Around the Minors: The week of Sept. 13
Sept. 19
Sept. 19
Storming into the playoffs
After needing just one win to secure a place in the Double-A South playoffs, Montgomery never got to even take the field as Mother Nature canceled the doubleheader between the Biscuits and Barons, and it was Montgomery that had its ticket punched for the postseason. The Rays affiliate finished with a 62-56 (.535) record, one game ahead of Chattanooga.
Mother Nature punched Xavier Edwards and the Biscuits' ticket for the Double-A South Finals. pic.twitter.com/3UOwVS59Rr
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) September 20, 2021
Pulling a Bugs Bunny
It's not every day you get the chance to play all nine positions on the baseball field -- especially at the professional level -- but that's exactly what Noah Campbell did for Low-A Carolina. The Milwaukee infield prospect not only took the field at every spot for the Mudcats, but Campbell also earned the save in the club's 5-2 victory. No stranger to being a utility player, prior to Sunday afternoon, the 22-year-old had played every infield position as well as left field and pitcher.
One bat, everybody knows the rules. pic.twitter.com/lB4eo3d1rq
— Carolina Mudcats (@CarolinaMudcats) September 19, 2021
Moving the velvet rope
The 20/20 club has a new member.
Playoff szn
In one of the more intriguing postseason scenarios entering the final day of the regular season, the Down East Wood Ducks punched their ticket to the Low-A East Championship Series. In what could have been decided by a third tiebreaker had both Down East and Salem matched results on Sunday, the Wood Ducks who prevailed with a 5-2 victory over Charleston and then scoreboard watched as the Red Sox lost a 6-1 lead in the sixth and dropped a 9-7 decision to Delmarva.
Duck, duck, playoff goose!
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) September 19, 2021
Rangers affiliate Down East has clinched a postseason spot in the Low-A East. pic.twitter.com/RbFlYbYFxu
Going the distance
For the first time in his career,
Three's a charm
The Northwest Arkansas Naturals needed three things to break their way in order to clinch a spot in the playoffs on the final day of the regular season -- and naturally, they got 'em. The Royals' Double-A affiliate took care of its own business with a 9-4 victory over Springfield, then needed losses from both Arkansas and Frisco (at the hands of Wichita and Amarillo respectively). The spot was ultimately decided by a head-to-head tiebreaker with the RoughRiders -- whom the Naturals held a 5-1 record against this season.
FINAL | #NWANaturals 9 Springfield 4
— NW Arkansas Naturals (@nwanaturals) September 19, 2021
THE NORTHWEST ARKANSAS NATURALS ARE HEADED TO THE DOUBLE-A CENTRAL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES!!
Seven runs over the final two innings push the Naturals over the Cardinals! pic.twitter.com/XxO1GE5woF
Popping off
The Cedar Rapids Kernels are headed to the High-A Central Finals. The Kernels have clinched the No. 2 seed in the High-A Central Championship Series and will take on the Quad Cities River Bandits -- affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. The series begins on Tuesday in Cedar Rapids.
The @CRKernels are still playing their game, but regardless of the outcome have clinched a spot in the High-A Central playoffs! pic.twitter.com/NGhO2WlPAc
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) September 19, 2021
The comeback kids
The Double-A Northeast Finals are set thanks to a couple of comeback victories on Sunday. First, Bowie posted a three-spot in the eighth inning against Altoona, capped off by a two-run, go-ahead single from
The Baysox…ARE MOVING ON!
— Bowie Baysox (@BowieBaysox) September 19, 2021
For the third time in franchise history, the Baysox will play for a title!
FINAL: Altoona 5 | Bowie 7 pic.twitter.com/uLQnHX71Hr
Wearing his PF Flyers
If you blink, you might miss it. What appeared to be a routine double into the corner in right field, turned into an inside-the-park two-run home run for Matt McClain. The third-ranked Reds prospect laced a ball off the wall in right and just never stopped running. The No. 17 overall selection in this year's Draft is sporting a 60-grade speed, however watching this play may tick that score up a notch. Sure, McClain gets a hint of fortune with the ball rolling under a portion of the wall, but there is no substantial delay from the outfielder to get the ball back into the infield. This is just pure hustle from the 22-year-old.
Blasting off into history
With his solo blast to left-center field in the fourth inning,
Sept. 18
Four score
Count 'em up, that was four straight games with a home run for
Mussel-ing their way into history
It had been over 10 years since Fort Myers had a no-hitter. On Sept. 3, 2011, Alex Wimmers went the distance in a seven-inning feat against Jupiter. On Saturday,
It's a Mighty no-hitter!
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) September 19, 2021
Twins prospects Regi Grace, Landon Leach, Bradley Hanner and Matthew Swain combine for a seven-inning no-no for the @MightyMussels.
💪 https://t.co/xco0lvzEoJ pic.twitter.com/FsJ9miqmH7
'That's a pretty grand feeling'
For the first time in months, the Minor League home run race has some separation, and it was done in grand fashion by
Sweet victory
With Triple-A Nashville's 6-4 win over Gwinnett on Saturday, Sounds skipper Rick Sweet earned his 2,094th victory to tie Lefty O'Doul ('35-'57) for 10th all-time in Minor League managerial victories. The 69-year-old, who began managing in the Minors in 1987, joined Stan Wasiak (2,530), Bob Coleman (2,496), Mike Kelley (2,390), Johnny Lipon (2,185), Spencer Abbott (2,180), Buddy Bailey (2,145), Larry Gilbert (2,128), Bill Clymer (2,122) and Jack Dunn (2,107) in the elite group.
That's another W in GWWWinnett. 3 in a row with a 6-4 win, and congratulations to manager Rick Sweet. It's his 2,094th career managerial win, and he's now tied for 10th all-time in minor league managerial victories.
— Nashville Sounds (@nashvillesounds) September 19, 2021
Curtain up
After 56 career starts across four levels of the Minors,
The Rays are calling up MLB's No. 20 overall prospect Shane Baz for his big league debut.
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) September 18, 2021
➡️ https://t.co/hBE6L0Lk4J pic.twitter.com/Y7QxTVw6pg
Teeing off
As legendary radio voice John Sterling would say, "back-to-back-to-back, belly-to-belly-to-belly."
Getting it done on both sides
Talk about a one-man show. Astros outfield prospect Quincy Hamilton mashes a go-ahead home run in the second inning for Low-A Fayetteville, and in the next frame, the 23-year-old lays out on a diving play in center to take away extra bases. Hamilton even loses his hat in the process, but bounces right back up and sticks the landing. The judges say, "10s all around!"
Smooth as silk
A play is not supposed to look this easy. Top Yankees prospect Anthony Volpe shows his range to his left and plays a tricky hop effortlessly before executing a backflip pass to second in one fluid motion to start off the 6-4-3 double play for High-A Hudson Valley. The 20-year-old, who has been making plenty of noise of late with his bat, shows that he can flash the leather as well.
Sept. 17
Blissful feeling
There was nothing but good vibes around Ryan Bliss and Low-A Visalia after the 14th-ranked D-backs prospect notched the first cycle of his career. The 21-year-old homered in the first, doubled in the third, tripled in the sixth and completed the milestone with a base knock in his final at-bat with two outs in the ninth. Bliss also drove in a pair of runs and scored twice for the Rawhide. His four hits set a new career-high for the No. 42 overall selection in this year's Draft.
“I’m going to save these videos and go back to the night where I felt great."
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) September 18, 2021
No. 14 #Dbacks prospect Ryan Bliss has plenty of offseason study material after hitting for the cycle for Low-A Visalia: https://t.co/OIkwkFgkHt pic.twitter.com/q3Pnpq4MS2
Dynamic duo
A pair of hurlers combined to twirl the first no-no for Low-A Modest since 2013. Jimmy Kingsbury and
It's a no-hitter!
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) September 18, 2021
Mariners prospects Jimmy Kingsbury and Kelvin Nunez combine for the first Modesto no-no since 2013: https://t.co/teG4PXCxTO pic.twitter.com/2ICRT0epO8
Back and better than ever
This is nothing short of a miracle. Four months after suffering what appeared to be a career-ending injury during a freak accident in batting practice,
Grand theft home plate
If you blink, you might miss it. That's how fast
Do the hustle
This play is going to show up in the box score as a double to the third baseman, but really it's
Sprinting into history
This truly is history with an exclamation point. Rays outfield prospect
🚨RECORD BREAKER🚨@jaaayq_ breaks the BG single-season HR record with an INSIDE THE PARKER THAT TIES THE GAME!
— BG Hot Rods (@BGHotRods) September 18, 2021
🔽6⃣
Halloweens: 1⃣ | Blue Rocks: 1⃣ pic.twitter.com/xtgK5o3ilk
Locked-in and loaded
For the second straight outing,
Talk about making an entrance
One night after recording a multihit effort with an RBI in his Triple-A debut,
Joining elite company
The 30 homer club has its newest member as
Digging those September vibes
It's been nothing but smooth sailing for left-hander
Checking off another first
In his 25th game since being called up to the Barons,
Sept. 16
Sept. 16
Beasts of the East
As the saying goes, "It ain't over 'til it's over." Triple-A Durham took that fabled Yogi Berra-ism to heart on Thursday. Trailing by six after two innings, the Bulls rallied for eight unanswered runs to defeat the Knights, 8-6. The victory guaranteed Durham will finish with the top record in the Triple-A East.
2002
— Durham Bulls (@DurhamBulls) September 17, 2021
2003
2009
2013
2017
2018
2021 is SEVENTH HEAVEN#BULLieve pic.twitter.com/6aQQy7sSAy
Heavyweights
Top Nationals pitching prospect Cade Cavalli retook sole possession of the Minor League strikeout lead with four punchouts in a day game with Triple-A Rochester to bring his season total to 166. But later, on the west coast, Carson Ragsdale just squeezed by him. The Giants' No. 25 prospect fanned five for Low-A San Jose, raising the bar to 167. With just a couple games left of the regular season, the lead might hold there; however, Yankees No. 9 prospect
The Big Unit meets Ruckus
As a member of the D-backs' front office, Randy Johnson gets to see new ballparks and toss an easy first pitch, rather than lighting up the radar gun like he did as a player. As a special assistant to president and CEO Derrick Hall, the Big Unit attended a game in Amarillo, Arizona's Double-A affiliate. Johnson threw out the first pitch and saw how Sod Poodles mascot, Ruckus measured up. Literally.
The Big Unit has arrived!
— Amarillo Sod Poodles (@sodpoodles) September 17, 2021
Welcome to Amarillo, Randy Johnson! @Dbacks @MiLB pic.twitter.com/LviOBU5P3l
Fowler takes flight
Playing on his fifth team of the season,
Sept. 15
The Emeralds' city
The Giants' High-A West affiliate has punched its ticket for the postseason and was the first team on the circuit to do so. San Francisco's No. 11 prospect
The Eugene Emeralds have punched their ticket to the High-A West playoffs! pic.twitter.com/MpRrZdqO0j
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) September 16, 2021
U can't touch this
Hits were impossible to come by against Low-A Modesto's
Brayan Perez was unhittable tonight for the @ModestoNuts. pic.twitter.com/NF7JpK7y4R
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) September 16, 2021
New position, same old Pratto
Remember we said earlier that
Don't forget about 'the other guy'
Going into the Blue Wahoos-Trash Pandas game, all eyes might have been on
The Marvelous Mr. Molina 💫
— Rocket City Trash Pandas (@trashpandas) September 16, 2021
8 IP // 1 H // 0 R // 11 K // 2 BB pic.twitter.com/uzkq8ZDB3y
All 1⃣1⃣ strikeouts in a career-high effort from Cristopher Molina! ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/T5CJfWV5dv
— Rocket City Trash Pandas (@trashpandas) September 16, 2021
It's déjà vu all over again
If a seven-inning no-hitter was an art form, Trent Palmer would be Michelangelo. The right-handed Blue Jays prospect painted his second such feat of the season in Low-A Dunedin's 3-0 win over Clearwater in the nightcap of Wednesday's doubleheader. Palmer's first masterpiece came on Aug. 19 vs. Fort Myers. Against the Threshers, the 22-year-old struck out nine and walked two, while he fanned 10 and walked three in the earlier effort.
He's done it again!
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) September 16, 2021
Blue Jays prospect Trent @palmer2413 throws his second seven-inning no-no of the season for Dunedin: https://t.co/hrpH2TqzBW pic.twitter.com/DWfYZilG6j
Big on the stolen bases
A Triple-A Durham player hadn't hit the 40 stolen-base plateau for the team since 2008, when Fernando Perez swiped 43. Second-ranked Rays prospect Vidal Bruján will be chasing that number now, though, after picking up his 40th against Charlotte. He stole second base in the first and third in the fifth to get to the milestone.
4️⃣0️⃣ stolen bases this season for @vidalbrujan!
— Durham Bulls (@DurhamBulls) September 16, 2021
He’s the 1st Bulls player since 2008 to have that many steals in a season#BULLieve pic.twitter.com/QUe94Nd7rk
Adley adding up
Baseball fans probably don't expect to see a lot of triples from the backstop. Then again,
Playing for like the thousandth time
Triple-A Omaha and Iowa started facing off in 1969 for Interstate 80 bragging rights. Wednesday marks game No. 1,000 between the two teams and the storylines abound. The top prospects for both organizations are in the lineup -- Kansas City's
It’s the 1000th all-time meeting between Omaha & Iowa!
— Jake Eisenberg (@JakeEisenberg_) September 16, 2021
The I-80 rivalry began in 1969 at Rosenblatt Stadium with the Omaha Royals vs. Iowa Oaks. Tonight, it continues at Werner Park with the @OMAStormChasers & @IowaCubs.
First Pitch ➡️ 7:05p CT
📻: https://t.co/qAFFWiO66E pic.twitter.com/V8VjrIjXOu
Sept. 14
Who needs a cycle anyway?
When Zack Gelof came to the plate in the bottom of the eighth for the Low-A Ports, he needed a triple for the cycle. Instead the A's No. 7 prospect belted his second home run of the game. It was his seventh of the season, marking the first career multihomer performance by the 21-year-old taken by Oakland in the second round (60th overall) this year. It also was Gelof's first five-hit game as a pro.
Zack Gelof did it all for the @stocktonports tonight. pic.twitter.com/9zl8ZYxpCp
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) September 15, 2021
The Energizer bunny of home runs
This one just kept going and going and going. When Jordan Walker teed off for the fourth time in three days for High-A Peoria, the ball exited at 107 mph and landed on Jefferson Street beyond Dozer Park. St. Louis' No. 3 prospect has mashed eight of his 14 long balls this year for the Chiefs.
That crack of the bat tho 🔥@jwalker0522 stays hot! His three run homer gives the Chiefs a 3-1 lead heading into the fourth inning!#SoundTheAlarm x @CardsPlayerDev pic.twitter.com/hO7vIDjt6O
— Peoria Chiefs (@peoriachiefs) September 15, 2021
A Luisangel on their shoulders
When scorching Low-A Charleston scored three in the top of the 10th against Down East, things looked a little bleak. But all was not lost, because Luisangel Acuña came to the plate with one out in the bottom of the frame and the bases loaded. The eighth-ranked Rangers prospect promptly belted his 11th homer of the season to the deepest part of center field at Grainger Stadium, setting off a raucous celebration.
Luisangel Acuña with the walkoff grand slam! @TEXPlayerDev @Rangers pic.twitter.com/QgGJjSrPUP
— Down East Wood Ducks (@GoWoodDucks) September 15, 2021
The Ginn-uine article
Pitching isn't always just about the K's. J.T. Ginn did have those too -- seven, to be exact -- as he twirled seven two-hit innings for the High-A Cyclones against the BlueClaws. But the fifth-ranked Mets prospect also made a dazzling play on defense. In the third inning, Ginn barehanded a slow roller by Johan Rojas, then jumped and threw across his body to cut down the runner at first base. The 22-year-old righty improved to 3-3 with a 3.42 ERA in nine games for Brooklyn.
Pages rewriting history books
On Monday,
Second at-bat, second Triple-A homer
Knock, knock. Who's there?
First at-bat, first Triple-A homer
Well, that didn't take long. Batting sixth and playing right field in his Triple-A I-Cubs debut,
Bring on Brennen!
Top Cubs prospect (and Futures Game MVP) Brennen Davis has moved to the highest rung of the Minor League ladder. It's the second promotion of the season for MLB Pipeline's No. 14 overall prospect. After batting .321 in eight games for High-A South Bend, Davis headed for Double-A Tennessee. He came back down to earth a bit with a .252 average. But the 21-year-old also belted 13 homers, scored 50 runs and drove in 36 in 76 games with the Smokies. Davis departed the Double-A South tied for sixth in doubles (20), sixth in OBP (.367) and fifth in OPS (.841).
Welcome to Triple-A @BrennenDavis__ pic.twitter.com/aC80WF98IA
— Iowa Cubs (@IowaCubs) September 14, 2021
Sept. 13
Flexing the clutch gene
With the score tied in the ninth inning and one out,
Swinging that boom stick
The scorching play of
All aboard!
The fans on the train that circles the outfield at Smith's Ballpark will not be soon forgetting this. Dodgers' farmhand
Familiar and welcomed sight
In his first game action since Aug. 28,
Making it look easy
Don't try this at home, kids. With a screamer headed back to the pitcher's mound,
Soaring to the next level
It's been a productive year for
After 100 games across two Minor League levels this season, #Orioles No. 4 prospect Gunnar Henderson takes another step closer to The Show with a promotion to Double-A Bowie on Monday.
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) September 14, 2021
Learn more about baseball's No. 76 overall prospect here: https://t.co/qsGAqpt0fC pic.twitter.com/CPma8tKopD
Ready for liftoff
In what will certainly be a fun ending to his season, Sam Bachman will take the ball for Double-A Rocket City on Friday after being promoted to the club on Monday. The No. 9 overall pick in this year's Draft made five starts with High-A Tri-City and posted a 3.77 ERA and 1.19 WHIP with 15 strikeouts and four walks over 14 1/3 innings. The right-hander has yet to exceed four innings in a single start and has already notched three scoreless outings. The Trash Pandas will host the Pensacola Blue Wahoos on Friday in their final series of the season.
Mark your calendars. 🗓️
— Rocket City Trash Pandas (@trashpandas) September 13, 2021
Bachman, selected 9th overall out of @MiamiOHBaseball, is expected to start this Friday! pic.twitter.com/yxSgJcpsLZ
The week that was
With the regular season winding down for most leagues, postseason berths were at a premium. The Minors' home run race between Griffin Conine and MJ Melendez took a turn for the first time in months. In fact, a lot of balls are leaving the yard at ridiculously fast velocities, but that didn't mean there wasn't room for domination on the hill. Plus, we took a closer look at our Labor of love and Low-A Kannapolis played host to a surprise engagement. Review the action here.