Pro Baseball: Matthew Martin Lee Carpenter, Memphis Redbirds

published Jul. 29, 2011

Matthew Martin Lee Carpenter went 2 for 5 with one RBI and scored a run in the Memphis Redbirds's 9-8 loss at the Round Rock Express on Thursday. Carpenter graduated from Fort Bend Elkins High School.

Carpenter is a 2004 graduate of Elkins High School. He played five seasons (2005 to 2009) of college baseball as Texas Christian University posting a career batting average of .312 with 24 home runs and 159 RBIs. Carpenter hit .349 in 241 at-bats as a sophomore (2006) before receiving a medical redshirt in 2007 after appearing in only eight games. He posted back-to-back 11 home-run seasons in 2008 and 2009, which hit also hit 23 doubles and six triples while hitting .333. Carpenter was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 13th round (399th overall) of the 2009 Major League Baseball draft. He quickly advanced through the St. Louis system making it to double-A Springfield of the Texas League by the end of 2010, his first full pro season. He was named a Texas League all-star DH after hitting .316 with 12 home runs and 53 RBIs in 105 games with Springfield. Carpenter was born Nov. 26, 1985 in Sugar Land. Read more...

Pro Baseball: Michael Rockett, Lakeland Flying Tigers

published Jul. 29, 2011

Michael Rockett went 1 for 3 in the Lakeland Flying Tigers's 3-1 loss to the Palm Beach Cardinals on Thursday. Rockett graduated from Fort Bend Austin High School.

Rockett graduated from Austin High School in 2005 and went on to play college baseball at the University of Texas-San Antonio. He spent four seasons (2005 to 2009) in a Roadrunners' uniform appearing in 223 games and batting .359 over his college career. As a junior in 2008, Rockett was named the Southland Conference player of the year and a league all-star after batting .360 with 25 doubles, 10 home runs and 68 RBIs. The following year as a senior he hit .394 with 15 home runs and 58 RBIs to be named a conference all-star for the second-straight season. Rockett was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 13th round (390th overall) of the 2009 Major League Baseball draft. He appeared in 171 games in the Tigers' system during his first two pro seasons (2009 and 2010) hitting .250 with 10 homers and 70 RBIs while advancing as high as single-A West Michigan of the Midwest League. He was born July 26, 1987 in Sugar Land. Read more...

Pro Baseball: Chad Daniel Huffman, Columbus Clippers

published Jul. 29, 2011

Chad Daniel Huffman went 0 for 3 and was walked twice in the Columbus Clippers's 6-5 loss at the Syracuse Chiefs on Thursday. Huffman graduated from Fort Bend Elkins High School.

Huffman is a 2003 graduate of Elkins High School and went on to play college baseball at Texas Christian University. As a freshman at TCU (2004), Huffman was named Conference USA freshman of the year and first-team freshman all-American at outfielder after batting .383 with nine home runs and 44 RBIs. During his junior season, 2006, Huffman earned third-team college all-American honors at designated hitter in addition to being named a Mountain West Conference all-star first baseman. That season he batted .388 with 18 homers and 71 RBIs. Huffman was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the second round (53rd overall) of the 2006 Major League Baseball draft. Huffman signed with the Padres and appeared in 59 minor league games in 2006. Huffman was claimed off waivers by Cleveland at the end of the 2010 season. He was born April 29, 1985 in Missouri City. Read more...

Pro Baseball: Cory A. VanAllen, Harrisburg Senators

published Jul. 29, 2011

Cory A. VanAllen pitched two innings, striking out two and allowing no earned runs Thursday in the Harrisburg Senators's 2-1 loss to the Binghamton Mets. VanAllen graduated from Fort Bend Clements High School.

Van Allen graduated from Clements High School in 2003 and was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the third round (91st overall) of the 2003 Major League Baseball draft. He elected not to sign with the Dodgers and instead accepted a baseball scholarship at Baylor University. Van Allen played three seasons (2004 to 2006) logging a record of 19-11 in 227.33 innings of work. He made 52 appearances 39 of which were starts and complied a 3.99 ERA. Following his junior season 2006 Van Allen was selected with the Washington Nationals in the fifth round (151st overall) of the 2006 MLB draft. He signed with Washington and spent the next five seasons (2006 to 2010) in the Nationals' system advancing as high as Double-A Harrisburg of the Eastern League. Entering 2011 Van Allen has a career record of 16-26 with a 4.30 ERA. He was born Dec. 24 1984 in Bakersfield Calif. Read more...

Kelvin Damone Bennett Released

Special to the Chronicle published Jul. 29, 2011

Kelvin Damone Bennett has been released from custody, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office. Mr. Bennett's bond was set at $60,000. He is listed as living at 5833 Mackinaw in Houston. Bennett was reportedly arrested on January 25, 2011 on one charge of poss cs pg 1 4g - 200g. Read more...