Africans in the Majors & Minors: July
By DZ. Filed Aug. 4, 2023.
It was only a few years ago that there were five South Africans between Triple-A and the major leagues, with a handful of others fighting their way up through the low minors. Things have changed dramatically since then, with Tayler Scott remaining on the edge of MLB active rosters (splitting time between Triple-A and the big leagues in each of 2019, 2022, and the current season); however, he is the only active South African in professional baseball. Long-time South African pros Gift Ngoepe and Jonathan Phillips retired as players, but kept their talents in the dugout, shifting to coaching roles in pro baseball. Dylan Unsworth, Africa’s top pitching prospect in the 2010s for the Mariners, tossed a no-hitter for Mexico’s El Águila de Veracruz in 2021, but is not playing professionally this season. Partially filling the talent void is upstart Uganda, with the country’s first three professional signings all taking place in the past two years after virtually no fanfare.
Key
Name (age*), organization, country, team.
*Age is as of Sept 1, 2023 (playing age this season).
MLB (1)
Tayler Scott (31), Oakland Athletics. South Africa.
Scott was the second-ever South African to play Major League Baseball, following Gift Ngoepe, but took a very different path. Scott moved to Arizona as a teenager and was drafted in 2011 in the fifth round. He has played for three major league teams already in 2023, and is currently settling in with the Oakland A’s for his past six appearances. He has also played this year for the LA Dodgers and the Boston Red Sox, along with both of their Triple-A teams. In 21 minor league games, Scott has a 3-0 record with a 1.59 ERA, and in 16 major league games he has a 6.60 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 15 innings (including two starts).
Rookie League, US Complex Leagues (2)
Umar Male (22), Los Angeles Dodgers. Uganda. ACL Dodgers.The catcher, originally from Kasana, signed with the Dodgers in 2022. Male has 19 stateside at bats, with three hits, three RBI, and a stolen base. He played 18 games last season in the Dominican Summer League, hitting .200 with eight walks and two home runs, striking out 21 times in 45 at bats.
Ben Serunkuma (21), Los Angeles Dodgers. Uganda. ACL Dodgers.The righthander from Kiwoko has made 12 appearances totaling 13.2 innings in his U.S. debut. He has 21 strikeouts, surrendering 17 hits and 10 walks. Serunkuma has a 1-1 record with four holds and a 5.93 ERA. He pitched 12 games last year in the Dominican Summer League with a 2.11 ERA, recording 19 strikeouts and three walks in 21.1 innings.
Rookie League, Dominican Complex Leagues (1)
David Matoma (17), Pittsburgh Pirates. Uganda.DSL Pirates Gold.Matoma, a right-handed pitcher, signed in January [link] and made his debut in the Dominican Summer League in June. Matoma has pitched in seven games, permitting 10 hits and six walks in 12.2 innings while striking out 13. He has a 2-0 record and has yet to allow a run.
MLB Draft Leagues (1)
Dennis Kasumba (19), None, Uganda, Frederick Keys.
The native of Gayaza and social media maven suited up for 10 games in June for Frederick, a long-time Baltimore Orioles affiliate demoted to the MLB Draft League after MLB annexed the minor leagues. Kasumba has played three games behind the plate, only hitting in the remainder. He was 0-for-19 with three walks and a hit by pitch, whiffing 15 times and driving in one run.
Additional reporting on Kasumba and Unsworth from Gabriel Fidler.