Miners ace advances to affiliated baseball
The Kansas City Royals have purchased the contract of Sussex County Miners starting pitcher Rob Hensey. Hensey is the second Sussex County player to advance to affiliated baseball this season.
Hensey completes his 2026 campaign with a 7-5 record, 3.55 ERA, and 1.093 WHIP in 78.2 innings pitched. He shares the league lead in strikeouts with 84. The Miners are 8-5 in games Hensey has started this season.
Earlier this month, Hensey earned his second consecutive All-Star selection and was named the Frontier League’s Week 10 Pitcher of the Week.
The 6-foot-4, 220-pound left-hander joined Sussex County in 2025 and quickly established himself as one of its most accomplished pitchers. Hensey owns a 14-11 career record with the Miners and has recorded 200 strikeouts against just 40 walks over 189.4 innings pitched. He currently ranks fourth in franchise history in strikeouts and sixth in innings pitched. Hensey was on pace to challenge John Baker’s single-season franchise record of 122 strikeouts.
The 26-year-old was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the ninth round of the 2022 MLB June Amateur Draft following a decorated career at Monmouth University (West Long Branch, NJ). He was born in Yonkers, NY, and grew up in Goshen, NY, where he shined at Goshen High School.
Above: Rob Hensey (photo by Phil Hoops)