Spring has officially arrived and so has baseball. If you are flipping through the channels watching Major League Baseball games, you might spot a local or two on the big stage.
Here’s a look at the players and coaches from the Southwest Regional Publishing Coverage area:
Michael Massey, Brother Rice
The second baseman is in his fourth MLB season, all with the Kansas City Royals. After a stellar career at Illinois, he was taken in the fourth round of the 2019 MLB Draft. After playing 129 games in 2023, he only played 100 games in 2024 as he was out much of March, April and June with a back injury. He did hit .259 with 45 runs, 17 doubles, two triples, 14 home runs, 45 runs batted in and a .743 OPS across 356 plate appearances. The Royals won 86 games and advanced to the postseason. During the Wild Card and American League Division series, Massey had a hit in six of the seven games the Royals played and hit a game-tying triple in Game 3 of the ALDS against the Yankees. This season, Massey is off to a slower start. But on Opening Day, the Palos Park native went 1-for-3 with a RBI sac fly and a single.
T.J. McFarland, Stagg
The left-handed reliever is in his 13th MLB season and is in year two of his second stint with the Athletics, carrying a 4.16 career ERA across 439 games. He excelled in spring training in 2024 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but they traded him for cash right before the season. McFarland went on to pitch in a league-high 79 games for the A’s while posting a 3.81 ERA and striking out 39 batters. The Athletics signed him a week after free agency started to a one-year deal to bring him back for 2025. During spring training, he had a 2.16 ERA across 8 1/3 innings. McFarland has had a rough start, allowing six runs in his first 3 1/3 innings across six appearances.
Alek Thomas, Mount Carmel
The outfielder also is in his fourth MLB season, all with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Last season, Thomas played just 39 MLB games after being sidelined with a hamstring injury that kept him out April, May, and June. The 24-year-old is looking to bounce back this season. Through his first 10 games, he’s slashing .323/.371/.515 with five runs, two doubles, a league-leading two triples, and eight runs batted in.
AJ Lewis, Mount Carmel
Lewis is in his first season as staff assistant to Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell. Lewis played baseball at Missouri and John A. Logan College before earning first team All-America recognition as an Eastern Kentucky senior after batting .451. He signed a free-agent contract with the Colorado Rockies organization and eventually reached Triple-A in 2024, hitting .314 with the Albuquerque Isotopes.
John Mallee, Mount Carmel
Mallee is in his second season as the Chicago Cubs assistant hitting coach. This is his second stint with the Cubs after serving as their hitting coach from 2015 to 2017. Since 2010, he’s also held similar roles with the Florida Marlins, Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Angels.