Two Former Toros Check-In From the MLB's Instructional League

BASEBALLTOWN, USA -- After coming off a successful summer season, two former Toros taken in the 2009 MLB Draft were chosen to compete in their team's respective fall instructional leagues for further training. Jon Alia of the Padres and Matt Hopps of the White Sox will spend the next week in this training.

As the first NCAA Division II player taken in the MLB draft, right-handed pitcher Hopps got called up to the Chicago White Sox this past spring and spent the summer with the Great Falls Voyagers in the Rookie League.

After 17 games, Hopps amassed a 3.52 ERA in 23.0 innings of action. Hopps fanned 28 of his batters and allowed only 24 hits before compiling a 1-3 overall record in the league.

Another Toro to take the call, All-American Jon Alia was chosen as a free agent for the San Diego Padres and went on to spend his summer as an infielder in the Rookie League in Arizona.

After 53 games, Alia tallied a .304 average with 62 hits, six home runs, 41 RBI and a .485 slugging percentage.

Alia will spend his fall in the Padres instructional league, whose games began September 21 at Peoria Sports Complex in arizona. The final game of his 17 games will be played on October 16.

Though not getting called to an instructional league, the final Toro to go in the '09 draft, Paul-Michael Klingsberg finished out his summer with the Rookie League affiliate of the Twins in Elizabethton, Tennessee.

Utility player Klingsberg saw action in 27 games to finish with a .320 average with 32 hits, 2 home runs, 15 RBI and a .500 slugging percentage.

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