Former Clemson and Florence RedWolves star Tyler Colvin (photo courtesy of Steve Green and the Chicago Cubs) earned a call up to Chicago earlier this week, making his Major League debut with the Cubs in their 10-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers Monday night.

That night, Colvin went 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI, and has since added another hit, a run scored and another walk to his still-new MLB resume.

Colvin becomes the 34th alum of the Coastal Plain League to make it to the Majors, and the third in 2009. Furthermore, he is the eighth former RedWolves player to make his debut.

In 2004, Colvin joined Florence late after a long postseason run by Clemson, and finished the summer season batting .179 through 29 games for the RedWolves. In that time, he racked up five doubles to go with eight RBIs and six runs scored. Futhermore, in three postseason games for Florence, Colvin batted .333 with a run scored and a pair of stolen bases.

The 13th overall pick in the 2006 MLB Draft by the Cubs, Colvin started out his professional career with the Boise Hawks of the Northwest League. He spent the 2007 season between Daytona and Double-A Tennessee, and was a common face for the Smokies in 2008, where he batted .256 with 14 home runs, 80 RBIs and 68 runs scored. After recovering from Tommy John surgery, Colvin again started with the Daytona Cubs in 2009, but was quickly shipped back up to Tennessee. Prior to joining the Big League club, Colvin hit .300 in 84 games for the Smokies with 14 homers, 50 RBIs, and 51 runs scored, and he went on to be named the Southern League Player of the Month in August. 

The Coastal Plain League is the nation’s hottest summer collegiate baseball league. Heading into its 14th season, the Coastal Plain League features 14 teams playing in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. The CPL gives college players the chance to refine their skills with the use of wooden bats. Players are housed with local host families for the summer and past experiences have been very positive for both players and hosts. For more information on the Coastal Plain League, please visit the league website at www.coastalplain.com.

Justin Sellers

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