WASHINGTON - Former GU baseball players Tim Adleman (N'10) and Nick Collins both recently completed the long and grueling season that is professional baseball. Until this summer, the two of them have held the distinct mark as being the only former Hoyas currently in organized professional baseball. That all changed in June and July when the baseball program saw three more alums turn pro, giving Georgetown a program-record five in professional baseball.

Adleman completed his third season in the Cincinnati Reds organization, while Collins was an eighth round pick in 2015 by the Oakland Athletics and just finished his first full professional season. They were joined by Matt Smith (B'16) and David Ellingson - who were drafted in June by the Milwaukee Brewers and Seattle Mariners, respectively - and Curtiss Pomeroy (C'16), who signed a free agent deal in July with the New York Yankees.

"I think it is great," Adleman said of having five Hoyas playing professionally. "It's great for Coach Wilk and it's great for the program. To see some of the hard work by him and his staff and obviously the players in the program paying off, it's a great feeling. I know it is the direction he wanted to take it when he took over."

"It says a lot," Collins added. "The program is headed in the right direction and a lot of good talent has come out of there the past few years and it's showing now. Scouts are starting to realize and come out to games more. Coach Wilk is doing a good job of getting guys into good summer ball programs that allow them to get noticed and then scouts come out in the spring to watch them play. It says a lot about what Coach Wilk has done. Not only him but also the guys he brings in for his staff. They are getting guys seen and ready for the next level."

Collins and Adleman never played together on the Hilltop, but their paths crossed this summer as professionals while they were both in Arizona rehabbing injuries. Coach Wilk arranged for the pair - and Smith who had just made his debut with Milwaukee's Arizona League team - to get together for a dinner. For Smith and Collins, it was a chance for former classmates and battery mates to reconnect and for the two younger players to pick the brain of a big league pitcher.

"That was great," Collins said. "Tim had us out to dinner and we got to sit down and talk. We got to ask him some questions about what the big league atmosphere was like and all that. Just being able to hear it firsthand, especially from a guy who went through Georgetown's program playing under Coach Wilk was really cool. And obviously being able to catch up with Matt after not seeing him in a while was pretty neat. That was definitely a really cool experience and I'm glad Coach Wilk put it together."

"It was a fun time," Adleman recalled. "They were interested in my debut so we talked about that for a little bit. It turned out to be just as good for the two of those guys to catch up since they were in the same class and Nick left a year early. I got a couple details from them about the program and how it was going and how the guys on the team were. I was prepared to field a bunch of questions and give them any advice that they were seeking, but it turned out to be just a good time of them catching up and me getting to know both of them a little bit."

Adleman -- Hard Work and Perseverance Pays Off
It has been seven years since Adleman donned a Georgetown uniform. After starting the 2016 season with triple-A Louisville, he made his long-awaited major league debut on May 1, 2016 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He picked up his first win in his second start against the Milwaukee Brewers on May 6, going five innings and allowing just one run on four hits with four strikeouts.

In the fourth inning of his fourth start against Cleveland, Adleman felt a twinge in his left oblique. An oblique injury for a pitcher can be very tricky as the muscle is used so much in the pitching motion. Adleman was forced to go on the disabled list and returned to the Reds' spring training facility in Arizona.

"It felt like a really long process," Adleman said. "I worked hard to get the opportunity to be in the rotation and pitch up there with the Reds and, shortly into that stint, I got hurt. The Reds were really good to me and allowed me to take my time and I think the timetable they gave me allowed me to really come back strong and have a chance to come back and rejoin the team at some point later in the year."

After nearly two months in Arizona, Adleman was sent back to Louisville on a rehab assignment in early July. He was on a strict pitch limit over the first few starts while he built up his arm strength. When his rehab time was over, the Reds did not have a roster spot open and he was optioned back to Louisville. Adleman responded by allowing just one run and striking out 15 over his next three starts, throwing at least seven innings in each.

"I think I did gain some confidence from the short stint up in the majors. If I could get those guys out, then certainly I could go back and pick up where I left off in triple-A. There was also a lot of familiarity with the catchers down there. I just got comfortable throwing to a couple of guys down there, had some good defense and felt good coming off the injury -- felt fresh. "

The Reds recalled Adleman on August 19 to face the Los Angeles Dodgers in Cincinnati. The game carried extra significance as, not only was he back in the big leagues, but Georgetown Head Coach Pete Wilk was in attendance to see his first former player in a major league uniform. Adleman did not disappoint, pitching five shutout innings with three strikeouts to pick up the win against the eventual National League West Champions. He also picked up his first career hit, a two-run double.

"It was pretty special to be the first guy that he coached at Georgetown to make the big leagues. Again, I think that speaks to where the program is headed and hopefully there is somebody else in the next short period that gets up there and he is able to see them play. Just a really fun experience to have somebody who played a big role for my career be there for when I was able to make the major leagues. I was really glad he was able to make it."

A month later, Adleman was at Wrigley Field pitching against the Chicago Cubs, the eventual World Series Champions. He blanked the national league's top offense for six innings before giving up a pair of solo home runs in the seventh. He struck out five while receiving a no decision. Cubs manager Joe Maddon was impressed with Adleman's performance, and said so in his postgame press conference.

"It was an honor to have someone that is that well respected in baseball say positive things about you and where you come from. Hopefully that is another note for the program moving in the right direction. I don't know if that is something that will be very effective in recruiting, but to have somebody like that, who is on a big stage now with the Cubs, say something positive and mention Georgetown as well, it was pretty cool."

Less than two weeks later Adleman got a second chance at the Cubs, this time in Cincinnati, in the second-to-last game of the season. He was not as sharp but still outdueled Chicago's Jon Lester, who was going for his 20th win, for five innings and picked up his fourth win of the season.

"As a whole, I was pretty pleased with how the season went with the exception of an outing or two. As someone who is making their debut and having their first year in the big leagues, there are going to be some times where you let the name on the back of the jersey creep into your mind a little bit and you try to get a bit too fine and get yourself in trouble. I think that's what happened in a couple of outings. Other than that, I don't have too many complaints."

This offseason has been different for Adleman. A non-prospect in years past, he is now on the radar and will look to battle for a spot on the major league roster out of spring training next season. The plan is to work harder than he has in the past and improve on what he can to find a niche that will keep him in the major leagues. But for now, Adleman has been having fun watching postseason baseball as a member of the big league brethren.

"It is really a fun feeling seeing guys that you faced and that you might face next year in parks that you played in and you're able to offer some insight as to what is going on. It is rewarding seeing some of those guys on TV and being like `I pitched that guy pretty tough' or `he's a really good hitter but I think I held my own against him.'"

Collins -- 2016 a Season to Learn and Forget
Collins, an eighth round draft pick by the Oakland Athletics in the 2015 draft following his junior year, entered his first full professional season in 2016. Following a good showing in spring training, he broke camp with the Beloit Snappers, the Athletics' low-A squad in Beloit, Wisconsin. However, Collins struggled at the start of the regular season, partially due to the cold, April weather in America's Dairyland.

"I think I was pressing a little bit," Collins said. "Plus, playing in that cold weather, pitchers have the upper hand. A bunch of guys were starting off slow up there. I started off slow and then I started to press a little bit - trying to do too much. Then I sat down and calmed down a little bit and I started to swing a little bit better and that's when I got hurt."

On May 12, Collins owned a .169 batting average but was 2-for-2 with a single and two-run home run to start the game. However, in the top of the sixth inning, Collins' season changed on a play at home plate. With two runners on, a base hit scored one run while the second runner attempted to score. Collins caught the relay throw, which was slightly up the first base line and dove back to apply the tag. While the runner was out, his cleat caught on Collins' glove, injuring his left thumb.

"They ran an ultrasound and saw that my ulnar collateral ligament was sprained pretty badly. They sent me back to Arizona to see the hand specialist, to get an MRI. That's when they found I had also torn the volar plate at the base of my thumb. I was in a splint for almost two months and was down in Arizona rehabbing it. It was definitely a frustrating process."

He was in Arizona through mid July, rehabbing and waiting for the training staff to clear him to play again. When he finally got the go-ahead, Oakland sent Collins to their New York-Penn League team in Vermont where he was an all-star in 2015. The roster limitations in Vermont were different than in Beloit and Collins could go through his rehab progressions without taking up a valuable roster spot. The plan was for Collins to work his way back to be able to catch every day and then rejoin Beloit. However, a couple of setbacks, from the general wear-and-tear of catching and a few unfortunate foul tips, delayed his progression.

"It got to the point that I would catch once every three games just to get work in and get at-bats, but not crush my thumb too much because it would swell up on me if I caught back-to-back days. It was just a whole thing. If I had gone back up to Beloit and not been able to catch except for every few days it kind of would have put a hindrance on that roster because they only carried two catchers on that roster.

"It lingered the rest of the season. It really did. It was frustrating having to deal with it. I'd have to tape it up to go out and catch, and then have to come back in and untape it to hit, then tape it back up to go back out to catch. Its about the worst spot it could have been on my catching hand. If it was on my throwing hand and it would have been fine - I could have worked through it."

Collins spent the rest of the season in Vermont, playing in 23 games. His hitting struggles continued as he finished with a .165 average and just two home runs for the entire year. Much of his hitting troubles, especially after the injury, could be attributed to his thumb not having fully healed.

"That top hand is so important. Power comes from that and it just allows everything to follow into place. That keeps everything intact and allows you to not lag the barrel and get the barrel to the ball. That part was just so weak because it was off for three-plus months."

While the season was a wash in terms of on-field growth, Collins did not waste the opportunity to learn and grow. He was still at the field every day, soaking everything in during his first full season as a professional player.

"I got through it and I still learned a lot of things this season. Being around the game, being around the organization, being able to sit back and watch sometimes and analyze the game from the dugout and talk to some of the coaches. I learned a lot from the mental side and a lot from just being able to sit back and watch the game.

"The Athletics knew that the thumb was a lingering issue. They could obviously tell by the numbers, hitting-wise, but they said I really did a good job defensively even coming back from the injury, considering my thumb and the shape it was in and dealing with it. The organization told me to rest my thumb up and work on the stuff that I couldn't when my thumb was messed up and come back in spring training and be ready to go again next year."