Here are the top performers from the fifth week of AFL action:

Defense is increasingly becoming a young man’s game. From 1957, the year they were first handed out, to 2012, only nine rookies won Rawlings Gold Glove Awards. The same amount have captured the game’s top defensive prize since 2013, including six in the past three seasons alone. Red Sox right

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Creed Willems had a chance to play hero, coming to the plate with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning and two out, the score tied, 6-6. Instead, he beat one into the ground to end the inning and send Saturday night’s Peoria-Surprise Arizona

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Jake Cunningham offered one of the best power/speed combinations in the 2023 college class. Nevertheless, he lasted 154 picks in the Draft because a right ankle injury hampered him throughout his junior year at UNC Charlotte and there were some concerns about his ability to make consistent

Just think of some of the big numbers put up in the Minors this year -- 40 homers, 104 stolen bases, 202 strikeouts -- and they’re just the tip of the iceberg. Terrific performances came in a variety of shapes and sizes during the 2024 Minor League season. To celebrate

We here at MiLB.com can never get enough Minor League Baseball. If you're reading this, we're guessing the same can be said for yourself. Now we've made it easy for you to take in four games at a time and up to eight games total, all from the comfort of

Samuel Basallo hit not one, but two balls out of the park Thursday night during the same at-bat and on back-to-back pitches. The first rocket launched by MLB's No. 10 prospect exited Jacksonville's 121 Financial Ballpark outside the yellow poles in right field, and was promptly deemed to be foul.

Welcome to Crooked Numbers, a monthly column dedicated to Minor League Baseball on-field oddities and absurdities. The edition, rounding up the month of July, features intra-organizational no-nos, wild romps, unexpected mound dominance and, of course, much more. Keeping track of this type of thing is a team effort, so get

Welcome to Promo Preview, a monthly roundup of Minor League Baseball promotions to look forward to. This month’s highlights include former presidents, sitcom shenanigans, steamed crustaceans, and of course, much more. Have a gander.

Jackson Holliday's All-Star break was quite a restorative one. MLB's top prospect had just spent three weeks solely as a designated hitter following an injured list stint due to left elbow inflammation and got a chance to return home. After wrapping up Triple-A Norfolk's series in Memphis, he watched his

Forty-nine of MLB’s top prospects will compete at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday in the All-Star Futures Game. This year’s iteration, which marks the 25th anniversary of the contest, will feature the first-ever Futures Skills Showcase, a three-challenge event that will test participants’ precision and power at

Coby Mayo has shown no signs of lag in his return from injury. MLB’s No. 19 prospect put his 65-grade power on display this weekend while on rehab assignment at High-A Aberdeen. The right-handed-hitting corner infielder connected on three home runs in his past three games, with two of them

You can expect to see this in the American League East for years to come. It's easy to foresee Orioles top prospect Jackson Holliday and Yankees top prospect Jasson Domínguez having plenty of head-to-head matchups in one of MLB's most competitive divisions going forward. This weekend they competed against one

Heston Kjerstad slapped an exclamation point on his return to Triple-A. MLB’s No. 22 prospect clubbed a home run off the first pitch he saw Wednesday and ended his week with an even bigger added roundtripper. Kjerstad -- who had 10 homers in the International League prior to his promotion

Heston Kjerstad needed only one swing to herald his return to Triple-A -- with that loud, distinctive thwack of bat hitting ball destined for the seats. Optioned back to Triple-A Norfolk after a three-week stint in the Majors, MLB's No. 23 prospect wasted no time. Kjerstad homered on the first

The Orioles sent Jackson Holliday back to Triple-A to get everyday at-bats so he could find his swing, the idea being that if all went according to plan, MLB's top prospect would return to Baltimore in short order. More nights like Wednesday, and that day might approach quickly.

After a multi-season hiatus, Crooked Numbers returns with a heaping portion of Minor League Baseball on-field oddities and absurdities. This edition, covering the start of the season through the end of April, has a disproportionate number of items from the Triple-A level. As for why that is, who knows? Maybe

The Norfolk Tides staff may not have been perfect Friday night, but they were pretty darn close. The club spun a three-man combined no-hitter, fanning a whopping 13 batters in the process. The 2-0 win over Nashville at First Horizon Park marked the Orioles affiliate's first no-no since Chris Tillman’s

How long will the Orioles let Coby Mayo keep mashing in the Minors? Baltimore's No. 3 prospect has long established himself as one of the best power hitting prospects in the game. With every big swing this season, he seems to be inching closer to Baltimore. Mayo homered in his

RICHMOND, Va. -- Coming off a strong performance in his first full pro ball season in 2023, Samuel Basallo was ready to put the same energy into his development over the winter. Everything was going well -- until he felt his arm give while throwing a ball in a Dominican

Samuel Basallo gave a glimpse of how much damage he can do in the batter’s box on Sunday. The Orioles' No. 2 prospect launched two home runs during a three-hit afternoon to lead Double-A Bowie’s 4-2 win over Richmond at The Diamond. It marked the fourth time Basallo posted a

Few people are having more fun right now playing the game of baseball than Heston Kjerstad, who has found a way to stand out among a team of standouts on the Norfolk Tides. So what's the key to his success? Just being himself. Kjerstad was named Minor League Player of

Following last Friday’s second Opening Day, all four full-season levels of Minor League Baseball are officially playing their 2024 regular seasons. That has given us a few days to take in and digest rosters across Triple-A, Double-A, High-A and Single-A to determine the best of the best. Some are loaded

The Jackson Holliday era is set to begin in Baltimore. The Orioles called up the 20-year-old infielder, MLB Pipeline’s No. 1 overall prospect, from Triple-A Norfolk on Wednesday. To make room on the roster for Holliday, infielder/outfielder Tony Kemp was designated for assignment. Holliday, who will be the first O's

A lot of Baltimore talent has come through Triple-A Norfolk over the past four years. Three overall No. 1s, among a dozen Top 100 prospects, have played for the Tides -- by far the most in the Minors. But no previous team or game went quite like this one.