Martin opens season at Triple-A Iowa, while Croes, Boynton, Ray keep chasing professional dreams

QUINCY — Riley Martin continues inching closer to living out every baseball player’s boyhood dream.

Dayson Croes and Brock Boynton haven’t given up on their pursuit of that either.

And Johnny Ray is doing all he can to keep the dream alive.

The minor league and independent league seasons begin this week with four players with Quincy ties fighting to continue the climb to the big leagues.

Martin is the closest. The former Quincy University All-American pitcher will begin his fifth professional season with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs, who opened the season Friday night with a victory against the Omaha StormChasers.

The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma predicted on the “North Side Territory” podcast Martin would have an impact this season in the Chicago Cubs’ bullpen if he can limit the walks and miss some barrels. Martin made his season debut Saturday and allowed three runs on three walks with one strikeout in two-thirds of an inning.

The former Great Lakes Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year was a non-roster invitee to the Cubs’ spring training before being assigned to the minor league camp. He’s not on the 40-man roster, so some moves will need to be made as the season progresses for him to get called up, but the opportunity is closer than ever.

Croes is back with the Winnipeg Goldeyes in the American Association of Professional Baseball, resigning with the franchise for a third season. The two-time American Association All-Star and former Quincy University All-American has been one of the best hitters in the league the past two seasons.

Croes hit a team-leading .342 in 2024, with 22 doubles, five home runs and 51 RBIs. He led the Goldeyes with 128 hits, and defensively, he committed just six errors in 267 chances.

In 2023, the 25-year-old hit .351, good for fourth in the league, while his 135 hits were best in the 12-team-circuit. Croes has compiled a .347 career batting average with 118 RBIs in 187 career games.

Boynton, a former All-Great Lakes Valley Conference center fielder at Quincy University, was drafted by the Rocky Mountain Vibes after the Pioneer League tryouts. The franchise is located in Colorado Springs, Colo., and the season begins in May.

Ray is trying to rejuvenate his career after being released last August by the Winston-Salem Dash in the Chicago White Sox organization. The Quincy Notre Dame graduate, who is a right-handed pitcher drafted by the White Sox in 2021, signed a minor league contract March 6 with the Los Angeles Angels and was assigned to the Tri-City Dust Devils.

Last Tuesday, the Dust Devils, a High-A affiliate, released Ray. So he is back on the free-agent market and looking for another opportunity.