Koss named Eastern League Player of the Week
RICHMOND, Va. – Richmond Flying Squirrels infielder Christian Koss has been named the Eastern League Player of the Week for June 17-23, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday afternoon.
RICHMOND, Va. – Richmond Flying Squirrels infielder Christian Koss has been named the Eastern League Player of the Week for June 17-23, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday afternoon.
Koss hits one off the top of the monster to bring home Martorano
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) June 21, 2024
We’re up 4-3 in the sixth 🔥 pic.twitter.com/5xPLOj4otN
For the week, Koss led the Eastern League in batting average (.647), OPS (1.591), hits (11) and doubles (5), tied for first in extra-base hits (5), ranked second in OBP (.650) and SLG (.941), tied for second in runs scored (6) and third in total bases (16). He also led all full-season minor leaguers in batting average and doubles for the week.
Koss, who traded to the San Francisco Giants from the Boston Red Sox on March 27, was facing his former team for the first time as the Flying Squirrels played a six-game road series against the Portland Sea Dogs. He reached base 13 times in his five starts on the week as Richmond won four-of-six games in Portland to close the Eastern League’s first half.
“To be playing well is a good feeling,” Koss said. “The fact that it’s them on the other side makes it a little better. I think the biggest thing is just trying to be consistent with my at-bats. I think hits are cool, but I know it’s not always going to be like this, so I am just trying to consistently keep the mindset and gameplan that I am trying to attack. When the results are there, I can’t complain.”
On Tuesday to open the series, Koss went 3-for-4 with a walk and a stolen base. On Wednesday, he tied his career high with four hits, including a career-best three doubles, and drove in four runs in an 18-4 Flying Squirrels win.
In the first game of Friday’s doubleheader at Hadlock Field, Koss went 1-for-2 with a walk and drive in the game-winning run with a sixth-inning double. He followed with a 3-for-3 performance, including another double, on Saturday night.
Christian Koss clears the bases and were up 17-4 🤯 pic.twitter.com/XaREmz3HPi
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) June 20, 2024
Koss, a native of Riverside, Calif., was originally drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 19th round in 2019 out of UC Irvine. He was traded to the Red Sox in December 2020 and spent the last two seasons with Portland in the Eastern League as well as some time with Triple-A Worcester in 2023.
After playing three games to open the season with the Flying Squirrels, Koss was placed on the injured list on April 12 before being reinstated on June 4. In his 19 games with Richmond this season, Koss is batting .426 (26-for-61) with a homer, a triple, 10 doubles, 15 RBIs, seven walks and six stolen bases. In the Eastern League this season (min. 70 PA), Koss is ranked second in batting average, OBP (.486), SLG (.672) and OPS (1.158).
Koss is the second Richmond player this season to be named Eastern League Player of the Week. Grant McCray received the award for May 20-26. John Michael Bertrand was named Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for April 22-28 and May 20-26.
The Flying Squirrels closed the Eastern League’s first half with a 34-35 record, including an 8-4 mark on their two-week road trip to New Hampshire and Portland to end the half. They open the season’s second half on Tuesday night at The Diamond against the Somerset Patriots, Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees.
Tuesday is The Fan and Museum District Community Night at The Diamond. The ballpark gates open at 5:30 p.m. and first pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. Tickets are on sale online at SquirrelsBaseball.com/Tickets, by phone at 804-359-FUNN (3866) or in person at the Flying Squirrels ticket office.
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
Bradfield dedicates Spring Breakout performance to late friend
SARASOTA, Fla. -- It was about more than playing in the national spotlight. More than the dinner bet placed with an old college teammate earlier in the month. More than a game. As Enrique Bradfield Jr. slid home to score a run during the first inning of Saturday night’s Spring