No one can say Lewis Brinson's home runs this spring have come against cheap competition.The Marlins' top prospect hit a leadoff long ball against Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg in Miami's 8-3 loss to Washington on Tuesday in Grapefruit League action.
No one can say Lewis Brinson's home runs this spring have come against cheap competition.
The Marlins' top prospect hit a leadoff long ball against Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg in Miami's 8-3 loss to Washington on Tuesday in Grapefruit League action.
"I've led off before with a homer," Brinson told MLB.com. "Off Stephen Strasburg? Nothing like that. A pitcher like that, that feels good, too. Especially off a curveball, to get one off a guy like that."
It was the right-handed slugger's second homer of spring. The first came on March 6 against Cardinals No. 2 prospect Jack Flaherty, who played with Brinson at last year's All-Star Futures Game.
The home run would be Brinson's only hit of the game as he finished 1-for-4 before exiting for a defensive replacement in the seventh inning.
The 23-year-old outfielder, who joined Miami from the Brewers in the Christian Yelich deal, entered his first spring with the Marlins as a potential Major League option in center and has done plenty in the Grapefruit League to make the role his own. After Tuesday's performance, Brinson has produced a .333/.365/.583 slash line with two homers and six doubles over 19 games and 52 plate appearances. His eight extra-base hits tie him with No. 9 Marlins prospect Brian Anderson for most on the club.
"You want someone who gets on base also," Marlins manager Don Mattingly told MLB.com. "Obviously, there's been a trend going in this direction."
Nationals No. 28 prospect Drew Ward doubled in his only at-bat of the afternoon.
In other spring action:
Red Sox 12, Pirates 6 (Box)
Boston No. 5 prospect Sam Travis blasted his fifth homer of spring, a three-run shot in the sixth, and Pittsburgh No. 4 prospect Ke'Bryan Hayes lifted a solo shot in the eighth as the two clubs squared off in Fort Myers. It was Hayes' first Grapefruit League long ball in just his fourth at-bat. Jordan Luplow, the Pirates' No. 23 prospect, also went deep with his fourth homer and second in three games.
Travis, who replaced veteran Mitch Moreland at first base, leads the Red Sox in both homers (five) and RBIs (16). His at-bats have been all-or-nothing affairs -- nine of his 13 hits have gone for extra bases and his 12 strikeouts are second-most on the team.
Tigers 8, Yankees 3 (Box)
Tigers No. 17 prospect Victor Reyes went 3-for-3 with a double, a walk and a run scored, and No. 10 prospect Christin Stewart singled in his lone at-bat. Sandy Baez, the Tigers' No. 20 prospect, picked up his first win of Spring Training after holding the Yankees to a run on four hits over three innings. New York prospects were mostly held quiet in the loss -- top prospect Gleyber Torres started at short and went 1-for-3 with a double and outfielder Billy McKinney (No. 19) was hitless in three at-bats, dropping his spring average to .161. Estevan Florial (No. 2) was also 0-for-3. On the mound, right-hander Ben Heller (No. 30) allowed three runs on three hits in 1 2/3 innings before Cody Carroll (No. 17) was charged with a run on four hits in 1 2/3 frames. Righty Giovanny Gallegos (No. 22) struck out two in a scoreless frame.
Phillies 2, Blue Jays 0 (F/7) (Box)
The game may have been shortened by rain, but Phillies No. 2 prospect Scott Kingery did enough to keep his hot spring going. Batting second, the 23-year-old second baseman went 1-for-3 to extend his hitting streak to five games. Kingery is now hitting .375/.405/.650 with three homers in 16 games. No. 3 prospect J.P. Crawford went 0-for-3 with a strikeout from the leadoff spot.
Mets 8, Cardinals 7 (Box)
Cardinals No. 12 prospect Yairo Muñoz doubled and scored twice.
Angels 6, D-backs 5 (Box)
Top overall prospect Shohei Ohtani collected his third hit of camp to boost his average to .107, but it was David Fletcher who stole the show. The Angels' No. 23 prospect ripped a game-tying two-run triple to right in the ninth as the Halos went on to win in walk-off fashion. Luke Bard (No. 21) relieved Parker Bridwell with two outs in the sixth and retired all four batters he faced.
Brewers 4, Rockies 4 (Box)
Milwaukee's sixth-ranked prospect Brett Phillips slugged his first Cactus League homer with a go-ahead two-run shot in the eighth while 18th-ranked Taylor Williams notched a strikeout as he secured two outs in the seventh. Rockies No. 2 prospect Ryan McMahon slapped a double in his only at-bat and came around to score the final run of the game in the ninth. Outfielder Yonathan Daza (No. 20) also went 1-for-1.
Dodgers 8, A's 2 (Box)
Dodgers No. 23 prospect Kyle Farmer doubled and scored a run while No. 30 prospect Donovan Casey went 2-for-2 with a double.
Reds 3, Padres 3 (10) (Box)
Tyler Mahle, Cincinnati's No. 5 prospect, limited San Diego to two runs on three hits and a walk while striking out six over five innings.
