The Arizona Diamondbacks signed a total of eight players from independent baseball this past week (Sep. 20 - Sep. 27). Those players include right-handed pitchers Stew Brase of the Southern Illinois Miners (Frontier League), Joey Donino of the Rockland Boulders (Can-Am League), Troy Marks of the Washington Wild Things (Frontier League), Danny Moskovits of the Quebec Capitals (Can-Am League), left-handed pitcher Al Yevoli of the Washington Wild Things (Frontier League), third baseman Shayne Houck of the Evansville Otters (Frontier League), catcher Matt Jones of the Southern Illinois Miners (Frontier League) and outfielder Ryan Hutchinson of the Lake Erie Crushers (Frontier League).

Right-handed pitcher Stew Brase and catcher Matt Jones became the 37th and 38th players in the eight-year history of the Southern Illinois Miners to have their contracts purchased by a Major League Baseball organization. Their signings also raised the number of Miners' players purchased in 2014 to seven -- a franchise record for a single-season.

Brase was outstanding, pitching primarily as the set-up man, for Southern Illinois this past season. The 25-year-old posted a 1.43 ERA while striking out 41 batters and surrendering 22 walks in 44 innings pitched (46 appearances). He also notched two saves on the season and only gave up 32 hits during his 2014 campaign.

22-year-old catcher Matt Jones signed with the Miners in the middle of the season out of the Southern Illinois University. He quickly made a name for himself on the Miners' roster as he batted .301/.356/.387 while launching two homers and driving in 15 RBI in just 28 games. He was one of the five players on the Miners to bat over the .300 mark in 2014.

Right-handed pitcher Troy Marks and left-handed pitcher Al Yevoli were both purchased from the Washington Wild Things of the Frontier League.

Marks signed with the Wild Things as a costless agent on July 23 and went 5-1 with a 2.45 ERA in 47 2/3 innings pitched (eight starts) this season. The 24-year-old struck out 55 batters while walking 18 in his first season of professional baseball. He also hurled 7 1/3 shutout innings for the Wild Things in the Frontier League Divisional Series but received a no-decision.

Yevoli had a great season as the squad's set-up man. The 24-year-old went 4-5 with a 2.92 ERA in 49 1/3 innings pitched (48 appearances) out of the bullpen. He struck out 46 batters while surrendering 16 walks in 2014.

Right-handed pitchers Joey Donino and Danny Moskovits are both coming off of their first season in professional baseball. They became the fourth and fifth players that the Diamondbacks have purchased from the Can-Am League this season. 

Donino went 5-4 with a 4.31 ERA in 56 1/3 innings pitched (ten starts) for the Rockland Boulders. He also struck out 53 batters while surrendering 25 walks in his ten starts this past season.

Moskovits posted a 3.03 ERA in 29 2/3 innings pitched over eight appearances (five starts) in 2014. Not only did he strike out 24 batters while surrendering twelve walks as a pitcher, but he also played a game at first base and two games as an outfielder for the Quebec Capitals this past season. He batted .000/.333/.000 in his three plate appearances and drew a walk that would eventually allow him to come around and score a run. However, Moskovits is likely to be used mainly as a pitcher in the Diamondbacks' organization.

Third baseman Shayne Houck was released by the San Francisco Giants' organization this past March before he signed with the Evansville Otters. He batted .307/.373/.564 while hitting 23 homers and driving in 66 RBI in 394 plate appearances over 94 games this past season. The 24-year-old was originally drafted by the Giants in the 29th round out of Kutztown University of Pensylavynia in the 2012 MLB Draft.

Outfielder Ryan Hutchinson was originally drafted in the 49th round of the 2011 MLB Draft by the San Diego Padres but chose not to sign with the club. He batted .297/.354/.477 while hitting eleven homers and driving in 40 RBI in his first season of professional baseball in 2014.