Left fielder Zach Kokoska continues to push for a chance to play Triple-A baseball. Just a little taste would be nice. He must be wondering what it will take to get the nod.

The seventh-year minor leaguer from Latrobe has been one of the more consistent players in the Colorado Rockies’ farm system, and this season is no exception.

The power-hitting Kokoska is in his third year in Double-A with the Hartford Yard Goats. In 39 games, he was hitting .279 with nine doubles, a triple, seven home runs and 28 RBIs.

His June highlights have included a game-ending double play, a couple of impressive catches in the gaps, a homer, and a three-run double — among other run-producing hits.

Kokoska was taken in the 10th round of the 2021 MLB Draft, at pick No. 290. He played at Kansas State after leading Latrobe to WPIAL and PIAA championships in 2017.

He has made a slow ascent from his first season until now, playing a year of rookie ball and a year each in Single-A and High-A before a promotion to Double-A.

For his career, he is slashing .248/339/473 and has 69 homers and 230 RBIs in 408 games.

Fox hunt

Another local minor league player whose career is just budding is pitcher Phil Fox, a Hempfield alum.

Fox was a closer at Pitt after starting his college journey at Gardner-Webb.

He is playing this season for the Birmingham Barons, the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox and a member of the Southern League. He is 1-2 with a 2.40 ERA, 16 strikeouts and two walks in 15 innings.

He bounced between the Barons and the Winston-Salem Dash, while also going in a rehab assignment with the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League White Sox in Phoenix.

He began the season with Winston-Salem in the South Atlantic League where he only pitched 3 2/3 innings over two games.

Fox pitched in both High-A and Double-A last season. Overall, he is 3-5 with a 2.95 ERA and 100 Ks in 82 1/3 innings.

Legion update

Bushy Run is a District 31 power and the team is off to fast start this season.

Defending state champion Bushy Run, under new manager Mario Disso, is 7-0-1 so far and is leading the league standings.

Homer City (2-0) and Latrobe (4-0) also had unblemished records.

In fourth place was 14th Ward (5-2), followed by another newcomer, Plum (3-2-1), Burrell (3-3), Young Township (3-3), Unity (2-5), Mt. Pleasant (1-6-1) and Hempfield East (1-8-1).

Bushy Run has won five district titles since 2016. The post last season also won its second straight Region 7 title.

An updated website (d31legionbaseball.com) has the league schedule and standings.