BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Seth Johnson changed teams at the MLB trading deadline while fellow Campbell alumni Cedric Mullins, Zach Neto and Ryan Thompson continued to perform on Major League rosters as the 2026 regular season entered its final two months.
In addition, 10 Campbell alumni are on affiliated minor league rosters, while Allan Winans, after spending parts of the last three seasons in the big leagues with the Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees, continued his professional career on the top level in Japan.
Campbell Alumni in Pro Baseball – 2026
Major Leagues
Seth Johnson | Athletics
The Athletics acquired Johnson from the Philadelphia Phillies on Aug. 3 in exchange for outfielder Colby Thomas. Johnson, 27, was the 40th overall pick by the Rays in the 2019 Draft before getting traded to the Orioles in 2022 and to the Phillies in '24. Johnson has seen big league action with Philadelphia in each of the past three seasons. This year, he posted a 5.51 ERA in 16 relief appearances with the Phillies, including 20 strikeouts and 14 walks in 16 1/3 innings.
According to MLB.com, Johnson's fastball velocity (97-98 mph) and a wipeout slider gives him the ability to generate swing-and-miss results. He will likely get a chance to slot into an A's bullpen that is looking for young arms to establish themselves as pieces beyond this season.
Johnson also made 26 relief appearances at AAA Lehigh Valley this season in the Phillies organization. He compiled a 1-1 record with a 2.17 ERA, six saves, 11 walks and 40 strikeouts in 29 frames.
Named the No. 12 prospect in the Phillies system, Johnson has made 134 career minor league appearances (66 starts), posted a 15-23 record, 3.13 ERA and fanned 382 batters in 333.1 innings. He made his major league debut with the Phillies on Sept. 8, 2024.
In one season at Campbell (2019) after transferring from Louisburg JC, Johnson made 14 appearances, including 11 starts, while posting a 3-3 record with 85 strikeouts across 66.1 innings.
Cedric Mullins | Tampa Bay Rays
Now in his ninth major league season, Mullins has posted a .204 batting average with a .281 on-base percentage and slugged .360 in 97 games with the Tampa Bay Rays. He has hit 13 home runs with 35 RBI and 17 stolen bases while posting a .992 fielding percentage.
After spending his first eight seasons as the starting center fielder for the Baltimore Orioles, Mullins was traded to the New York Mets on July 31, 2025 in exchange for three pitching prospects. He signed a free agent contract with the Rays during the offseason.
Over his 9-year MLB career, Mullins is batting .243 with 116 homers, 372 RBI, 164 steals and a .992 fielding percentage in 923 games.
He was Baltimore's 15th-round pick in the 2015 draft and made his major league debut on Aug. 10, 2018. Mullins was the starting center fielder for the American League in the 2021 All-Star Game and won a Silver Slugger Award after becoming the first Orioles player to hit at least 30 home runs (30) and steal 30 bases (37) in the same season since the franchise moved from St. Louis to Baltimore in 1954.
In his only season at Campbell after transferring from Louisburg JC, Mullins batted a team-leading .340 with 59 runs scored and an astounding 34 extra base hits in 2015. He tallied 23 doubles with seven triples and four home runs, tacking on 23 stolen bases. Mullins was named Second Team Atlantic All-Region by the American Baseball Coaches Association and Second Team All-Big South.
Zach Neto | Los Angeles Angels
The Angels' top pick in the 2022 draft, Neto is in his fourth season as the team's everyday shortstop. He is batting .230 with 21 doubles, 19 home runs and 47 RBI plus 14 stolen bases in 109 games during the 2026 campaign. Neto owns a .320 OPB and slugging .426 this season.
After only 48 minor league games, he was called up to the Angels and made his MLB debut on Apr. 15, 2023. The 13th overall pick in 2022, Neto has played in played in 476 career major league games and slashed .243/.317/.437 with 101 doubles, 77 homers, 220 RBI and 75 stolen bases.
Neto won back-to-back Big South player of the year honors in 2021 and 2022 and was the tournament MVP in '23. The highest draft pick in program history and was a unanimous 2022 All-American choice. The Miami native slashed .403/.500/.751 in 100 career games at Campbell, where he set the school's all-time batting average record among hitters with 300 ABs, second all-time in OBP and slugging.
Ryan Thompson | Arizona Diamondbacks
Thompson is now in his seventh big league season and fourth with the Diamondbacks. He has appeared in 45 games this year with a 4-2 record, 4.24 ERA, and 29 strikeouts in 40.1 innings. Originally selected by Houston in the 23rd round of the 2014 MLB draft, he has pitched in two World Series – in 2020 for the Tampa Bay Rays and 2023 for Arizona.
Since making his MLB debut on July 24, 2020 with the Rays, Thompson has made 299 pitching appearances with a 22-18 record, eight saves, a 3.64 ERA and 237 Ks in 281.2 innings.
In two seasons at Campbell, Thompson led the Camels to back-to-back Big South title games and the program's first league championship in 24 years in 2014. The 2013 Big South pitcher of the year after leading the Camels to a 49-10 record and the conference regular season title, he was named tournament MVP one year later.
Thompson was inducted into the Campbell Athletics Hall of Fame on Jan. 24, 2026.
Minor Leagues
Thomas Harrington | AAA | Indianapolis Indians (Pittsburgh Pirates)
A first-round pick in 2022, Harrington has converted to a relief pitcher in his fourth season in the Pirates chain. He was called up by Pittsburgh on July 10, but did not pitch before being optioned to AAA Indianapolis one day later.
Harrington opened the 2026 season with Pittsburgh's top minor league affiliate at Indianapolis. Tabbed as the number three prospect in the Pirates organization, Harrington made his major league debut on April 1, 2025 and was called up twice by the parent club. He has appeared in three games with Pittsburgh, including his first career MLB start against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Harrington has compiled a 0-1 won-lost record with a 15.58 ERA and seven strikeouts in 8.2 innings on the major league level. He was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis on Aug. 2. With Indianapolis, he posted a 7-9 mark with a 5.34 ERA and 90 Ks in 96.0 innings over 21 appearances (20 starts).
In his first three professional seasons, Harrington has made 69 pitching appearances in the minors (67 starts) and posted a 21-18 record, 3.73 ERA and 351 whiffs in 340.2 frames.
Drafted in the first round (36th overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2022, Harrington received a $2 million signing bonus. He was named the Big South freshman of the year in 2021 and the Big South pitcher of the year in 2022. In his final year at CU, the All-American led the nation with 12 wins (12-2) with a 2.53 ERA and 0.94 WHIP. He struck out a program-record 111 batters while walking just 18.
Spencer Packard | AAA | Tacoma Rainiers (Seattle Mariners)
A non-roster invitee to MLB spring training with the Mariners for the second straight year, Packard opened the 2026 season with the AAA Tacoma Rainiers. He is batting .277 with 5 home runs and 25 RBI while posting a .395 OBP and slugging .418 for the Mariners' top farm club.
A ninth-round choice of the Seattle Mariners in the 2021 draft, Packard reached AAA for the first time in the '24 season. In 478 minor league games over his first six seasons, the 2021 All-American owned a .284/.391/.434 slash line with 97 doubles, 53 homers and 305 RBI.
As a senior in 2021, Packard ranked fourth in the nation and first in the Big South Conference with 67 RBI on his way to earning second-team All-America honors. He helped lead Campbell to NCAA Regional finals in 2019 and 2021.
Ty Cummings | AA | Arkansas Travelers (Seattle Mariners)
Cummings opened the 2026 season with Double-A Montgomery in the Tampa Bay system before he was traded back to Seattle on April 24. With the AA Arkansas Travelers, Cummings has compiled a 3-0 record with a 4.93 ERA and 1 save in 25 relief appearances while striking out 30 batters in 38.1 innings.
Now in his third MiLB season, Cummings has fashioned a 15-9 record over 82 career appearances (45 starts) with a 3.84 ERA, 1 save and 252 whiffs in 283.1 innings.
Chosen in the seventh round of the 2023 draft, Seattle dealt him to the Rays on Oct. 4, 2024. The right-handed hurler was Campbell's most-used bullpen arm over his three seasons (2021-23), making 74 total appearances, good for the sixth-most total appearances in program history. Cummings logged 135 total strikeouts in 154.1 innings of work with a career 4.37 ERA while earning Big South all-conference honors twice.
Cade Kuehler | High-A | Rome Emperors (Atlanta Braves)
After spending the entire 2025 season on the injured list after surgery on his pitching arm, Kuehler has returned to action in 2026 with the High-A Rome (Ga.) Emperors. He has posted a 9-5 record with a 5.97 ERA over 20 appearances (19 starts) with 65 strikeouts in 86 innings.
Chosen by Atlanta in the 2nd round (70th overall) of the 2023 draft, Kuehler owns a 12-11 career record in the minors with a 4.87 ERA over 34 outings (33 starts) with 121 Ks in 146 innings.
Kuehler was an All-Big South first-team pitcher in 2023, going 8-1 with a team-best 2.71 ERA. He compiled 243 career strikeouts, the third-most in program history and the only pitcher in the program's top 10 to reach that mark in just three seasons.
Cole Peschl | High-A | Cedar Rapids Kernels (Minnesota Twins)
Peschl is in his second pro season in the Twins chain. He has compiled a 3-1 record with a 3.50 ERA and one save over 30 appearances, all in relief, this year for High-A Cedar Rapids. Peschl has fanned 44 batters in 54 innings.
Over his minor league career, Peschl sports an 8-3 mark, 2.93 ERA and two saves over 45 outings (11 starts) with 111 strikeouts in 122.2 frames.
Chosen in the 15th round of the '24 draft by the Minnesota Twins, the right-handed led the Camels with 83 strikeouts over 69 innings and made 16 starts with a 3-3 record and 5.48 ERA in 2024, his only season at CU.
Grant Knipp | Single-A | Inland Empire 66ers (Seattle Mariners)
After spending the entire 2025 season on the injured list after undergoing surgery, Knipp opened the '26 campaign by making seven pitching appearances (one start) for the Inland Empire 66ers, the single-A affiliate of the Mariners. He struck out 11 batters in 7.1 innings with a 0-0 record and 4.91 ERA before going on the injured list on June 16..
Knipp was selected by Seattle as a two-way player in the sixth round of the 2024 draft. Despite playing in only 29 games due to injury, Knipp was named first-team All-CAA in 2024 after batting .402/.547/1.029 with 18 home runs and 46 RBI. On the mound, he had a 1.59 ERA and two saves in six relief appearances. After signing with the Mariners on July 23, Knipp did not play in any games during the 2024 minor league season. A 6-foot-2 catcher, Knipp was named first-team all-conference and the 2023 Big South tournament MVP.
Jake Murray | Single-A | Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (Minnesota Twins)
Murray opened the 2026 campaign with Minnesota's single-A affiliate in the Florida State League. With the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels, the lefty has recorded a 5-2 mark with one save and a 6.37 ERA in 24 relief appearances. Murray struck out 45 batters over his first 29.2 professional innings.
After earning All-CAA honorable mention recognition in 2025, Murray signed a minor league free agent contract with the Minnesota Twins organization.
He led the 2025 Camels with 15 starts and fanned a team-high 82, which tied for third in the CAA. Murray finished the season with a 4-2 record, 4.68 ERA over 59.2 innings and held opponents to a .220 average. Murray finished his 3-season Campbell career with a 4.60 ERA in 38 appearances, making 19 starts. He pitched a total of 101.2 innings holding opponents to a .212 batting average.
Derek Vartanian | Single-A | Augusta GreenJackets (Atlanta Braves)
Like Knipp, Vartanian missed the entire 2025 campaign due to injury, but started the '26 season on the active roster of the single-A Augusta GreenJackets in the Carolina League. He has compiled a 3-5 record with a 3.89 ERA over 16 games (15 starts) with 79 strikeouts in 85.2 innings.
In his only season at Campbell (2024) after transferring from Gaston College, Vartanian posted a 1-2 record with a 7.36 ERA and 15 strikeouts over 11 innings in three games before sitting out the rest of the year due to injury. He was signed by the Braves to a minor league free agent contract in 2024.
David Rossow | Rookie | ACL Athletics (Athletics)
The 2026 CAA pitcher of the year was chosen in the seventh round (201st overall) by the Athletics in the MLB draft. He was assigned to the ACL Athletics in the Arizona Rookie League on July 28. The right-hander was named All-American, Academic All-American and first-team All-CAA after posting a 10-2 record with a 2.53 ERA and 104 strikeouts to claim the CAA statistics pitching "Triple Crown" by leading the league in wins, ERA and Ks.
Over his three-year Campbell career, Rossow posted a 17-7 record with a 4.08 ERA over 37 games (24 starts) with 162 strikeouts over 136.2 innings.
Camden Wimbish | Rookie | ACL Dodgers (Los Angeles Dodgers)
Wimbish was selected with the 523rd over pick in the 17th round of the 2026 MLB draft by the Dodgers. He was assigned to the ACL Dodgers in the Arizona Rookie League on July 27. A right-handed pitcher, Wimbish finished the 2026 season with a 2-2 record, a 5.61 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 51.1 innings pitched for the CAA South Division champs. The Locust, N.C., native spent his first two collegiate seasons at NC State before transferring to Campbell.
Overseas
Allan Winans | Saitama Seibu Lions | Nippon Professional Baseball (Japan)
After splitting the last three seasons between AAA and the big leagues, Winans signed with the Saitama Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball, the top level in Japan. He has posted a 2-3 record with a 4.19 ERA and 35 strikeouts over 38.2 innings during his first season in Japan.
Over three seasons in the majors, Winans produced a 1-5 record with a 7.48 ERA and 44 strikeouts over 49.1 innings with the Yankees and Braves.
In seven seasons in organized ball, Winans' made 149 minor league pitching appearances (63 starts) and owned a 32-22 record, 2.70 ERA and 483 Ks in 513.1 innings plus 16 saves. Originally a 17th round selection of the New York Mets in the 2018 draft, the Braves claimed him off waivers on Dec. 8, 2021. Winans made his MLB debut on July 22, 2023 with the Braves.
The Big South pitcher of the year in 2018, Winans posted a 6-4 record with a 2.73 ERA and 96 strikeouts in just 82 innings for the Camels. He turned in 10 quality starts, and his 10.49 Ks per 9 innings that season was a program record at the time.
