Walk the Plank! Tarpons finish sweep of Marauders
TAMPA, Fla. - The Tampa Tarpons (11-11) finished off a three-game sweep of the Bradenton Marauders (9-15) with a 9-6 victory at GMS Field on Sunday afternoon. Tampa’s offense came out firing on all cylinders. The offense put up seven runs in the first four innings while on their way
TAMPA, Fla. - The Tampa Tarpons (11-11) finished off a three-game sweep of the Bradenton Marauders (9-15) with a 9-6 victory at GMS Field on Sunday afternoon. Tampa’s offense came out firing on all cylinders. The offense put up seven runs in the first four innings while on their way to putting up nine total runs. Every starter in Tampa’s lineup reached base at least once with LF Willy Montero (2-for-3, 2BB, 1R, 1RBI) leading the charge reaching base in four of his five plate appearances. Sunday’s victory marked a season-high fifth straight win for the Tarpons.
RHP Cade Smith (5.0IP, 1H, 1ER, 1BB, 8K) continued his dominant season, tossing five innings of one-run ball on Sunday afternoon while striking out eight batters. His slider was his standout pitch, recording a whiff rate of 63%. The pitch looked like a frisbee to Bradenton hitters, averaging 2514 RPM.
Tampa’s offense picked up right where they left off Saturday night. The Tarpons put up two first inning runs. SS Roderick Arias beat out an infield single and then stole second base. CF Jackson Castillo singled in Arias with a base hit to center field. Castillo took second base on the throw home and then came around to score on another single from LF Willy Montero to give Tampa an early two-run lead.
The Tarpons kept the offense coming in the second. RF Coby Morales started the frame with a walk. DH Tomas Frick singled, which put runners on first and second. The lineup flipped back over, and Arias picked up his second hit of the game to bring home Frick and grow the lead to three. 1B Dylan Jasso joined the hit parade with a two-run double just inside the left field line.
Bradenton answered back for a run in the third. Justin Minkin walked to open the frame and came around to score on a double from Wesley Zapata.
Tampa got their five-run lead right back in the bottom of the third. W. Montero and 2B Hans Montero worked back-to-back free passes to start the frame. W. Montero advanced to third base on a deep flyout and then came home to score on a SAC-fly from C Josue Gonzalez.
Tampa tacked on another run in the fourth. Arias reached on a fielder’s choice, moved to second on a balk, and advanced another ninety feet on a single from Jasso. With runners on the corners, Castillo plated Arias with a SAC-fly.
In the seventh, Tampa loaded the bases with two outs to bring up 3B George Lombard Jr. Lombard got hit for the second time to bring in a run and grow the lead to seven. With the bases still loaded, Arias drew a free pass to bring home Morales.
The Marauders stormed back for five runs in the eighth. The scoring started with a ground-rule double from Juan Jerez. Jerez came around to score on an error, and later in the frame, Keiner Delgado blasted a two-run, pulling Bradenton to within three.
Bradenton brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth; however, RHP Gabriel Barbosa (S, 1) was settled down and retired Wesley Zapata to end the game and secure the series sweep for the Tarpons.
The Tarpons continue their homestand on Tuesday night when they take on the Clearwater Threshers at GMS Field with first pitch at 6:30 p.m. Bring your dogs for Tail Waggin’ Tuesday and enjoy $2 dollar concession items through the second inning. Tickets can be purchased at tarponsbaseball.com.
Here are the 2025 Spring Breakout rosters
Spring Breakout is back, and top prospects across all 30 organizations will once again take center stage in Arizona and Florida. The second annual edition of Spring Breakout features hundreds of the top prospects from around the league. The rosters are stacked, highlighted by 72 players on MLB Pipeline's Top
Here are the new Top 30 Prospects lists for every MLB organization
MLB Pipeline released its Top 100 Prospects list in late January, but that didn't mark the end of rankings season. With Spring Training well underway, our team-by-team Top 30s have been unveiled. Our rollout began with the AL and NL East on Monday and the Central Divisions on Tuesday. We're
With historic K's, Mitchell carved own legend
There are many legends surrounding Babe Ruth and his mighty bat, his larger-than-life persona that commanded every ballpark and every camera. But this tale is about the Great Bambino striking out and the pitcher who maybe fooled him. This is a story about a girl named Jackie.
Triple-A National Championship returns to Las Vegas in September
Minor League Baseball announced that the 2025 Triple-A National Championship Game, which will feature the winners of the International League and Pacific Coast League meeting in a single-game format, will be played on Saturday, Sept. 27 in Las Vegas. The Triple-A National Championship Game, which will follow the best-of-three League
Royals' Zobac talks spring, two-way past 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
1 prospect from every team making noise this spring
Spring Training isn’t just a warm-up for established players, it’s also a chance for prospects to showcase their skills and see how they measure up in a big league setting.
Space Potatoes? Hooch Pooches? Check out these new alternate identities
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.
Paying homage to Negro Leagues, this team is MiLB's "hoppinest"
Nicknamed “baseball’s most hoppinest team” by the local newspaper coverage at the time, the Fredericksburg Frogs were one of the Chesapeake Bay area’s more successful Negro League teams in the 1920s, standing out amid a long lineage of segregated Black teams that played in downtown Fredericksburg, Virginia, between the 1880s
The year after Jackie, Ritchey integrated PCL
A version of this story originally appeared on MiLB.com in 2018. We present it here once more as Minor League Baseball celebrates Black History Month with stories of Black baseball pioneers.
Each team's top power hitting prospect for '25
The home run is the most efficient event in sports. It’s the maximum outcome a single batter can achieve, and all it takes is one swing. One very powerful, well-timed, well-coordinated swing. It’s why power is such an important tool in prospect development and evaluation. You can put the ball
Here are the 10 best potential prospect matchups at Spring Breakout
Spring Breakout will soon offer the opportunity for the majority of baseball's top prospects to face off against each other for the second straight year. Fearsome sluggers against hard-throwing pitchers. Speedy baserunners against cannon-armed catchers. Well-rounded shortstops battling to prove who should be ranked higher. Full rosters for all 30
10 prospects at Spring Training who are lighting up Statcast
One of the best parts of Spring Training every year is getting to see the top prospects in baseball. A lot of the time, it's the first look fans get at MLB's future stars. But we also know a lot more about those prospects going into Spring Training than we
Questions plague Peeples' trailblazing story
A version of this story previously appeared on MiLB.com in 2007. We present it again as Minor League Baseball celebrates Black History Month with stories of Black baseball pioneers.
Prospects to watch this spring -- one for each team
Spring may not have arrived quite yet, but Spring Training has! Players have reported to camp and exhibition games kick off Thursday with the Cubs visiting the Dodgers in Glendale, Ariz.
8 of the best team matchups in Spring Breakout
After Spring Breakout's dynamic debut last year, the prospect showcase event returns in full force for 2025. All 30 Major League teams will field squads of top prospects to face off in 16 games from March 13-16 -- the Cubs and Nationals will play twice since there's an odd number
Fowler: A 19th-century baseball pioneer
A version of this story originally appeared on MiLB.com in 2006. We present it here once more as Minor League Baseball celebrates Black History Month with stories of Black baseball pioneers.
Everything you need to know about prospects and Spring Training
This story was excerpted from MLB Pipeline's newsletter. Subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
Arkansas-based Mariners affiliate to honor legacy of the Little Rock Nine
The Little Rock Nine sounds like it could be the name of a baseball team playing in Arkansas' capital city, and for three nights during the 2025 season, it will be. The story behind the name transcends baseball, however. From Aug. 21-23, the Arkansas Travelers -- Seattle's Double-A affiliate --
MiLB podcast breaks down Spring Training storylines
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
Leaf Peepers? Thunder Chickens?! Coming to the Minors this year
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.
Dodgers greats Newcombe and Campanella made history as Minors teammates
A version of this story originally appeared on MiLB.com in 2006. We present it here once more as Minor League Baseball celebrates Black History Month with stories of Black baseball pioneers.
15 prospects primed for a bounceback season from injury
A lot of players will be getting a fresh start heading into the 2025 season. Prospects who missed significant time due to injury have had upwards of six months between regular-season games to return to health. Now they'll be looking to re-establish their value and maybe even reach new heights.