Africans in the Majors & Minors: Mid-July Update

By DZ, with contributions from Gabriel Fidler. Filed 16 July 2024.

Tayler Scott once more steals the headline among Africans at the various levels of MLB. Houston has benefited from the breakout season by the 32-year-old South African, who has tossed shutout baseball for the past month. Elsewhere, Pirates’ prospect David Matoma went on the IL, while Ben Serunkuma had his best season interrupted with a poor outing to start July, but has since rebounded. Finally, the two Ugandan baseball players in the Draft League received a treat to end their season, as they attended the MLB All-Star Game and received some time on the field before and after.

Key
Name (age*), organization, country, team.
*Age is as of Sep. 1, 2024 (playing age this season).
Team Prospect Rankings: BA (Baseball America): #; FG (Fangraphs): #; MLB (MLB.com): #.

MLB (1)
Tayler Scott (32), Houston Astros. South Africa.
Scott has not allowed a run in the last month, pitching 11 times and registering four wins and two holds. The right-hander continues his breakout year, with a 1.36 ERA and a 6-3 record over 46.1 innings pitched. He has totaled 43 strikeouts and 22 walks.  

Rookie League, U.S. Complex Leagues (2)
David Matoma (18), Pittsburgh Pirates. Uganda. FCL Pirates. BA: Not listed; FG: 14; MLB: Not listed.
Matoma went on the injured list June 25. Until that point, he had pitched 18.1 innings in 11 games, striking out an eye-opening 24 batters, walking only seven, and giving up 13 hits.

Ben Serunkuma (22), Los Angeles Dodgers. Uganda. ACL Dodgers.The righty has allowed 15 hits in his last 7.2 innings, walking three and striking out seven, jumping his ERA from 3.27 to 7.30. However, most of the damage came in one six-run outing in early July, after which Serunkuma has posted seven Ks in six two-run frames. After a single A-ball appearance to open the 2024 season, he has pitched 18.2 innings for the Arizona complex team and has a 2-1 record with a hold. He has 17 strikeouts and 13 walks plus hit batters while allowing 25 hits.

Rookie League, Dominican Complex Leagues (1)
Allan Ajoti (18), Los Angeles Dodgers. Uganda. DSL Dodgers Mega.
The newly signed catcher is still on the restricted list, likely awaiting paperwork to begin his career officially.

MLB Draft Leagues (2)
Dennis Kasumba (20), Free Agent. Uganda. Frederick Keys.
Kasumba has received limited playing time in the last three weeks, going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts as a pinch hitter. However, the Gayaza native did receive the thrill of his young career when Sean Campbell, MLB Draft League President, brought Kasumba and Shawali Sherican to the MLB All-Star Game, assigning them to shag fly balls during batting practice. Afterwards, Salvador Pérez invited Kasumba to the field, where the young backstop met his hero, who donated his All-Star Game catcher’s equipment to the Ugandan. Pérez even remarked, “It meant a lot to me, given that I’m his favorite player. I’m super excited for that. I thank God that I had the opportunity to meet him.” For more, see MLB.com’s story.

Sempa Shawali Sherican (23), Free Agent. Uganda. Frederick Keys.
The elder of Frederick’s two Ugandan players has continued to struggle in his rookie year in the U.S., walking seven batters and sending down just one on strikes in the three innings he has thrown since our last update. Shawali Sherican has, however, permitted only two hits and has not thrown a wild pitch or plunked anyone in that time. Given the advanced nature of the competition, though, the experience is significant. With the Draft League changing format in the second half, both Gayazans will return to Uganda