Big 8th Inning Leads Tortugas to Sweep of St. Lucie
PORT ST. LUCIE, FL—The Daytona Tortugas pulled away with four runs in the top of the eighth inning and took advantage of strong pitching from Jared Lyons and Mason Pelio to win 6-3 on Easter Sunday against the St. Lucie Mets. Daytona (3-0) starts off the season with a three-game
PORT ST. LUCIE, FL—The Daytona Tortugas pulled away with four runs in the top of the eighth inning and took advantage of strong pitching from Jared Lyons and Mason Pelio to win 6-3 on Easter Sunday against the St. Lucie Mets.
Daytona (3-0) starts off the season with a three-game sweep over the defending Florida State League champions in St. Lucie (0-3), who the Tortugas outscored 23-12 over the weekend series.
In the top of the first, Daytona got things off to a quick start against St. Lucie starter Felipe De La Cruz. Carlos Jorge led off with a walk and moved to second on a Cam Collier single. Sal Stewart followed with a single to right. Jorge initially held at third, but the ball was mishandled in right, allowing Jorge to scamper home on the error to put the Tortugas ahead 1-0.
After that, both pitchers took turns working out of trouble. Daytona starter Lyons worked around a single in the first and stranded two runners in a scoreless second. On the other side, a hit batter and a walk chased De La Cruz with one out in the third, but Robert Colina slammed the door shut to keep it a one-run game.
Lyons worked 4.0 scoreless innings, scattering four hits and a walk with five strikeouts, before handing off a 1-0 lead to Pelio.
Pelio threw a 1-2-3 fifth, but rehabbing big-leaguer Jaylin Davis deposited the first pitch of the sixth over the left field wall for a solo homer, tying the game at one apiece.
In the seventh, though, Daytona pulled back in front. After a walk and a hit batter opened the inning, Wendell Marrero deposited a drive to deep left-center that hopped over the wall for a ground-rule double that scored Yassel Pino to put Daytona ahead 2-1.
An inning later, the Tortugas put together the deciding rally. Logan Tanner led off with a double and scored when Malvin Valdez lined a pinch-hit two-bagger of his own to bring in the first run. Three batters later, Cade Hunter singled in a run and Michel Triana put the finishing touches on the rally with a two-run single to left to put Daytona ahead 6-1.
St. Lucie did string together three hits in the eighth to plate two runs, which chased Pelio (1-0) after 3.2 innings of work. However, Easton Sikorski came on and recorded the final four outs, nailing down a win for Pelio, a save for himself, and a sweep of St. Lucie for the Tortugas.
Daytona will have Monday off before opening the home slate on Tuesday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark against the Pal Beach Cardinals at 6:30 p.m. The first 1,000 fans through the gates at The Jack will receive a Tortugas magnet schedule and there will be postgame fireworks. RHP Ryan Cardona will take the hill for the Tortugas against RHP Hansel Rincon for Palm Beach. The Voice of the Tortugas, Brennan Mense, will have pregame coverage on the Daytona Tortugas Radio Network beginning at 6:20
Daytona Tortugas single-game tickets and ticket packages are on sale now at daytonatortugas.com, (386) 257-3172, or the box office at 110 East Orange Ave.
ABOUT THE DAYTONA TORTUGAS
The Daytona Tortugas are the Single-A Affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds and a member of Minor League Baseball’s Florida State League. The Tortugas play at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in downtown Daytona Beach, Fla. Jackie Robinson Ballpark also plays host to Bethune-Cookman University, the Jackie Robinson Ballpark Museum, and many community events and initiatives of all sizes throughout the year.
Don't sleep on these prospects at Spring Breakout -- 1 from each team
The second edition of Spring Breakout is bursting with high-profile prospects. Seventy members of MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 are slated to participate, including Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony (No. 2), Tigers outfielder Max Clark (No. 6), Red Sox infielder Kristian Campbell (No. 7), Rays shortstop Carson Williams (No. 9) and
Meet the 14 women who run MiLB teams
From California to Massachusetts, from Arkansas to Iowa, leadership in professional baseball is evolving. Coming into the 2025 season, there are 14 women in general manager positions across Minor League Baseball. When most fans think of the GMs in baseball, they likely assume the job is all about building a
2024 Draft class gets early chance to take center stage at Spring Breakout
When players are taken in the early rounds of the MLB Draft, it’s easy to dream about seeing them under the bright lights of the big leagues, but a common refrain has been that fans don't get to see those players for years after they're selected. Thanks to Spring Breakout,
From Spring Breakout to MLB? Here are nine players who could soon be in The Show
The inaugural Spring Breakout in 2024 provided a platform for fans to meet many of baseball's top prospects before they began standing out in the Majors shortly thereafter. Paul Skenes striking out Jackson Holliday. Jackson Chourio reaching twice and scoring a run. Jace Jung hitting a pair of homers.
Brewers' 17-year-old international signee draws comparisons to Chourio
PHOENIX – A farm system loses an elite-level prospect like Jackson Chourio, who was the No. 2 overall prospect in baseball at the start of the 2024 season, to the big leagues, it’s easy to understand that it would take a hit in this year’s farm system rankings. So don’t
Cubs have MLB stars AND loaded farm system
MESA, Ariz. – It’s a testament to where a farm system is when a Top 100-caliber hitter gets traded away and there’s still a desire to tout the bats. The Cubs traded Cam Smith to the Astros in the Kyle Tucker deal, but they still have seven players on the
Griffin boosts Pirates system, known for producing arms, with some pop
BRADENTON, Fla. – The Pirates’ strength in pitching is obvious. This is the organization that drafted Paul Skenes after all and saw him become the National League All-Star starter one year later. Jared Jones and Mitch Keller serve as more developmental success stories on the bump, and Top 100 prospects
New Rays prospect additions fitting right into the organizational mold
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- Thirteen members of the Rays’ Top 30 prospect list weren’t in the organization at this time last year. Two arrived in the 2024 Draft, one was a 2025 international signee and a whopping 10 have come over in trades since last March. Normally with that level
Headlined by big-name bats, Mariners' system strong on pitching depth, too
PEORIA, Ariz. -- The Mariners placed fifth in MLB Pipeline's new farm system rankings, thanks in large part to their seven Top 100 Prospects. That total ties them with the Cubs for the most in baseball, and all seven of them are hitters. Don't get the impression that the organization
All eyes turn to hurlers Sykora, Susana in Nats camp
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Last year in Spring Training, Nationals manager Dave Martinez named the section of young hitting prospects in big league camp led by James Wood and Dylan Crews "Hope Row." While Robert Hassell III and Brady House are still prospects, Wood has graduated and Crews will
Here are the prospects with the best tools in Spring Breakout
The inaugural edition of Spring Breakout was a rousing success last year. Sixteen games showcased not only many of baseball's best prospects but also some of the most jaw-dropping tools in the Minors. Of the 10 best individual attributes we highlighted a year ago, nine belonged to players who reached
Boston's 'Core Four' hitting principles breeding prospect success
FORT MYERS, Fla. – Boston was built to be a shining city on a hill, according to John Winthrop. Four centuries later, the Hub’s top three baseball prospects are meant to be a shining example atop the Red Sox farm system. Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer – the
Phils' teen catching prospect using ABS challenge experience to his advantage
CLEARWATER, Fla. – One of the storylines of Spring Training has been the implementation of the ABS challenge system in select ballparks across Arizona and Florida. But those in the Sunshine State might be a little more familiar with the tech than their southwestern counterparts. The Florida State League first
Texas' exciting crop of pitching prospects looks to spin the narrative
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- The Rangers haven't signed a fully homegrown pitching All-Star since Martín Pérez in 2007 and have ranked better than the Major League average in run prevention just once in the last 11 seasons. Not coincidentally, they won 90 games and the World Series when that happened in
The 10 best 2025 Spring Breakout rosters, ranked
Ding, ding, who’s ready for Round 2? Last year’s inaugural edition of Spring Breakout gave fans early looks at Paul Skenes, Jackson Chourio, Pete Crow-Armstrong, James Wood, Jackson Holliday, Ceddanne Rafaela and many other young stars who graduated off prospect lists in 2024. Not only does it serve as a
Yankees' prospect gains coming up long at short
TAMPA, Fla. -- The Yankees have a fascinating shortstop decision on their hands. You could say it’s the most interesting one since you-know-who retired in 2014. New York is battling going with a veteran presence in Isiah Kiner-Falefa or a prospect in Anthony Volpe or Oswald Peraza. It’s still too
Mets looking for top prospects to complement veteran stars
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- The last time Juan Soto played in a Minor League game was back in 2018, when in the span of 39 games at age 19 he went from A ball to High-A to Double-A and then to the big leagues with the Nationals and never
'Eephus' director Lund talks movie on 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
Minors radio legend exits the booth in Birmingham
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.
MLB's 2025 farm system rankings -- with a new No. 1
It’s time to crown a new king. After a three-year run for the Orioles atop our preseason farm system rankings, they’ve stepped off the throne, making way for the Tigers. The O’s had slipped from the top spot in our 2024 midseason rankings as they’d graduated a number of prospects