Follow along with us this season as we keep up with current and former Baseball Factory players who are making an impact on their team’s success. We will keep you up-to-date on the latest standout performances at the major league, collegiate and high school levels. This week, we focus on players making an impact in the major and minor leagues, college and high school levels.

Major Leagues

Stephen Vogt – (2003 Baseball Factory All-American) The catcher from the Oakland Athletics leads the American League in RBI’s with 30 and a batting average of .337 that is good for sixth in the AL. He paces the A’s in home runs with nine, second in runs scored (19) and a team leading 1.093 OPS which is also second in the AL behind Seattle’s Nelson Cruz.

Vogt has a WAR (Wins Above Replacement) of 2.2 for position players that is fourth-best with in all of baseball. In his first full-season as the team’s starting catcher, the 30-year-old could also find himself as a first-time All-Star in 2015 if he continues his torrid start.

Jake Marisnick – (2008 Under Armour All-American) Marisnick, a third round selection by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2009 Draft has been a key component for the upstart Houston Astros, who are shocking the baseball world with the second-best record in the American League.

The 24-year-old Marisnick won the starting job in center field for the Astros and has played well, providing a steady presence with the bat and the glove as well. Marisnick is hitting .316, good for third on the team, to go along with five doubles, two triples and 13 RBI in 30 games.

Minor Leagues

Billy McKinney – (2011 Under Armour Pre-Season All-American, 2012 Under Armour All-American) McKinney starts the 2015 season at High-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans in the Chicago Cubs organization.

In 29 games with the Pelicans, McKinney is hitting a Carolina League-leading .340 with five doubles, two triples, four homers and 25 RBI. His .544 slugging percentage also leads the Carolina League. Defensively, he’s playing great defense in center for the Pelicans and the future looks bright as he is another piece to a loaded minor league system for the Cubs.

Aaron Nola – (Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout) Nola was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies seventh overall in the 2014 Draft from LSU and has not disappointed, splitting time between High-A Clearwater and Double-A Reading in 2014, pitching to a 2.93 ERA in 55 1/3 innings, striking out 45 batters and winning four games. He did all of this after pitching at LSU last year, going 11-1 in 116 1/3 innings pitched.

He’s an outstanding talent and Nola’s displaying that again so far in 2015 for Reading, making six starts with a 2.04 ERA, 29 strikeouts to just four walks.

Mychal Givens – (Under Armour Southeast Tournament, 2008 Under Armour All-American) The Tampa, Florida native was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the second round of the 2009 Draft from H.B. Plant High School and has successfully made the transition from hitter to pitcher for the Orioles organization.

In 2013, the O’s converted Givens to a reliever and he has excelled, moving from Single-A Delmarva in 2013, to High-A Frederick before ending 2014 with the Double-A Bowie Baysox, pitching in 18 games with a 3.91 ERA.

This season, he’s been an important piece in the Baysox bullpen, saving five games, winning two, and pitching to a minuscule 0.96 ERA in his first 18.2 innings pitched this season. Givens has struck out 27 batters and walked just seven. Even more impressive and exciting for the organization is that Givens is showing a fastball that topped out at 98 mph in his most recent outing.

College

John Clay Reeves – (Team One South 2010) Reeves, a senior at Rice University, has lead the Owls behind the plate as catcher and with the bat as well, leading the team in most offensive categories, including: home runs (8), RBI (52), total bases (87) and slugging percentage (.506) for Rice who has a regular season record of 33-17 and 20-7 in Conference USA play in 2015.

High School

Luke Miller – (Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout) Miller, a senior at Cowan High School in Muncie, IN has committed to Indiana University and is having a huge season, tied for the home run lead in the nation with 14.

He’s posted a .558 batting average with six doubles, 26 runs scored, 34 RBI, 11 stolen bases. Not to be outdone, he’s also pitched to a 4-1 record on the mound with 52 strikeouts in just 27 innings pitched.

Bakari Gayle – Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout & Premium Video Program) Bakari is a senior at Redan High School in Stone Mountain, Georgia and has put together a solid season for his high school club, hitting .459 with five doubles, three triples, eight homers, 38 RBI and 30 stolen bases.

Gayle, a shortstop/outfielder, has committed to Samford University in Birmingham, AL.

Brendan Rodgers – (2013 Under Armour Futures Series East, 2014 Under Armour All-American) Perhaps the best all-around player in the country and the consensus No. 1 player on our Top 100 list, Rodgers has the potential to be the 1st overall selection in this year’s draft.

Rodgers, a senior shortstop at Lake Mary High School in Florida has committed to Florida State University, where his father attended school. He’s hitting .360 with eight doubles, eight home runs and 23 RBI this season.