15 Former Atlantic Leaguers in Major League Spring Training Camps

While this number most likely will increase via late additions or one-day visits, the Atlantic League leads all Independent Baseball leagues with an impressive 15 of its former players in major league spring training camps. Four of the players have the coveted 40-man roster spots while the other 11 are non-roster invitees, regardless of whether they already have major league experience.

Arizona, Baltimore and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have two players apiece. Newark has five of its former players on the list and Camden has three, with nine teams represented, including former entries Atlantic City, Nashua and the traveling Road Warriors.

The entire list of former Atlantic League players in major league camps with their current team and the teams they played for in the AL follow. Those on 40-man rosters are designated with an asterisk (*):

PITCHERS (8)--Greg Burke, San Diego (Atlantic City); *Alberto Castillo, Baltimore (Camden, Newark, Road Warriors); *Brendan Donnelly, Pittsburgh (Nashua); *Nelson Figueroa, New York-NL (Long Island); John Halama, Milwaukee (Long Island, Southern Maryland); Oneli Perez, St. Louis (Newark); Vince Perkins, Chicago-NL (Camden); R. J. Swindle, Tampa Bay (Newark).

CATCHERS (2)--Michel Hernandez, Baltimore (Somerset); Mike Rivera, New York-AL (Atlantic City).

INFIELDER (2)--*Stephen Drew, Arizona (Camden); Ed Rogers, Arizona (Bridgeport).

OUTFIELDERS (3)--Cory Aldridge, Los Angeles-AL (Newark); Jacque Jones, Minnesota (Newark); Michael Ryan, Los Angeles-AL (Somerset).

Figueroa Gets a Jump

Nelson Figueroa, who came to camp with a head start because he had been pitching winter baseball, got off to a solid beginning in his quest to land a starting job with the New York Mets by starting and hurling two shutout innings in the very first major league game of spring training. The right-hander, who once worked briefly for the Long Island Ducks, allowed two hits and two walks while striking out three in the Mets' 4-2 win over the Atlanta Braves.

Halama Likely to Get a Long Look

John Halama has several things going for him as he tries to get back to the major leagues for the first time since family issues took him away after 2006 when he was 3-1 in 17 appearances with Baltimore which ran his career record in the bigs to 56-48. We can point to such reasons why we expect the 38-year-old to get a long look from Milwaukee as he had a respectable year under Brewers Manager Ken Macha in Oakland in 2003 (3-5, 4.22), he was impressive in winter baseball, he told the blog BrewersBeat.com "I'm clear-minded" after handling family matters and he is a much valued commodity, a southpaw.

Halama was 12-2 during significant parts of the last two seasons with Southern Maryland, including a nifty 8-1, 1.96 season in 10 starts for Butch Hobson's Blue Crabs in 2009. Halama was 8-10 in 26 starts for Long Island in 2007.