Duke in the MLB: Stroman makes All-Star game, Jarvis and Loperfido hit rough patches

At the midway point of the professional season, the Blue Zone takes a look at some former Blue Devils that are separating themselves from the pack:

Marcus Stroman, P, Chicago Cubs

The Blue Devils have an All-Star. This past weekend, Stroman was announced as a National League All-Star, the second selection of his career, with the other coming in 2019. So far this season, the former Duke ace has been nothing short of spectacular, a major bright spot on a struggling Chicago team. Entering July, Stroman is sporting a 2.76 ERA through 18 starts, while already striking out 92 batters. With the trade deadline looming at the end of the month, the right-hander is a major candidate to be dealt to a contender searching to bolster their rotation, especially after the recent news that the Cubs will not pursue a contract extension for their ace. Stroman is next scheduled to start Thursday against Milwaukee. The Duke faithful can also see their former standout during All-Star weekend, with the game scheduled for July 11 in Seattle. 

Bryce Jarvis, P, Reno Aces (Arizona Diamondbacks’ Triple-A affiliate)

Jarvis has continued to have an up-and-down stint in AAA ball, struggling to consistently find a rhythm in his starts. In his most recent start Thursday, the former Blue Devil ace went five innings, giving up seven hits and four earned runs. Unfortunately for Reno, their defense also had a hard time backing Jarvis up, allowing four more unearned runs to cross the plate. So far, the right-hander has made 12 starts in AAA, going 3-5 and holding a 6.67 ERA. Jarvis has also struck out 59 batters while issuing 32 walks in Reno. Between AA and AAA, the former Blue Devil has a 6.10 ERA through 15 starts on the year. If his play doesn’t improve, Jarvis could soon see himself demoted back down to AA. 

Joey Loperfido, CF, Corpus Christi Hooks (Houston Astros’ Double-A affiliate)

Loperfido, who has had a solid year in AA up to this point, struggled to match his past production this week. In his most recent four game series against the Midland Rockhounds, the former Blue Devil lineup staple could only manage three hits in 14 at-bats. Loperfido did also have two RBIs and one run scored to add on to his performance. Despite his .214 batting average in the past week, Loperfido still sports a respectable .287 batting average on the season along with a .394 on base percentage and 13 home runs.