AT THE BREAK: Forbes, Wideman among top minor leaguers with area ties
Published 12:35 pm Tuesday, July 14, 2026
Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Michael Darrell-Hicks pitches during a game against the Milwaukee Brewers on June 24, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AARON GASH/AP)
The Major League Baseball All-Star break began Monday and runs through Thursday, with affiliated minor league teams also taking a few days off to rest and recharge.
While no former area standouts are currently on MLB rosters, numerous players with ties to the region are continuing to climb the rungs of professional baseball in the minors.
On Sunday, Western Kentucky had two players selected in the 2026 MLB Draft – right-handed pitcher Gavin Perry was picked by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 11th round (341st overall) and fellow righty pitcher Mick Uebelhor was chosen by the Houston Astros in the 20th round (601st overall). Additionaly, former WKU player Dylan O’Connell – who suited up for the Tops in 2024-25 before transferring to Wisconsin-Milwaukee – was chosen in the 15th round (441st overall) by the Athletics.
Here’s a look at how some former local stars are progressing in their professional careers this season:
Triple-A
• Michael Darrell-Hicks – A former South Warren High School star who first played at WKU (2017-21) before ending his college career at Jacksonville, Darrell-Hicks completed the remarkable rise from undrafted free agent to Major Leaguer last season when he debuted with the Los Angeles Angels. After making six appearances for the Angels, Darrell-Hicks was designated for assignment and claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates. The right-hander made one appearance for the Pirates in 2025, tossing two scoreless innings with two strikeouts in relief. This season, Darrell-Hicks has been pitching for the Indianapolis Indians, the Pirates’ Triple-A affiliate, and has logged 22 game appearances (one start) with 22 2/3 innings. He’s compiled a 4.37 ERA with two saves and 25 strikeouts. Darrell-Hicks was placed on the 7-day injured list on June 6 and has not pitched since.
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Double-A
• Mason Burns – After a stellar 2024 season at WKU, Burns was picked in the 14th round (411th overall) in the 2024 MLB Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. The right-handed relief specialist made his pro debut the following season and advanced three levels all the way to Double-A with the Springfield Cardinals. This season, Burns was off to a strong start in Springfield before an injury ended his season on June 2. Burns – a native of Peoria, Illinois – pitched in 16 games this season, totaling 21 2/3 innings with five saves. He posted a 2.08 ERA and struck out 24 batters.
• Ryan Hawks – A Bowling Green native who starred at Warren East before playing collegiately at Louisville, Hawks was picked in the eighth round (No. 247 overall) in the 2023 MLB Draft by the Seattle Mariners. A right-hander, Hawks has pitched almost exclusively as a starter in the minors. After delivering a strong season at High-A Everett (10-6 overall, 3.79 ERA with 86 strikeouts in 116 1/3 innings) last season, Hawks earned a promotion to the Mariners’ Double-A affiliate Arkansas Travelers to begin this year. Hawks has taken a regular turn in the Travelers’ starting rotation this season, posting a 4-4 record with an ERA of 5.37 over 15 games (14 starts) spanning 67 innings. He’s struck out 53 batters so far.
High-A
• Jacob Bimbi – After playing his final collegiate season at WKU in 2024, Bimbi was picked by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 11th round (No. 324 overall) of the 2024 MLB Draft. After a brief debut in the Class A Florida State League in 2025, Bimbi was assigned to High-A to join the Greensboro Grasshoppers in the South Atlantic League. The left-handed native of McHenry, Illinois has shined as a late-inning specialist, tallying five saves while posting a 2.40 ERA with 46 strikeouts over 41 1/3 innings in 29 games this season. Bimbi twice pitched against the Bowling Green Hot Rods this season earlier this month, tallying five strikeouts in four innings. Another former WKU hurler, Treyson Peters, also pitches for the Grasshoppers.
• Patrick Forbes – After being named the 2022 Kentucky Mr. Baseball as a senior at Bowling Green High School, Forbes went on to a stellar collegiate career at Louisville where he made the transition to pitching full-time for the Cardinals and led the Atlantic Coast Conference and finished third nationally with 14.8 strikeouts per game to help UofL to reach the College World Series. Forbes was picked in the first round of the 2025 MLB Draft (29th overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks. He made his professional debut this season with one appearance for the Arizona Complex League Diamondbacks before getting assigned to the franchise’s High-A affiliate, the Hillsboro Hops. Forbes made his debut with the Hops last month and has pitched in four games (all starts). The right-hander has a 2.84 ERA over 12 2/3 innings with 17 strikeouts. Forbes is currently ranked No. 8 among the Diamondbacks’ top 30 prospects by MLB.com.
• Treyson Peters – A right-hander who pitched in his final collegiate season at WKU in 2025, Peters signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates as an undrafted free agent last year. He made his pro debut in Class A with the Bradenton Marauders in April and worked just 7 1/3 innings with an ERA of 2.45 before getting promoted to the High-A Greensboro Grasshoppers. The 6-foot-7 right-hander has tallied three saves in 17 appearances for the Grasshoppers this season, tallying 38 innings pitched with 26 strikeouts and an ERA of 5.92. Peters, who has fellow former Hilltopper Jacob Bimbi pitching out of the same bullpen with the Grasshoppers, briefly reached Double-A this season when he was called up to the Altoona Curve last month for an appearance.
• CJ Weins – After one year at WKU, Weins was picked by the Boston Red Sox in the sixth round (No. 178 overall) fo the 2023 MLB Draft. The right-hander from Joliet, Illinois has put together a solid track record in professional ball, tallying a career 9-4 record in 96 appearances (all relief). He’s tossed 122 2/3 innings and struck out 144 batters. Weins is in his second full season at High-A West Michigan after first reaching that level in 2024. This season for the Whitecaps, Weins has made 25 relief appearances totaling 31 2/3 innings. He’s 4-0 with one hold and has struck out 28 batters.
• Ryan Wideman – Wideman, the 2025 Conference USA Player of the Year and a first-team All-American in his lone season at WKU, is having a breakout season in his second year of affiliated ball. Picked by the San Diego Padres in the third round (99th overall) in the 2025 MLB Draft, the speedy outfielder from Marietta, Georgia, earned a promotion to High-A Fort Wayne last month after a stellar start with Lake Elsinore in the California League where he batted .314 with six home runs and 44 RBIs while stealing 43 bases. Since joining the TinCaps on June 23, Wideman has batted .271 with six RBIs and seven more stolen bases. Wideman, a career .288 batter with 61 stolen bases in two years as a professional, is currently ranked as the Padres’ No. 7 prospect by MLB.com.
Single-A
• Grant Burleson – A right-handed pitcher from Summertown, Tennessee, Burleson pitched one season for the Hilltoppers (2024) before getting picked by the Houston Astros in the 18th round (No. 553 overall) in the 2024 MLB Draft. Burleson made his professional debut the following season with the Fayetteville Woodpeckers in the Class A Carolina League, but made just two appearances before hg was sidelined with an injury. Burleson was placed on the 50-day injured list by Fayetteville on March 17 and has not pitched this season. In two career pro appearances, he is 1-1 with a 1.93 ERA with five strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings.
Independent
• Jacob Rhinesmith – A first-team All-Conference USA pick in his lone season at WKU 2018), Rhinesmith was picked by the Washington Nationals in the 18th round (551st overall) of the 2018 MLB Draft. A native of Shakopee, Minnesota, Rhinesmith topped out at Double-A in affiliated baseball with the Harrisburg Senators but has continued to put together a solid professional career in independent baseball and most recently in the Mexican League. This year, the outfielder has played for three teams in the Mexican League – Tabasco, Monclova and currently Chihuahua – and has tallied seven home runs and 26 RBIs in 60 games.
• Ray Zuberer III – A five-year player for WKU from 2017-21, the Owensboro native continues to find steady work in the independent leagues after going undrafted by MLB. After two seasons with the Florence Y’alls in the Frontier League, Zuberer has played the last three seasons as an outfielder-second baseman for the Lake Country DockHounds in the American Association and also played overseas with Canberra in the Australian Baseball league (2024-25). With Lake Country this season, Zuberer is batting .323 in 48 games with nine home runs, 41 RBIs and 13 stolen bases.
About Jeff Nations
Sports Editor, Bowling Green Daily News
