Racer Baseball Alumni Pro Update

Hayden Winja, Sam Gardner, Bryson Bloomer

8/16/2023 1:47:00 PM | Baseball

Hayden Winja, Sam Gardner & Bryson Bloomer lead a group of former Racers performing as pros

Several former Murray State Racers are competing this summer in professional baseball with pitchers Hayden Winja and Sam Gardner advancing to Class-A teams, while former infielder Bryson Bloomer is playing with the famously jocular Savannah Bananas.

Six former Racers are chasing their dreams of making the big leagues and they all are making the Murray State Baseball program known.

"I am so happy for these guys," said Murray State Head Coach Dan Skirka. "It has been amazing to watch each of them find their path to keep their dreams alive and each one of them have a unique experience to tell about. Many have overcome adversity and that has been inspiring to me. They are perfect examples of what the kind of players Racer Baseball produces. Players that have toughness and they compete at a high level."

(LHP) Hayden Wynja (Murray State 2022)- San Francisco Giants (High A Eugene Emeralds)
Out of Indianapolis, where he was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in 2017, Winja played for the Racers in the 2022 season where he was All-Ohio Valley Conference and was the ace of the MSU staff. He was fourth in the OVC with a 3.09 ERA in 43.2 innings pitch in league games. Currently pitching in the San Francisco Giants system for the Eugene Emeralds of the Northwest League in Advanced Class-A, as of Aug. 11, Winja has a 1.00 ERA in 18 innings and is 2-0. In 2023, Winja is 6-2 with a 3.42 ERA, with 80 strikeouts in 68.1 innings.

(RHP) Sam Gardner (Murray State 2020-2021) - Milwaukee Brewers (High A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers)
From Shelbyville, Tennessee, Gardner was an All-OVC righthander in 2021 where he won five games and ranked ninth in strikeouts. This summer, Gardner was promoted in the Milwaukee Brewers system to pitch for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers in High-A. As of Aug. 11, Gardner is 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA with 31 strikeouts in 25.2 innings as he had reinvented his career coming out of the bullpen.

(INF) Bryson Bloomer (Murray State 2020-22) – Savannah Bananas
Out of Lexington, Kentucky, Bloomer is playing with an organization that is like the baseball version of the Harlem Globetrotters. A traveling baseball team that is known as the fastest and most entertaining game of baseball. The Savannah Bananas and the Part Animals are akin to the Globetrotters and Washington Generals.

(RHP) Alec Whaley (Murray State 2018-2023) - Gateway Grizzlies - Frontier League
1-1, 3.75 ERA. 38 App. 36 IP, 28 H, 7 BB, 37 K

(LHP) Adrien Reese - (Murray State 2022) - Windy City Thunder Bolts – Frontier League
0-4, 6.53. 18 App, 40 IP, 48 H, 18 BB 39 K

(RHP) Ben Krizen (Murray State 2023) - (Utica Unicorns - United Shore Professional League
5.1 IP, 5.06 ERA, 10 K

(C) Alex Crump (Murray State 2020-2022) - Bloomfield Beavers – United Shore Professional League
26 G, 13 GS