whatever happened to ...

Fred Lewis, the former Stone County High and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College star, is batting .268 with four home runs, 21 RBIs and 12 stolen bases for the Hiroshima Carp of Japan’s Central League. What’s more, the left-handed hitting outfielder is helping the Carp close in on their first postseason appearance since 1991. The team had won seven straight games as of Tuesday. Lewis is a .266 career hitter in 535 MLB games, having last appeared with the New York Mets in 2012. He might get another look in the States next spring. P.S. Five 2013 Mississippi Braves are headed to the Arizona Fall League: pitchers Aaron Northcraft, Juan Jaime and Shae Simmons, second baseman Tommy La Stella and outfielder Robby Hefflinger. Jaime, a hard-throwing right-hander, is an intriguing prospect. He fanned 70 in 42 innings in relief for the M-Braves but had a 4.07 ERA. The injury plagued La Stella will look to build on his abbreviated campaign (.343 in 81 games), while Hefflinger (.170, six homers in Double-A after going .286, 21 in high-A ball) has things to prove. Also on the Scottsdale roster is former Hillcrest Christian and Ole Miss standout Cody Satterwhite, back in affiliated ball this year with the New York Mets. Ex-Rebels pitcher Austin Wright (Philadelphia) is on the Peoria roster. The AFL season starts Oct. 8.