French Players in the USA: A Mixed Report Card

How did French players fare in U.S. college and university baseball this spring?

A statistical roundup reveals just how tough it is to break through at this level.

Leading off, we spotlight Frontier College, where Maël Zan (the Montpellier native in his second year) made his presence felt: .341 in 48 games, 12 doubles, 2 triples, 10 home runs with 44 RBI, and 9 stolen bases. He had no fewer than 6 three-hit games and one four-hit game, plus a 2-for-2 game with 2 HR!

It was a bit tougher for his teammate, José Paula from Sénart. He went 0-for-18 at the plate (4 Ks). However, he had a 3-2 record on the mound. He pitched in 16 games, all in relief, for 40.1 IP, 14 BB, 18 K, and a 6.25 ERA. His best outing was 7.2 IP with 2 ER. He also had two five-inning games.

Paolo Brossier had a strong season with Middle Georgia State University. The Barracudas hit .272 in 50 games, scoring 32 runs and driving in 14. His speed was effective, as he stole 7 bases in 7 attempts. He drew 20 walks and struck out 34 times. He hit 5 doubles and 1 home run. He had a three-hit game and a four-game hitting streak with 2 hits each.

At Vernon College, Pierre-Emmanuel Planes also had a satisfying season, batting .315 in 48 games with 8 doubles, 1 HR, 31 RBI, 17 BB, and 26 K. He stole 4 bases and had 5 games with 4 hits or more. His teammate with the Lions, Lilian Amoros, was used sparingly with only 7 starts, going 1-3 with a 10.64 ERA. In 22 IP, he walked 11 and struck out 26. His longest outing was 5.2 IP (2 ER).

The two Huskies from Western Nebraska College had contrasting seasons. Joseph Toubeaux had a solid showing with a .275 average in 21 games and 51 at-bats. He hit 1 HR for 7 RBI and stole 5 bases. Used irregularly, he still played 4 straight games in early April, including a 2-for-4 game with 1 HR and 2 RBI. Thibault Mercadier went 0-2 in 9 games (2 starts) with an 11.49 ERA. In 24.1 IP, he had 11 BB and 21 K. In his two starts, he pitched 5 innings (4 ER) and 3 innings (6 ER). His best outing was his last, in relief, with 2 IP and 0 runs.

We wrap up our U.S. tour with Cochise College, where notable players like Sébastien Hervé, Gaspard Fessy, Kenji Hagiwara, Maxime Lefèvre have previously played. Mathias Lacombe (Toulouse) pitched 23 relief games with a 1-1 record and 3 saves. In 25 IP, he had 14 BB, 29 K, and a 5.04 ERA. He had two scoreless outings of 2 innings each. Ismaël Pontiac (Montpellier) pitched 14 relief innings, going 2-1. With a 3.75 ERA in 24 IP, he had 18 BB and 37 K. He had two scoreless outings of 2 innings each.

And while we’re talking about French players abroad, a word about Daniel Patrice, who is tearing it up in the Bundesliga in Munich with a .467 average, 13 RBI, 9 BB, and 15 K. Last year, he hit .275 with 12 doubles, 1 triple, and 5 HR, 40 RBIs, 17 BB, and 19 K.

François Colombier