CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Twenty-six Appalachian League alumni will begin their 2026 campaigns at the MLB Desert Invitational. 2024 Appalachian League Pitcher of the Year Brock Toney (Grand Canyon) is among former Appy League stars at this year’s event.
For more details on the 2026 Desert Invitational, click here. The complete list of Appy League alumni at the Desert Invitational is listed below.
Connecticut (1)
- Steve Thomas - Tri-State 2024
Grand Canyon (4)
- Troy Sanders - Pulaski 2023
- Kade Huff - Elizabethton 2023-24
- Brock Toney - Greeneville 2024
- Jace Smith - Greeneville 2025
Iowa (1)
- Kellen Strohmeyer - Pulaski 2023
Kansas State (12)
- Cohen Feser - Bristol 2022
- Shea McGahan - Kingsport 2022-23
- Nick English - Bluefield 2024
- Kyan Lodice - Bristol 2024
- James Guyette - Danville 2024
- Adam Arther - Elizabethton 2024
- Billy Eich - Kingsport 2024
- Miles Smith - Bristol 2024-25
- Cadyn Karl - Elizabethton 2024-25
- Donte Lewis - Elizabethton 2025
- Chandler Murray - Tri-State 2025
- Ty Smolinski - Tri-State 2025
Nebraska (3)
- Cooper Katskee - Bluefield 2023
- Nico Newhan - Kingsport 2024
- Carter Kelley - Pulaski 2025
Northeastern (1)
- Matt Sapienza - Bluefield 2021
Penn State (4)
- Kyle Emmons - Burlington 2024
- Spencer Barnett - Tri-State 2024
- Avery Smith - Burlington 2025
- Preston Yaucher - Burlington 2025
About the Appalachian League
Founded in 1911, the Appalachian League is one of the longest-running baseball leagues in history. The Appy League is the only collegiate summer league under MLB and USA Baseball’s Prospect Development Pipeline (“PDP”) and is an integral part of the identification and development process for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Teams and other future National teams.
For more information about the Appalachian League, visit appyleague.com or follow @appyleague & @appyleaguedata on X, and @appyleague on Instagram.
