GOODYEAR, Ariz. – Former Jacksonville University baseball pitcher Spencer Stockton became the ninth JU product to join a Major League Baseball team's minor league system, signing a free agent deal with the Cincinnati Reds.
 
Stockton, who spent the spring with the Utica Unicorns of the United Shore Professional Baseball League, heads to Goodyear, Arizona to start his MiLB career with the AZL Reds of the Rookie-level Arizona League.
 
"I'd attribute it to having a really good support system within my family and friends who kept pushing me to play despite the odds being against me," said Stockton about the opportunity.
 
Stockton, a four-year member of the Dolphins from 2015-18, led the USPBL with 46 strikeouts in 45 innings of work, and earned the start for the East All-Stars after posting a 2.60 ERA in the first half of the season. Three days after fanning three at the All-Star Game, he got the call from the Reds organization, and flew out to Arizona the very next day.
 
The Wellington, Fla. native pitched in a variety of roles for JU throughout the years, serving as a primary reliever as a freshman, before moving to the weekend rotation as a sophomore, sliding into the closer role his junior year and again starting on weekends as a senior. He started Jacksonville's 4-3 win over North Florida in the ASUN Championship in 2018, tossing 8.1 innings to get the win. He also got the start in the Gainesville Regional against one-seed Florida in the winner's bracket game, going toe-to-toe with first-round draft pick Brady Singer in the close affair.
 
The righthander was a two-time Second Team All-ASUN selection, and also made the All-Freshman Team in 2015.