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The 2023 High-A All-Stars and award winners

Orioles' Holliday, Yankees' Thorpe primed for more accolades
@brendan_samson
September 20, 2023

Award season is in full swing in the Minors. On Wednesday, Minor League Baseball announced the High-A end-of-season award winners and All-Star rosters, as voted on by the managers of the three leagues. In the Midwest League, MVP went to Twins outfielder Kala'i Rosario, Ian Bedell of the Cardinals locked

Sauer tallies Somerset's third '23 immaculate inning

Yankees' No. 25 prospect follows such frames by Gomez, Barclay
@brendan_samson
September 17, 2023

The word "immaculate" doesn't come into play a lot in baseball. For an immaculate inning, a pitcher must be perfect to the utmost degree, fanning all three batters on three pitches each. In MLB history, only 114 immaculate innings have been notched in recorded history, but at Double-A Somerset this

Fearsome Frisco duo: Leiter, Langford flash skillsets

Rangers first-rounders, Top 5 prospects help pace RoughRiders win
@brendan_samson
September 17, 2023

With the Minor League offseason on the horizon, players are striving to finish the regular season on a positive note. Two prospects who have already checked that box are Jack Leiter and Wyatt Langford, both of whom had standout performances on Saturday night.

Hops live out dream with Copa mascot

D-backs affiliate's Bacaanda celebrates area's Latin community
@brendan_samson
September 11, 2023

An alebrije is a spirit animal in Mexican culture, one with a predilection for dreams. And so with High-A Hillsboro's new Copa de la Diversión mascot, an alebrije named Bacaanda, the Hops -- whose Copa identity is the Soñadores, or "Dreamers" -- are paying homage to all their fans who

Williams, Isaac spark Hot Rods' engine

Top 100 prospects each go deep twice, combine for six RBIs
@brendan_samson
September 10, 2023

What’s better than a multihomer game? Two multihomer performers in the same contest. On Saturday, Carson Williams and Xavier Isaac went deep twice to propel Bowling Green to an 11-4 win over Greensboro at Bowling Green Ballpark. The pair tallied three knocks apiece and combined for six RBIs to rev

Sea Dogs honor women in the game

Boston's trailblazing Double-A affiliate sets the example
@brendan_samson
September 6, 2023

When it comes to the number of women coaches, media and front-office staff in baseball, there might not be a better example of the gains that have been made than the Portland Sea Dogs. The Red Sox affiliate boasts an all-women broadcast booth, had the first female coach to make

RubberDucks inspired by pediatric cancer night

Annual tribute inclues patient-designed jersey, 'Home Run for Life'
@brendan_samson
September 4, 2023

Designing a baseball jersey is one of the things Minor League teams often treasure. But Double-A Akron takes that concept to the next level during its tribute to pediatric cancer patients and their families. The Showers Family Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders Celebration, an annual tradition as long

Lee's instincts result in first Triple-A 4-hit game

No. 2 Twins prospect rebounds from frustrating BP for Saints
@brendan_samson
September 4, 2023

For some players, the difference between how they feel in batting practice vs. the game can be night and day. For Brooks Lee, Sunday was one of those times. The No. 18 overall prospect per MLB Pipeline spent the better part of his pregame preparation questioning his swing and pondering

Jim Clark calls 3,500th game for RubberDucks

Akron broadcaster has started every game for past 30 seasons
@brendan_samson
August 30, 2023

“Hello baseball fans everywhere." Double-A Akron RubberDucks broadcaster Jim Clark has started every game for the past 30 seasons with those four words. They serve as a tribute to longtime Cleveland broadcaster Jimmy Dudley, as well as evidence that Clark’s childhood dream has come true. “As a kid, probably age

Leiter back in saddle with solid RoughRiders start

Rangers' No. 5 prospect strong on hill in first outing since July 7
@brendan_samson
August 27, 2023

Jack Leiter toed the rubber at Double-A Frisco for the first time in 51 days on Sunday, and for the first time all season, he made it through three innings without walking a single batter. The No. 5 Rangers prospect per MLB Pipeline has had a roller-coaster season, accumulating a

Jenkins plays walk-off hero for Mighty Mussels

Top-ranked Twins prospect racks up three-hit showing at Single-A
@brendan_samson
August 26, 2023

The Twins promoted Walker Jenkins to Single-A on Wednesday, and in just two appearances with the club, he’s already single-handedly winning ball games. In his second game for Fort Myers, the 2023 fifth overall pick tallied his first three-hit performance as a pro, his first Single-A RBIs and to top

Domínguez three times as good in Triple-A debut

No. 2 Yankees prospect delivers 3 hits and 3 RBIs for RailRiders
@brendan_samson
August 23, 2023

The Martian has landed in Triple-A, and his debut was out of this world. Starting in center field and batting second, Jasson Dominguez went 3-for-6 with three RBIs and a run scored in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s 14-1 rout of Lehigh Valley at PNC Field.

Wells leaves wakeup call with 2 homers, 7 RBIs

No. 8 Yankees prospect delivers 4 dingers in 5 days for RailRiders
@brendan_samson
August 20, 2023

Austin Wells entered Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s latest five-game set with no home runs in his first 20 Triple-A games. He left with four, in just a quarter of the time. The Yankees’ No. 8 prospect capped off a dominant series at the plate by delivering his first professional multihomer game and a

Shuckers provide tornado relief for local town

Biloxi gave $10,000 from the Heart of a Shucker Community Fund
@brendan_samson
August 19, 2023

This season, the Biloxi Shuckers rolled out their Heart of a Shucker Community Fund, and its impact has already been felt. On Aug. 12, the Heart of a Shucker Community Fund donated $10,000 in tornado relief efforts to Moss Point Parks and Recreation. The new initiative works in conjunction with

Binghamton's Gilbert in a New York groove

No. 2 Mets prospect homers during three-hit, four-RBI game
@brendan_samson
August 19, 2023

There are two main types of Trade Deadlines: the first is the kind where a team bolsters its roster for a deep playoff run; the second is where they move on from big league pieces in hopes of success down the line. The Mets chose to do the latter in

SeaWolves honor local food in alternate identity

Tigers affiliate plays as Pepperoni Balls on "Erie-est Weekend"
@brendan_samson
August 16, 2023

What’s your favorite ballpark snack? A hot dog? Pizza? A helmet full of nachos? Well, Detroit's Double-A affiliate has a savory treat that may have them all beat -- pepperoni balls. While that might sound like something found on a charcuterie board, that’s hardly the extent of the Erie delicacy.

See Dogs play and bond at core of Portland club

Mayer, Yorke, Jordan, Lugo journeying together toward Fenway
@brendan_samson
August 14, 2023

It’s 12:30 a.m. in Portland, Maine. The Portland Sea Dogs game finished hours ago and the players are back at their houses, with their host families, getting ready to sleep. Most of the players, that is. Matthew Lugo, Boston's second-round pick in 2019, lies in bed, attempting to block out

Baysox basher: Holliday racks up five-hit game

MLB's top prospect equals career high for third time this season
@brendan_samson
August 11, 2023

Just yesterday, MLB Pipeline dropped its new Top 100 prospects re-rank and once again, Jackson Holliday found his name at No. 1.

Draft Picks: Tally an Outfield Assist at Victory Field

Indianapolis Indians, Sun King Brewery partner for signature lager
@brendan_samson
July 25, 2023

This is the sixth in a series of MiLB.com Draft Picks articles about clubs crafting unique and interesting beers for their respective fan bases. Already profiled: Gwinnett's 6-4-3 Pilsner, Spokane's Redband Tangerine Wheat Beer, Fayetteville's Birdy Brew, Kannapolis' Baller Beer and Omaha's Ale Storm.

Déjà vu for De Avila with another hitless start

Braves lefty extends his no-hit streak to 11 innings for M-Braves
@brendan_samson
July 23, 2023

Luis De Avila was unhittable on Sunday and has been for some time now; in fact, you have to go back to July 7 to find the last time he allowed a hit. The No. 28 Braves prospect spun his second consecutive no-hit start for Double-A Mississippi, going six innings

Holliday celebrates first full week in Bowie with HR

MLB's No. 1 prospect swats Double-A tater, going deep at 4th level
@brendan_samson
July 23, 2023

The phrase “on the fast track to the Majors” is commonly used to describe prospects who are rapidly rising through a system. While that term may work in most cases, it just doesn’t seem sufficient when talking about Jackson Holliday. The No. 1 prospect in baseball per MLB Pipeline was

Multihit Mead strikes again for Durham

No. 3 Rays prospect collects three hits, gets aboard five times
@brendan_samson
July 20, 2023

There’s a reason Curtis Mead has a 65-grade hit tool, and that's because all he does is flat-out rake. Since returning to Triple-A Durham from his left wrist injury on June 30, the No. 32 prospect in baseball per MLB Pipeline has recorded a hit in 11 of 12 games

Marauders' Johnson continues homer barrage

Top Pirates prospect stays hot, leaves early with cramping in calf
@brendan_samson
July 16, 2023

Across the country, people are cranking their air conditioners to combat the record-high temperatures. The obvious explanation is that the dog days of summer are approaching, but another very possible culprit is Termarr Johnson, who is so scorching hot, he may be heating the entire nation.

Tulsa feels the beat during 918 Weekend

Dodgers affiliate rebrands as Tulsa Sound to honor local music
@brendan_samson
July 11, 2023

What attire do you wear to catch a ballgame? A jersey of your favorite player? A T-shirt? Fans who made their way to ONEOK Field during Tulsa Sound Weekend didn’t just show up with a ballcap and T-shirt, they came decked out in full costumes of their favorite local musicians.

Home cookin': Gelof homers in fourth straight

No. 3 Athletics prospect continues to mash at Las Vegas Ballpark
@brendan_samson
July 4, 2023

Monday was the final game of a six-game set between Triple-A Las Vegas and Round Rock, and every game had Zack Gelof's fingerprints on it. The Athletics’ No. 3 prospect tore the cover off the ball during the homestand, tallying a hit in every game and launching a home run