Cyclones rally to first outright NYPL title
An event bigger than baseball cost Class A Short Season Brooklyn a chance to win its inaugural New York-Penn League title on its own terms. On Tuesday, the Cyclones finally got their chance.Yoel Romero's RBI single snapped a seventh-inning tie and Brooklyn held on to defeat Lowell, 4-3, in the
An event bigger than baseball cost Class A Short Season Brooklyn a chance to win its inaugural New York-Penn League title on its own terms. On Tuesday, the Cyclones finally got their chance.
Yoel Romero's RBI single snapped a seventh-inning tie and Brooklyn held on to defeat Lowell, 4-3, in the final game of the best-of-3 Championship Series.
It was the second title in franchise history and the first since sharing the crown with Williamsport in 2001. The events of Sept. 11, 2001 forced the cancellation of the Finals that year, leading the league to declare the Cyclones and Crosscutters co-champions.
Gameday box score
'I told the guys earlier today, 'It's the last game and since we've got to go home, let's go home happy,'" Brooklyn manager Edgardo Alfonzo said. "But either way, they did a great job all year. From the first game to the last game, they never gave up. They always kept fighting. ... It was a great, great game tonight."
Brooklyn entered the bottom of the seventh trailing, 3-2, after Lowell's Marino Campana hit a solo homer in the top half. Mets No. 24 prospectJake Mangum singled off reliever Yusniel Padron-Artilles, who had allowed one baserunner in 3 1/3 innings leading up to the at-bat. Antoine Duplantis evened the score with a triple to right and Romero followed suit with a knock to left that gave the Cyclones the lead.
"It was a whole team win. It took everybody," Mangum said. "In that seventh inning, I went up there with the mind-set just to compete. I had a really rough series. The first two games I struggled and wasn't doing what I needed to do. I got here early today and straightened some things out mentally and physically. It's a grind. It's been a really long year for all of us. Most of us started playing in January in college intrasquad games. It came down to nine innings of baseball left to play, so forget about swing mechanics and everything else and just go out and compete. That's what it boiled down to."
Competitors collegiately at Mississippi State and Louisiana State respectively, Mangum was thrilled to celebrate with Duplantis.
"We've played against each other for a very long time and been friends through all that," the outfielder said. "To end our first year together on the same team and on a high note was really fun. But man, when Antoine pulled that ball and I saw it down the line I said to myself, 'I am scoring from first.' I was full speed. But credit Antoine there. I got on base and he came up with a big, big hit."
Brooklyn took a 2-0 lead in the second on Mangum's RBI single and a run-scoring groundout by Duplantis. Lowell tied the score in the next half inning, and stellar relief pitching on both sides held the game in check for a while after that. Mets No. 4 prospect Matthew Allan struck out a pair over three perfect frames. Padron-Artilles (0-1) was equal to the task until he allowed hits to three consecutive batters in the seventh.
Complete playoff coverage
"It was almost like we had to wait until they scored before we could score," Alfonzo said. "Lowell has a great pitching staff and Padron-Artilles is one of the best in the league. We knew it was going to be tough, but we put everything together that inning and came through."
Mitch Ragan (1-0) picked up the win despite surrendering Campana's solo blast in the seventh.
Andrew Edwards hurled a perfect eighth and worked around a single and a walk in the ninth to record the championship-clinching save. The 22-year-old struck out three in two frames and finished the postseason with eight strikeouts in four scoreless innings.
"Tonight was win or go home, and we all wanted to win, so I was preparing for that since I woke up," Edwards said. "I think losing [Game 2] gave us all that extra fuel and fire to get this done. We knew it wouldn't be easy, though. ... It was pretty incredible to have a chance to close out a championship. That's something I won't forget."
A playoff participant in nine of its first 12 seasons, Brooklyn had not played a postseason game since 2012. Alfonzo guided the Cyclones to their first McNamara Division title since 2010 on the strength of a 43-32 record that tied Hudson Valley for the best mark in the league.
"I hope they keep this feeling," Alfonzo said. "Any time you win the championship it's a good feeling. I had the opportunity to win one [as a player with Double-A Binghamton in 1994]. You teach the guys how to play the game, but at the same time, you have to learn how to win championships. It's a big part of the development of players in the Minor League system of any organization."
A 2000 All-Star who spent eight of his 12 Major League seasons with the Mets, Alfonzo joked about another reason he savors the first outright title in Cyclones history. His older brother, Edgar, skippered the club for three seasons including the 2001 co-championship campaign. He returned six years later for a two-season stint, losing to Auburn in the Finals in 2007.
"It means a lot to me, first off because I beat my brother," Alfonzo said with a laugh. "There were a few tough years here, but it was fun to develop, learn to compete and then win a championship. I'm so proud to be this team's manager."
Mangum agreed about his team's never-say-die persona while basking in the glow of his first championship since high school.
"You spend every day together," the 23-year-old said. "We all live at the Holiday Inn right down the road. You get close with everybody. You hate to see it come to an end, but you're happy you end on a winning note and with a championship."
Mangum and Duplantis -- New York's fourth and 12th-round picks in June's Draft, combined for half of Brooklyn's eight hits.
Boston's No. 19 prospectNicholas Northcut singled twice for Lowell, which tallied five hits.
Spinners starter Jay Groome continued his rehab assignment while recovering from Tommy John surgery. The sixth-ranked Boston prospect was charged with two runs on four hits and a walk with three strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings.
Michael Avallone is a contributor to MiLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @MavalloneMiLB.
MiLB podcast coming LIVE to a Somerset this June
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
New ballparks highlight 2025 MiLB road trip stops
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Minor League Baseball partners with TruGreen
FRANKLIN, Tenn. -- TruGreen, the nation's leading lawn care treatment provider, is proud to announce a groundbreaking partnership with Minor League Baseball that includes activations across all 120 clubs, a makeover of the home dugout in each market, sponsorship of select MiLB team grounds crews, and a new initiative called
Podcast explains why the Syracuse Mets are looking for Jim Morrison
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Dash im-prom-tu promo and Mets' Suero joins the podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Minor League Baseball partners with Circle K
Minor League Baseball announced a new national partnership with Circle K, which will see the convenience store giant become the “Official Convenience Store of Minor League Baseball.” During the 2025 season, the Circle K brand will be integrated into the MiLB in-stadium experience through in-game video board assets at most
These 15 moments led to season No. 15 of Minor League road trips
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
MiLB podcast crew makes Opening Day predictions
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Everything you need to know for Triple-A Opening Day
First, there was big league Opening Day. Now it's Triple-A's turn to take the spotlight. The Minor League season opens Friday when the Triple-A International League and Pacific Coast League seasons get underway for the first of MiLB’s two Opening Days. And right out of the gates, several of baseball's
Top prospects to watch at Triple-A -- one for each organization
It’s Triple-A’s turn up to bat on Friday. The regular season begins for the Minor Leagues’ highest level one day after the action starts on the Major League side. Fun fact: it’ll be the earliest start to a Minor League season since 1951 (March 27). Double-A, High-A and Single-A will
Here's where every Top 100 prospect is expected to start the season
The 2025 Opening Day prospect roster announcements began last week when the Cubs informed Matt Shaw (MLB No. 19) he was making the trip overseas to compete in the Tokyo Series. Roki Sasaki (No. 1) also received the good news, but his assignment was much less of a surprise. Now
Nationals prospect King joins MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Here are the 2025 All-Spring Breakout Teams
Fifteen games, several jersey swaps and countless highlights later, the second edition of Spring Breakout has officially concluded – and it lived up to its billing. Of the 16 contests sprinkled across four days, only one game (Dodgers vs. Cubs) was rained out. Coincidentally, the Cubs were one of two
Rox young sluggers aim to bring pop back to Coors Field
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Coors Field may provide the best run-scoring environment in Major League Baseball, but the Rockies haven’t taken advantage of it in recent years. Even without adjusting for Coors, they have fielded offenses worse than the league average the past three seasons, and they scored the fewest runs
Astros brass sees potential in consistently 'underranked' farm system
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The last time the Astros landed in the top 10 of MLB Pipeline’s farm system rankings was before the 2019 season. Since those rankings expanded to all 30 teams ahead of the 2020 season -- 11 lists in total -- they’ve never ranked higher than
Complete results and highlights from Spring Breakout
The second edition of MLB Spring Breakout is complete, and there was no shortage of highlights from the future stars of Major League Baseball over the four-day showcase. Here's a complete breakdown of the 16-game exhibition:
Southpaw Spring Breakout: White Sox future on display with Schultz, Smith
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- If all goes as planned for the White Sox, left-handers Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz won’t spend much time following each other to the mound in a single game. Schultz, the No. 1 White Sox prospect and No. 16 overall, per MLB Pipeline, and Smith, who is
In first pro game, Rainer offers pop, promise to Tigers fans
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- Bryce Rainer’s pro career consisted of workouts and batting practice until Sunday.
'Me and Brady on the dirt again': House, King reunite at Spring Breakout
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The 2025 Spring Breakout was a flashback for Brady House and Seaver King. Over 10 years ago, the infielders were travel ball teammates in Georgia who shared the dream of making it to the Major Leagues. Now, they are top prospects in the same organization,
Lambert -- 'an adrenaline guy' -- hoping to be next Mets bullpen gem
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Ryan Lambert loves throwing hard. He relishes the idea of getting to two strikes and blowing hitters away. “Get me in a game,” Lambert said, “cool things will happen.”
Stewart embraces Spring Breakout: 'What's not to love?'
PHOENIX -- Sal Stewart was one fired-up Reds prospect. On Sunday in the first inning during the organization's 9-7 Spring Breakout win over Brewers prospects, Stewart lifted a 2-2 pitch that sailed over the center fielder's head to the wall. Already not known as a speedster, he stumbled running between
Prospect Peña quietly drawing raves in Brewers' farm system
PHOENIX – Jesús Made was at the top of the Brewers’ lineup for Sunday’s 9-7 loss to the Reds in the finale of MLB’s four-day Spring Breakout, a fitting perch when you consider that the 17-year-old infielder is under a bright spotlight as MLB Pipeline’s No. 55 prospect. Made could
Brecht -- in 1st outing since '24 Draft -- wows at Spring Breakout
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Sunday's Spring Breakout showcase was the perfect unveiling for Rockies No. 5 prospect Brody Brecht. A right-handed pitcher from the University of Iowa whom the Rockies selected 38th overall last summer, Brecht had a nice collegiate resume, an interesting backstory as a former wide receiver for the
Braves prospects show promise in Spring Breakout
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- As Terry Pendleton prepared to serve as the manager of the Braves prospect team that played the Tigers prospect team in a Spring Breakout game on Sunday afternoon, he said fans should be patient with John Gil and Luis Guanipa, a pair of teenagers who have
Yanks' Lagrange flashes triple-digit heat in Spring Breakout
SARASOTA, Fla. -- There was an audible “Ooh” from the crowd at Ed Smith Stadium, and Carlos Lagrange quickly glanced beyond the right-field wall, checking the velocity of the pitch he’d just thrown in Saturday’s 5-4 Spring Breakout loss to the Orioles. It had registered in the triple digits, and