Latest news with #FresnoState
USA Today
11 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Jets UDFA DB Dean Clark is underdog worth watching
The New York Jets are slated to enter training camp with 15 undrafted free-agent rookies on their 90-man roster. That's the number of UDFAs they agreed to terms with following the 2025 NFL draft. One underdog worth monitoring throughout camp is former Fresno State defensive back Dean Clark. Clark agreed to an undrafted deal with the Jets that guaranteed him $160,000. Jets GM Darren Mougey likely faced competition for his signature and made him a strong offer. It increases Clark's chances to make the 53-man roster coming out of training camp. Clark posted phenomenal numbers at Fresno State's pro day. Clark has decent size at 6-foot, 208 pounds. He ran the 40-yard dash in a stellar 4.51 seconds, and also leaped a 41-inch vertical and 11-foot broad jump at his pre-draft athletic showcase. He wasn't invited to the NFL combine. Clark began his collegiate career at Kent State. He experienced a breakout season in 2021, recording 117 tackles. After missing the majority of 2022, he transferred to Fresno State ahead of 2023. Clark was productive in two seasons at Fresno State, posting 146 tackles, four interceptions, and nine pass breakups. The Jets are deep at safety. Veterans Tony Adams and Andre Cisco are penciled into starting roles. Rookie fourth-rounder Malachi Moore is likely the top rotational option off the bench. Jarius Monroe and Jaylin Simpson are also contending for roster spots. Clark has his work cut out for him, but the rookie UDFA possesses the athleticism and production to make an impression at camp.
New York Times
13 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Steve Soderstrom's big league career was brief; now he cherishes every moment of son Tyler's
Steve Soderstrom was called up to the big leagues in the final weeks of the 1996 season. The promotion came after the right-hander spent three years in the minors, shouldering the expectations of being drafted sixth overall by the San Francisco Giants. But he'd soon find out that staying in the majors is even harder. Advertisement Soderstrom got rocked in his debut, but bounced back to twice to beat a Rockies lineup featuring big-time sluggers like Vinny Castilla, Dante Bichette and Andres Galarraga. The season ended. The following spring, Soderstrom arrived in camp and felt pain in his elbow, the start of a string of injuries that ended his career. Those 10 days with the Giants represented his entire major league tenure. Years later, that is part of why Steve has a special appreciation for the accomplishments of his youngest son, Tyler, who has spent parts of the last three seasons with the Athletics. The elder Soderstrom's dream of playing at the highest level may have been cut short, but that dream was only deferred and reshaped. Now, he gets to live vicariously through his son's experiences. 'It's fun to watch him and get to see him do what I knew that I probably had the talent to do,' Soderstrom said, 'but didn't quite get it done.' 'He means so much to me,' Tyler said. 'It's super cool for me to help him fulfill that by getting to play at this level and for him to experience me playing and coming to games.' After a successful three-year career at Fresno State, the Giants made him the 6th pick in the 1993 draft. But not long after, Steve suffered an aneurysm in his pitching shoulder. The injury first affected his velocity; Steve realized he no longer had the same power in his pitches. He had to change his entire approach on the mound. He had to lean into locating his pitches better, using more off-speed pitches instead of pounding the zone with fastballs. That didn't stop him from moving swiftly through the minors, though, reaching Triple A in 1996 ahead of a big-league call-up that fall. Once Steve finally made the majors, he had a singular goal in mind. 'Just prove that you belong there,' Steve said. Advertisement He gave up five runs and a homer before he was pulled in the first inning of his major league debut. The next two starts were significantly better. Steve gave up a combined six runs in those two games while also striking out eight batters in winning efforts. 'I felt like I pitched well,' Steve said. 'I felt like I was setting myself up for some success going into the next year, giving myself a chance to make the team the next year.' He got that chance in next year's spring training and played well throughout. But towards the end of camp, Steve felt a tweak in his elbow. He decided to play through the injury, but that only worsened it. Ultimately, he did not make the major league team and was sent back down to Triple A. Over the next few years, there were still flashes of a quality major league arm, but the inconsistencies were just as frequent. Steve's ERA ballooned to 6.78 in 1998 and he eventually was put into a relief role. 'It seems like my timing with everything was never, ever good,' Steve recalled. 'I'd be throwing well and guys in the big leagues were throwing well too, and there wasn't any injuries. And then (there were) times I wasn't throwing well and (other) guys were getting called up.' With the arrival of his first-born, Tate, and Tyler soon on the way, he decided he had enough of the grind. Steve officially retired from baseball at the end of the 2000 season. Outside of that brief cameo in 1996, he never again got that call to be a part of the major league squad. As a child, Tyler loved to squat down. He would squat and catch tennis balls, showing a high level of hand-eye coordination even as a toddler. That's when Steve realized that he had a chance to be good early on. Tyler soon followed in his older brother's footsteps and began to play Tee-Ball. Tate, who played college baseball at the University of Arizona and UC San Diego, laid the groundwork and expectations. Tyler soon followed. Advertisement His swing of the bat, especially from the left side of the plate, was much better than that of his peers. The athleticism he displayed running the bases and on the field also proved to be a step above. Steve especially appreciated Tyler's aptitude with position player skills because he didn't want his kids to pitch, knowing the injuries that could come with it. Much of Tyler's development took place at Backyard Sports Academy, his father's sports facility near their home in Turlock, Calif. Steve created it as a way to stay close to the game even after retirement. What started as pitching lessons for local kids turned into a fully fledged facility that is used by local youth sports leagues and professionals alike. Tyler not only got the opportunity to watch former pros such as Kevin Kramer and Brett Cumberland work out, but he also got the chance to train with them. By the time he was 12 years old, he'd be in the batting cages, hitting balls at the same velocity as Kramer and Cumberland. 'I started to think, yeah, you know what, he's got what it takes to get to the big leagues,' Steve said. 'He wasn't afraid, and then you get in there and watch him work. I knew there was probably, at that point, a possibility.' The two continued to train with big-league dreams. Steve honed in on Tyler's ability to hit the ball the opposite way. In his mind, if a hitter can do that well, that would be a translatable skill at the next level. Over the years, Tyler's power continued to develop and he dominated in high school with a .373 career batting average. He won the Gatorade California Baseball Player of the Year award as a senior and was signed to go and play baseball at UCLA before being drafted by the Athletics. Once drafted, Steve gave Tyler as much advice as he could going into the minors. He knew from experience how hard it was to make the majors; but he also stressed how hard a game baseball can be, period. 'When the times are tough, the work's gotta continue,' Steve said. 'And the tough times aren't gonna last. You just gotta really stay in it and believe that you're a good player. I think just those kinds of things were what I went through with my struggles.' Advertisement Just like his father, Tyler spent three years in the minors before getting called up. But he was able to last much longer than three games. Now in his third season, Tyler's improved every year. After only hitting three home runs in his rookie season, he had 14 entering play Tuesday. Through it all, Steve has been there cheering on his son and watching him succeed in the majors. The elder Soderstrom wasn't able to prove he belonged there. His son proves it every day. 'Maybe [I] left a little bit left on the table,' Steve said of his career. 'So getting to see him do it now and be successful is exciting. I guess for myself, I kind of lived my career and kind of came to terms with it. (So I'm) just hoping that he has a successful and great career.' (Top photo of Tyler: Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images)
Fox Sports
3 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
A's reliever Tyler Ferguson allows homer to Aaron Judge after saying he wanted to strike out slugger
Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Tyler Ferguson graduated from Clovis West High School in Fresno when Aaron Judge batted .308 as a sophomore at Fresno State in 2012. Toward the end of last season after making his debut with the Athletics following nine seasons in the minor leagues, Tyler Ferguson said to a local TV station he wanted to strike out Judge about a month before the Yankees' final trip to Oakland. He finally had his chance Sunday. Ferguson was one strike away in his first matchup with Judge. Instead, Ferguson became the 260th pitcher to allow a homer to the slugger, who hit a two-run drive in the seventh inning of the Yankees' 12-5 win. 'I don't remember much honestly, unfortunately' said Ferguson, the only active player born in Fresno. 'I didn't go to a lot of Fresno State games, but I just remember him being a highly touted prospect and obviously a large human being very recognizable but it's impressive how he's continued to just get better and better as he's gotten older.' Ferguson got ahead in the count 1-2 with a sweeper before Judge fouled off a sinker and a four-seam fastball. After throwing a sinker and a sweeper out of the strike zone to get a full count, Judge hit the 31-year-old right-hander's 95.5 mph four-seam fastball into the A's bullpen in left-center. 'First time facing him, best hitter in the league,' Ferguson said. 'So I was looking forward to that at-bat. I was able to get ahead and then wasn't able to execute a couple of pitches and he was able to get it back to 3-2 and I didn't get the ball quite as high as I would have liked and he made a good swing on it.' "I didn't (know that),' Judge said of Ferguson's comment. 'I'm learning that as you told me.' Ferguson turned around and watched the 426-foot drive as YES Network play-by-play announcer Ryan Ruocco proclaimed: 'The King of Fresno." 'That's why you don't talk in public,' YES Network analyst and former reliever Jeff Nelson said on the telecast. 'You don't make a comment that I want to strike out Judge in public. You keep it to yourself.' Judge reached 30 homers for the fifth straight season and fourth time before All-Star break. He also became the sixth player in team history with six 30-homer seasons and the joined Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio as the third Yankee with six 30-homer seasons within the first 10 years of his career. Ferguson debuted with the A's May 7, 2024, but had made two scoreless appearances against the Yankees before Judge homered. Drafted by the Texas Rangers in the sixth round in 2015 out of Vanderbilt, Ferguson never advanced above Single-A with Texas and spent 2019 playing independent baseball in Quebec. After being released by the Dodgers in 2020 when the minor league season was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ferguson joined the Braves following a brief stint with the Chicago Dogs of the American Association of Professional Baseball. Ferguson reached Triple-A with the Braves, signed a minor league deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks after the 2022 season and spent 2023 with the Reno Aces. The A's signed him to a minor league contract in Nov. 2023 and called him up after 14 games with Triple-A Las Vegas. 'It was about nine, 10 years in the minors between when I got drafted to when I made my debut last year,' Ferguson said. 'So it was a long ride, but happy to be here and just trying to get better and trying not to give up (home runs) and make better pitches.' ___ AP MLB: recommended
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
A's reliever Tyler Ferguson allows homer to Aaron Judge after saying he wanted to strike out slugger
New York Yankees' Aaron Judge hits a two-run home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Athletics, Sunday, June 29, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger) NEW YORK (AP) — Tyler Ferguson graduated from Clovis West High School in Fresno when Aaron Judge batted .308 as a sophomore at Fresno State in 2012. Toward the end of last season after making his debut with the Athletics following nine seasons in the minor leagues, Tyler Ferguson said to a local TV station he wanted to strike out Judge about a month before the Yankees' final trip to Oakland. Advertisement He finally had his chance Sunday. Ferguson was one strike away in his first matchup with Judge. Instead, Ferguson became the 260th pitcher to allow a homer to the slugger, who hit a two-run drive in the seventh inning of the Yankees' 12-5 win. 'I don't remember much honestly, unfortunately' said Ferguson, the only active player born in Fresno. 'I didn't go to a lot of Fresno State games, but I just remember him being a highly touted prospect and obviously a large human being very recognizable but it's impressive how he's continued to just get better and better as he's gotten older.' Ferguson got ahead in the count 1-2 with a sweeper before Judge fouled off a sinker and a four-seam fastball. After throwing a sinker and a sweeper out of the strike zone to get a full count, Judge hit the 31-year-old right-hander's 95.5 mph four-seam fastball into the A's bullpen in left-center. Advertisement 'First time facing him, best hitter in the league,' Ferguson said. 'So I was looking forward to that at-bat. I was able to get ahead and then wasn't able to execute a couple of pitches and he was able to get it back to 3-2 and I didn't get the ball quite as high as I would have liked and he made a good swing on it.' "I didn't (know that),' Judge said of Ferguson's comment. 'I'm learning that as you told me.' Ferguson turned around and watched the 426-foot drive as YES Network play-by-play announcer Ryan Ruocco proclaimed: 'The King of Fresno." 'That's why you don't talk in public,' YES Network analyst and former reliever Jeff Nelson said on the telecast. 'You don't make a comment that I want to strike out Judge in public. You keep it to yourself.' Advertisement Judge reached 30 homers for the fifth straight season and fourth time before All-Star break. He also became the sixth player in team history with six 30-homer seasons and the joined Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio as the third Yankee with six 30-homer seasons within the first 10 years of his career. Ferguson debuted with the A's May 7, 2024, but had made two scoreless appearances against the Yankees before Judge homered. Drafted by the Texas Rangers in the sixth round in 2015 out of Vanderbilt, Ferguson never advanced above Single-A with Texas and spent 2019 playing independent baseball in Quebec. After being released by the Dodgers in 2020 when the minor league season was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ferguson joined the Braves following a brief stint with the Chicago Dogs of the American Association of Professional Baseball. Ferguson reached Triple-A with the Braves, signed a minor league deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks after the 2022 season and spent 2023 with the Reno Aces. The A's signed him to a minor league contract in Nov. 2023 and called him up after 14 games with Triple-A Las Vegas. Advertisement 'It was about nine, 10 years in the minors between when I got drafted to when I made my debut last year,' Ferguson said. 'So it was a long ride, but happy to be here and just trying to get better and trying not to give up (home runs) and make better pitches.' ___ AP MLB:
Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
A's reliever Tyler Ferguson allows homer to Aaron Judge after saying he wanted to strike out slugger
NEW YORK (AP) — Tyler Ferguson graduated from Clovis West High School in Fresno when Aaron Judge batted .308 as a sophomore at Fresno State in 2012. Toward the end of last season after making his debut with the Athletics following nine seasons in the minor leagues, Tyler Ferguson said to a local TV station he wanted to strike out Judge about a month before the Yankees' final trip to Oakland. He finally had his chance Sunday. Ferguson was one strike away in his first matchup with Judge. Instead, Ferguson became the 260th pitcher to allow a homer to the slugger, who hit a two-run drive in the seventh inning of the Yankees' 12-5 win. 'I don't remember much honestly, unfortunately' said Ferguson, the only active player born in Fresno. 'I didn't go to a lot of Fresno State games, but I just remember him being a highly touted prospect and obviously a large human being very recognizable but it's impressive how he's continued to just get better and better as he's gotten older.' Ferguson got ahead in the count 1-2 with a sweeper before Judge fouled off a sinker and a four-seam fastball. After throwing a sinker and a sweeper out of the strike zone to get a full count, Judge hit the 31-year-old right-hander's 95.5 mph four-seam fastball into the A's bullpen in left-center. 'First time facing him, best hitter in the league,' Ferguson said. 'So I was looking forward to that at-bat. I was able to get ahead and then wasn't able to execute a couple of pitches and he was able to get it back to 3-2 and I didn't get the ball quite as high as I would have liked and he made a good swing on it.' 'I didn't (know that),' Judge said of Ferguson's comment. 'I'm learning that as you told me.' Ferguson turned around and watched the 426-foot drive as YES Network play-by-play announcer Ryan Ruocco proclaimed: 'The King of Fresno.' 'That's why you don't talk in public,' YES Network analyst and former reliever Jeff Nelson said on the telecast. 'You don't make a comment that I want to strike out Judge in public. You keep it to yourself.' Judge reached 30 homers for the fifth straight season and fourth time before All-Star break. He also became the sixth player in team history with six 30-homer seasons and the joined Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio as the third Yankee with six 30-homer seasons within the first 10 years of his career. Ferguson debuted with the A's May 7, 2024, but had made two scoreless appearances against the Yankees before Judge homered. Drafted by the Texas Rangers in the sixth round in 2015 out of Vanderbilt, Ferguson never advanced above Single-A with Texas and spent 2019 playing independent baseball in Quebec. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. After being released by the Dodgers in 2020 when the minor league season was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ferguson joined the Braves following a brief stint with the Chicago Dogs of the American Association of Professional Baseball. Ferguson reached Triple-A with the Braves, signed a minor league deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks after the 2022 season and spent 2023 with the Reno Aces. The A's signed him to a minor league contract in Nov. 2023 and called him up after 14 games with Triple-A Las Vegas. 'It was about nine, 10 years in the minors between when I got drafted to when I made my debut last year,' Ferguson said. 'So it was a long ride, but happy to be here and just trying to get better and trying not to give up (home runs) and make better pitches.' ___ AP MLB:
