Former Viking McHugh Gets Arizona Fall League Assignment

Mets Give Former Berry Hurler Prestigious Fall Assignment

Former Berry pitcher Collin McHugh has been selected by the New York Mets organization to pitch in the Arizona Fall League beginning in October.  The AFL is comprised of the next generation of Major League ballplayers, with each big league team sending six of its most promising prospects to the league each fall.

The assignment continues a whirlwind season for McHugh, who pitched at Berry from 2006-08 before joining the Mets organization following his junior year as an 18th round selection in the Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft. The righthander started the year pitching for the St. Lucie Mets of the High Class A Florida State League before getting the call to Binghamton of the Class AA Eastern League.

Since joining the B-Mets, McHugh has put together a 7-2 record with a 3.09 earned run average and two saves.  Having started 15 of the 17 games in which he has appeared for Bingamton, he has fanned 89 batters and walked just 30 in 84 1/3 innings of work.  McHugh has also held opponents to a meager .230 batting average.

Since the All-Star break, McHugh is 6-0 with a 1.53 ERA and one save.

Overall, his combined strikeout total of 128 between St. Lucie and Binghamton in 2011 ranks fourth among Mets farmhands.

On Aug. 20, McHugh was the starting pitcher against Red Sox affiliate Portland in Boston's famed Fenway Park.  Pitching in front of close to 30,000 people, according to B-Mets manager Wally Backman, he tossed six shutout innings, striking out six batters and walking just one.  Binghamton won the game 6-4, but McHugh did not register a decision. 

Meanwhile, McHugh's blog, A Day Older, A Day Wiser, has become a phenomenon, even getting picked up by ESPN New York.

McHugh will join the AFL's Peoria Javelinas, a team comprised of prospects representing the Mets, Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals.  Five of his Javelinas teammates are already members of their respective teams' 40-man roster.

Last season, the Javelinas recorded the league's best record with a 20-10 overall mark.

 - BerryVikings.com -