Fleming Promoted to Triple A

Thanks to an 11-4 record, a 3.31 ERA, 92 strikeouts and just 19 walks in nearly 128 innings of work at Double-A Montgomery, former Webster University All-American pitcher Josh Fleming earned a promotion to Triple-A Durham in the International League on Tuesday.
 
Fleming, who was a fifth-round selection and the 139th overall pick in 2017 MLB Draft by the Tampa Bay Rays, has made a rapid rise in the Tampa Bay Rays organization after making his debut with Princeton (W.Va.) in the Appalachian League in the summer of 2017.
 
Since beginning his professional career, Fleming has posted a 21-10 record and a 3.26 ERA in 52 appearances and 43 starts. He has thrown four career complete games, including three this season at Double-A Montgomery and in 273 career innings, he has allowed 261 hits, 114 runs, struck out 198 and walked just 45 opposing hitters. He has a career WHIP of 1.12 and opposing hitters are hitting .251 against the left-handed pitcher.
 
This season, Fleming has really blossomed as he is 11-4 with a 3.31 ERA with Montgomery of the Double-A Southern League. In 127.2 innings of work, Fleming has tossed three complete games and one shutout, while walking 19 and striking out 92 hitters for the Biscuits, who are in first place in the Southern League's North Division.
 
During his time with Montgomery this season, Fleming was named a mid-season All-Star in the Southern Division and was also named the league's Pitcher of the Week on July 28 after pitching back-to-back nine-inning complete games for the Biscuits.
 
Fleming is joining a Durham team that is currently sporting a 67-52 overall record and are 2.5 games behind the Gwinnett Stripers for first place in the International League South Division. Gwinnett is the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. The Bulls, though, lead the IL's wild-card standings by 2.5 games over the Charlotte Knights, who are the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox.
 
Over his last nine appearances in Montgomery, Fleming went 6-1 with a 2.70 ERA. In those nine appearances, he allowed 50 hits, 18 earned runs, walked nine and struck out 37 and tossed two complete games and pitched at least six innings in seven of those nine appearances.
 
Fleming was promoted to Montgomery after a stellar year of professional baseball playing for Single-A for both Bowling Green (Ky.) and Port Charlotte (Fla.) in 2018. In 2018, Fleming went a combined 9-4 with a 2.53 ERA playing for both Low A Bowling Green and High A Charlotte last season. 

The former D3Baseball.com Pitcher of the Year in 2017 began his profession in the summer of 2017 with the Rays Rookie League team in Princeton of the Appalachian League. At Princeton, Fleming went 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA as he appeared in 12 games and made nine starts. In 35 innings of work, Fleming allowed 42 hits, 23 runs (21 earned runs), while walking seven and striking 26 and posted a WHIP of 1.40. 

STORY COURTESY OF WEBSTER UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION