Rick van den Hurk: Right-handed pitcher Rick van den Hurk is back in the big leagues. Together with top prospect Mike Stanton and Emilio Bonifacio he will join the Florida Marlins today at the start of their series against the Philadelphia Phillies. Van den Hurk has a career ERA of 5.95 through three seasons MLB. He started 2010 with the Triple-A team and went 4-3 with an ERA of 4.86 in eleven starts. He struck out 45 batters in 53 2/3 innings, while walking 19. He is going to pitch out of the bullpen for the squad of manager Fredi Gonzalez.
Jair Jurrjens: Right-hander Jair Jurrjens of the Atlanta Braves is slowly working his way back towards the big leagues. After throwing batting practice for a second time in four days on Monday, he is going to pitch a simulated game on Friday in Minnesota before starting a rehab assignment next week. He will get into at least two minor league games before returning to the Major League squad. The Braves hope he will rejoin the rotation by the end of the month. Jurrjens is sidelined with a hamstring injury since the end of April. He is 0-3 with an ERA of 6.38 in five starts this season.
Kai Gronauer: German catcher Kai Gronauer was named to the South Atlantic All Star Game as a reserve on Monday. He will be joined in Greenville, South Carolina on June 22 by five teammates of the Savannah Sand Gnats, the New York Mets affiliate in the Single A league. Gronauer, who is batting .255 (OBP .347/SLG .359) this year, leads all Sally League catchers with 39 appearances behind the plate.
MLB Draft: Bryce Harper is the number-one pick in the 2010 MLB Amateur Draft. He was selected by the Washington Nationals on Monday, which had chosen Stephen Strasburg in the same spot twelve months ago. Strasburg will make his big league debut tonight against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The game will be broadcasted live throughout Europe via MLB.tv or ESPN America.
Alex Liddi/Alessandro Maestri: Italian third baseman Alex Liddi of the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx is getting hot at the plate. He has collected at least two hits in five of his last nine games and has picked up a RBI in his last seven straight. He is batting .281 (OBP .345/SLG .438) with four homeruns, four triples, twelve doubles, 28 runs and 36 RBI this year. Starting Thursday the Diamond Jaxx are going to square off in a four-game series with the Tennessee Smokies, where fellow Italian Alessandro Maestri is playing. The right-handed reliever has a 2-2 record with an ERA of 5.68 in 21 appearances this season. He has struck out 24 in 31 2/3 innings, walking 14.