Columbia’s Pitching Staff Notches Seventh Shutout of 24
COLUMBIA, SC – The Fireflies rode a hot start from Hiro Wyatt and four shutout innings from the bullpen to a 4-0 win over the Fredericksburg Nationals at Segra Park Saturday night. The win was their seventh shutout of the 2024 season. The Fireflies wasted no time leaving their mark
COLUMBIA, SC – The Fireflies rode a hot start from Hiro Wyatt and four shutout innings from the bullpen to a 4-0 win over the Fredericksburg Nationals at Segra Park Saturday night. The win was their seventh shutout of the 2024 season.
The Fireflies wasted no time leaving their mark on the scoreboard. Blake Mitchell worked a walk to reach base and Daniel Vazquez singled. Then Austin Charles deposited a ball into the seats in left field for a three-run home run. The blast increased the third baseman’s team-leading RBI total to 57.
Columbia added another run in the fourth inning. With two outs, Daniel Vazquez recorded his second hit of the game. Derlin Figueroa followed with a hard-hit ball to the gap, plating Vasquez all the way from first base.
Hiro Wyatt twirled a gem in his fourth start in a Fireflies uniform. Wyatt struck out six of the first 10 hitters he faced and finished with a career-high seven punchouts. The young hurler twirled five shutout innings and only allowed three base runners (one walk, two hits).
The Fireflies bullpen picked up right where Wyatt left off in the sixth inning. Zachary Cawyer spun a scoreless inning in relief to keep the shutout going and struck out one. Mason Miller added a pair of scoreless innings in his Fireflies debut, but ran into trouble in the ninth inning.
Elvis Novas emerged from the bullpen facing a bases-loaded, no-out situation in the ninth inning. Novas forced the first batter he faced to pop out to short, then had some help from Charles on a leaping grab at third base for the second out. Novas punched out Jorgelys Mota to end the game, stranding the bases loaded and solidifying the seventh shutout of the season for Columbia’s pitching staff.
Columbia’s bullpen continues to dominate. Saturday’s shutout drops the team bullpen ERA to 2.99 and further cements the group as the best in the minor leagues at this point of the season.
Fredericksburg’s Brayan Romero (L, 0-1) received the loss. Romero was responsible for all of Columbia’s four runs. Angel Roman worked the final three innings out of the pen for the Nationals. The lefty struck out three and only allowed one baserunner in a mop-up effort.
Columbia kicks-off their final game of the series at 5:05 tomorrow. RHP Logan Martin (3-3, 4.02 ERA) toes the rubber for Columbia and Fredericksburg counters with RHP Travis Sykora (3-3, 2.51 ERA).
The Fireflies conclude their series with Fredericksburg Sunday. This Sunday Funday, we will be recognizing Women in Sports! Join us as we celebrate the women in our front office and around the world who sports would not be the same without. We’ll also have our traditional kids Sunday Funday festivities at the ballpark. Players will have a pre-game autograph session and after the game, kids 12 and under can run the bases thanks to Bang Back Pinball Lounge. Buy your tickets now at ColumbiaFireflies.com.
Minors legend Jones still holds batting record
A version of this story originally appeared on MiLB.com in 2008. We present it here once more as Minor League Baseball celebrates Black History Month with stories of Black baseball pioneers. Grover "Deacon" Jones spent more than a half-century in baseball, serving the game at almost every level and in
The Show Before the Show: Episode 489
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
Hooks have a new look -- and more -- on the line for 20th season
In advance of a milestone season at Whataburger Field, the Corpus Christi Hooks are making a change. The Houston Astros' Double-A affiliate unveiled new logos and uniforms on Friday evening, marking the first time they have significantly altered their look since debuting in 2005. According to Hooks general manager Brady
Here's how Jackie Robinson fueled Montreal to a Minor League title in 1946
A version of this story originally appeared on MiLB.com in 2006. We present it here once more as Minor League Baseball celebrates Black History Month with stories of Black baseball pioneers.
They're due! MiLB's longest active title droughts
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.
These players could earn teams extra Draft picks in 2025
Since the Prospect Promotion Incentive (PPI) was implemented under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, four players have earned their clubs extra Draft picks. The PPI rewards teams for promoting their best prospects to the big leagues at the start of the season, enabling them to earn a Draft pick if
Each team's best non-Top 100 prospect
There just isn't enough room to fit all the worthy talents on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 Prospects list. We unveiled our latest rankings last Friday, and now we're going to spotlight the best prospect in each farm system who couldn't quite make the cut. We undertook the same exercise last
MiLB collaborates with Stand Up To Cancer
Minor League Baseball announced a new collaboration with Stand Up To Cancer® (SU2C), an organization that funds the development of new and promising cancer treatments to help patients today. Founded in 2008, SU2C raises awareness and funds research to detect and treat cancers with the aspiration to cure all patients.
These are the best tools on the new Top 100 Prospects list
Players featured on last year’s edition of the best tools among Top 100 prospects should look familiar to even casual baseball fans at this point. Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes (best fastball, slider) took the Major Leagues by storm as the NL Rookie of the Year, thanks to his hard-throwing ways
Answering your Top 100 Prospects list questions
MLB Pipeline released its new Top 100 Prospects list on Friday, and it was met with a bevy of questions and comments about fans' favorite prospects. To help make sense of all the inquiries, Pipeline's Jonathan Mayo took to Reddit and responded to fan questions in a Top 100 Prospect-focused
Here are every organization's Top 100 prospects for 2025
MLB Pipeline’s 2025 Top 100 Prospects list went live on Friday night, led by the newest Dodger, right-hander Roki Sasaki, Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony and Twins outfielder Walker Jenkins. There’s a lot of offensive firepower throughout the list, beyond those two outfielders at the top, but while the bats
Check out MLB Pipeline's 2025 Top 100 Prospects list
He was one of the most sought-after talents this offseason, and he hadn’t even played stateside ball yet. Now, he can add another bullet point to his already lengthy baseball resume. Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki tops MLB Pipeline’s 2025 preseason ranking of the Top 100 prospects, followed by Red Sox
The Show Before the Show: Episode 488
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
Get ready to cheer for ... the Bathtub Donkeys?
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 The Baseball Traveler newsletter here.
These are MLB’s No. 1 prospects at each position
MLB Pipeline's 2025 rankings of the Top 10 prospects at each position are official and the 2025 Top 100 Prospects list will be revealed at 7 p.m. ET on Friday on MLB Network and MLB.com.
Sasaki leads Top 10 RHP Prospects list. Who else made the cut?
Last year, the right-hander we had at the top of this always-deep Top 10 prospects list went on to win the National League Rookie of the Year, as Pirates flamethrower Paul Skenes went from No. 1 pick in the 2023 Draft to top rookie in the NL a year later.
Here are the Top 10 LHP prospects for 2025
MLB Pipeline will reveal its 2025 Top 100 Prospects list at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Jan. 24, with a one-hour show on MLB Network and MLB.com. Leading up to the release of the Top 100, we'll examine baseball's top 10 prospects at each position. MLB.com has produced top 10
Here are the Top 10 outfield prospects for 2025
MLB Pipeline will reveal its 2025 Top 100 Prospects list at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Jan. 24, with a one-hour show on MLB Network and MLB.com. Leading up to the release of the Top 100, we'll examine baseball's top 10 prospects at each position.
Here are the Top 10 shortstop prospects for 2025
MLB Pipeline will reveal its 2025 Top 100 Prospects list at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Jan. 24, with a one-hour show on MLB Network and MLB.com. Leading up to the release of the Top 100, we'll examine baseball's top 10 prospects at each position.
Here are the Top 10 third base prospects for 2025
MLB Pipeline will reveal its 2025 Top 100 Prospects list at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Jan. 24, with a one-hour show on MLB Network and MLB.com. Leading up to the release of the Top 100, we'll examine baseball's top 10 prospects at each position.
Did you know these famous people played Minor League Baseball?
This story was excerpted from The Baseball Traveler newsletter.