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Cody Puckett - Lynchburg Hillcats

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Trio of Former Toros Welcome Spring With Minor League Baseball Action

Cody Puckett at-bat for the Hillcats with his first homer of the 2010 season
BASEBALLTOWN -- With Major League Baseball now in full swing, three former Toros have made waves in the MLB's Minor Leagues, all three now competing at the Single-A level, highlighted by Cody Puckett making a charge for the Cincinnati Reds in the Single-A advanced Lynchburg Hillcats.

Not alone in moving up, Puckett is joined by All-American Jon Alia and Matt Hopps, both of whom after only one year in the MLB's Rookie League have found their way into the more prestigious Single-A.

Now in his third year in the minors, Puckett found his most success last year playing for the Dayton Dragons, also a Single-A affiliate of the Reds.  Overall in 2009 Puckett batted .263 for the Dragons, seeing 125 games in action at second base.

Jon Alia - Fort Wayne TinCaps
Puckett also belted 19 homers and brought in 67 RBIs, both team-high stats.  Taking only three games into the 2010 season, Puckett has already went yard for the Hillcats, giving the 'Cats a 1-0 lead before the Frederick Keys grabbed an eighth inning four run rally on April 11.

Signing as a free agent in 2009 with the San Diego Padres, Alia spent a year with the Rookie League Padres before making the jump to the Single-A Fort Wayne TinCaps after 2010's spring training.

Looking to keep his foothold as the TinCaps starting third baseman, Alia will improve on his success of 2009, in 53 games he batted on a .304 clip with 13 doubles and six homers to bring in 41 RBIs.

Matt Hopps
Alia has already made an impact this year, in his first appearance he went 1-2 with two runs, scoring the game-winner after taking bag on a single against the Bowling Green Hot Rods on April 9.

Rounding out the current crop of Toros in the minors, 9th-round draft pick Hopps had a stellar year for the Chicago White Sox rookie league affiliate Great Falls Voyagers.  In 18 games Hopps posted a 3.38 ERA, fanning 29 batters in 24.0 innings pitched, also scattering 24 hits.

Going into action as a reliever last year Hopps will look to erase that mark this year as he threw in his first career start on April 13.  Three days before that Hopps had his best game of the 2010 season, in 2.0 innings against the Rome Braves he logged one K and went hitless.
Follow The Former Toros:
Puckett: Hillcats | Alia: TinCaps | Hopps: Intimidators

Thanks to the Hillcats' Andrew Chesser, the TinCaps' Tony DesPlaines and the Intimidators' Josh Ellis for providing player photos.
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