramos.
Josh Geer, 31, RHP (San Diego).
Geer is a Texas native who pitched at Rice University. He has pitched in San Antonio each of the last three seasons. One of his starts for the Missions in 2014 took place in Houston. Geer has some big league experience and he posted a solid AA season in 2014, so he could well be picked up by a big league organization. If not, Sugar Land seems like a fit.
Dustin Martin, 31, OF(Arizona).
Martin started 2013 and 2014 with the Skeeters. Each season he was picked up by Arizona. He has played a total of 42 games with Sugar Land. Martin is a Corpus Christi native who played in college at Sam Houston State.
Michael Nix, 30, RHP(San Diego).
In three seasons, Nix has made 51 appearances for the Skeeters. He has moved on from Sugar Land in season twice- 2013 (to White Sox); 2014 (to San Diego). If he doesn't latch on with a big league organization, Nix could be back in the Skeeter rotation.
Josh Rodriguez, 30, IF(Miami).
Rodriguez attended South Houston High School and Rice University. He has bounced around to four different organizations after being drafted by Cleveland in the second round in 2006. He has played almost 300 games at AAA in nine professional seasons.
Ross Seaton, 25, RHP(Houston). Signed with Detroit
The Astros selected Seaton in the third round of the 2008 draft out of Second Baptist in Houston. He spent time at AAA in each of the last three seasons. Seaton leads the Corpus Christi franchise in career starts(64) and innings pitched(372 2/3).
Will Startup, 30, LHP(Detroit).
After spending 2012 with the Skeeters, Startup pitched in the Detroit system each of the last two seasons. Most of his work for Detroit was done at AA Erie, where he made a total of 69 bullpen appearances.
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