Keeping up: Ohio State Buckeyes in MLB, the minor leagues, 6/5

MLB

Cleveland Indians 1B Nick Swisher (2000-02)

Swisher was put on the disabled list on May 27th due to soreness in his knee. This marks just the second trip to the DL in his Major League career. Prior to the injury, Swisher was still searching for his swing, hitting just .211 with three home runs and 19 RBIs in 49 games.

AAA

Los Angeles of Anaheim - Salt Lake Bees OF J.B. Shuck (2006-08)

Shuck began the year on the Angels 25-man roster, but was optioned to AAA in mid-April. At the time he was sent down, the Westerville product was hitting just .173 with two home runs and 19 RBIs in 19 games. At Salt Lake, Shuck has made 30 appearances, hitting .338 with a home run and 18 driven in, but has struggled of late. In five games last week, he went just 3-23 at the plate (.130), with a double and two RBIs.

Miami Marlins - New Orleans Zephyrs OF Matt Angle (2005-07)

Angle is struggling in the Pacific Coast League, hitting a meager .196 in his first 46 games for the Zephyrs, with three doubles and seven RBIs. This comes after hitting .283 a season ago. Last week, Angle went 2-9 (.222), scoring a pair of runs while making two starts.

Minnesota Twins - Rochester Red Wings C Eric Fryer (2005-07)

Fryer, who performed well during a September call-up with the Twins last season, is hitting .250 for the Red Wings on the year. In 31 games behind the plate, the Columbus native has seven doubles and 10 RBIs, and currently owns a four-game hitting streak. Fryer was 7-15 at the plate last week (.467) with three doubles, his first triple of the season, and three runs driven in.

AA

Los Angeles Angles of Anaheim - Arkansas Travelers P Drew Rucinski (2008-11)

Rucinski is off to a solid start in the season's first two months with the Angels AA affiliate. The righty is 3-4 on the season with a 3.19 ERA in 53.2 innings of work covering 11 starts. The opposition is hitting just .249 against him, and he sports a WHIP of 1.34. Rucinski had a rough go of things last week, though, going 0-2 in his two starts, giving up 10 runs (only five earned) in 10 innings, striking out six and walking six.

A+

Chicago White Sox - Winston-Salem Dash P Brad Goldberg (2011-13)

After beginning the season in the starting rotation, Goldberg has spent the past month in the bullpen. On the year, the righty is 1-4 with a 5.73 ERA and one save. Goldberg has made 13 appearances for the Dash, including five starts, eating up 33 innings, and is allowing the opposition a robust .298 batting average. The Beachwood, OH native made two appearances last week, throwing 2.1 innings of shutout ball.

Minnesota Twins - Fort Myers Miracle P Alex Wimmers (2007-10)

Wimmers began the season in the bullpen before being inserted into the starting rotation. After getting knocked around in seven starts, going 1-3, he was moved back into the pen last week. On the year, Wimmers is 2-3 with a 4.50 ERA in 40 innings of work, allowing a .290 opponents' batting average. The right-hander from Cincinnati made one appearance last week, giving up a run on three hits while striking out four in three innings of work.

Pittsburgh Pirates - Bradenton Marauders P John Kuchno (2011-12)

Kuchno is coming off a stellar start for the Marauders, having tossed seven shutout innings, allowing just two hits, on Friday. The righty is 3-4 on the season, with 4.09 ERA in 50.2 innings covering 11 starts. Opponents are hitting .258 against Kuchno, but his strikeout-to-walk ratio is nearly 1-to-1 (30-to-27), and his WHIP is 1.50.

A

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim - Burlington Bees 2B Kirby Pellant (2011-13)

Pellant retired from professional baseball on April 25th, after having been a 26th round selection of the Angels in last year's MLB Draft. After hitting .310 in the rookie league last season, Pellant appeared in eight games for the Bees, batting .095 (2-21) with a double, an RBI, and three stolen bases.

New York Yankess - Charleston RiverDogs P Jaron Long (2012-13)

Long is off to a nice start in 2014, splitting time between the starting rotation and the bullpen for the Yankees A-ball affiliate. On the season, the righty is 3-1 with a 1.64 ERA in 11 appearances (four starts). In 49.1 innings of work, Long is holding opponents to a .228 average with a 1.05 WHIP, and is striking out just under six batters for every walk he has issued. Last week, the son of the Yankees hitting coach made threw 11.1 innings, making one start and one relief appearance. In his start on Tuesday, Long tossed seven scoreless innings, yielding just two hits and striking out nine en route to picking up the win. In 4.1 innings out of the bullpen on Sunday, he allowed one unearned run and two hits while striking out five.

Pittsburgh Pirates - West Virginia Power P Brett McKinney (2010-13)

McKinney has been serviceable out of the bullpen for the Power this season, posting a 1-2 record in 14 appearances. The right-hander has a 3.50 ERA and two saves in 18 innings pitched, holding the opposition to a .190 average and sporting a 3.5-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. In two appearances last week, McKinney was 0-1, allowing a run on five hits in 2.1 innings.