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Caminero, Bradley make Rays' future bullish

Tampa Bay's current, past top prospects deliver for Durham
@benweinrib
April 28, 2024

If the Rays want to see a glimpse of their future, they only need to look 700 miles north to Durham, N.C. On Sunday afternoon, top prospect Junior Caminero (MLB No. 4) homered twice in a four-hit game as rehabbing Taj Bradley, their top prospect from 2023, tossed five hitless

Tortugas walk it off in Little League fashion

Reds No. 9 prospect Cabrera circles bases in atypical manner
@benweinrib
April 25, 2024

The Daytona Tortugas seem to have a knack for walk-off hits. Two of their three home wins this season have been of that variety. But it's going to be difficult to top the way Cincinnati's Single-A pulled off Wednesday night's 5-4 win at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

Tigers' Clark gets real kicks out of his art

MLB's No. 13 prospect's cleats reflect both optimism, doubters
@benweinrib
April 14, 2024

Max Clark considers himself an artistic person. The only problem -- he can't draw. Instead, MLB's No. 13 overall prospect expresses himself in other ways, such as through his shoes and tattoos. Clark is a massive sneakerhead, bringing about three dozen shoes, along with a growing collection of custom cleats,

Caminero's bat looks healthy in return from IL

Top Rays prospect homers, doubles, impresses Bulls manager
@benweinrib
April 14, 2024

Junior Caminero flexed his home run power in the innings before a late March left hamstring strain sidelined the prized Rays phenom for two weeks. Fittingly, in his first game back from the injured list, MLB's No. 4 overall prospect scorched a three-run homer that proved crucial in Triple-A Durham's

Roman's Empire features first 2 taters of 2024

No. 2 Red Sox prospect goes deep in both legs of Double-A DH
@benweinrib
April 14, 2024

When Roman Anthony earned a promotion to Double-A Portland last year as a 19-year-old, it was the first time he realized that everyone around him was much older, bigger, stronger than him. With that in mind, the second-ranked Red Sox prospect made it a mission over the offseason to bulk

Salas, Lesko form formidable duo on and off field

Padres prospects at home as TinCaps roommates, batterymates
@benweinrib
April 7, 2024

When Ethan Salas and Dylan Lesko learned they were going to begin the 2024 season together at High-A, they quickly decided to room together. One start into the season and that relationship between two of the top Padres prospects is already paying off.

Top prospects power Tides to record-setting night

Kjerstad's 10 RBIs, three Stowers' homers highlight Norfolk victory
@benweinrib
April 4, 2024

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.

Holliday aims to power up ... and connects for Tides

MLB's No. 1 prospect swats his second leadoff homer in four games
@benweinrib
April 3, 2024

Jackson Holliday felt good entering Triple-A Norfolk’s series against Charlotte on Tuesday. It was a balmy 79 degrees at first pitch with the wind blowing out, and MLB’s No. 1 prospect had a fun batting practice at Truist Field, one of the best hitters' ballparks in the Minors. He had

Chihuahuas, Isotopes combine for 14 runs in ninth

Triple-A Padres, Isotopes end weekend with a lot of late fireworks
@benweinrib
March 31, 2024

Minor League games are known for the strange, remarkable and wacky, but some games even exceed those expectations. Enter the El Paso Chihuahuas and Albuquerque Isotopes.

Indy's Skenes electric in perfect Triple-A debut

MLB's No. 3 overall prospect fanned five over three frames
@benweinrib
March 30, 2024

The Pirates sent Paul Skenes to Triple-A Indianapolis to begin the 2024 season in hopes of getting him a little more professional experience before making his MLB debut. One start into the season, the top pitching prospect in baseball (No. 3 overall) looks as dominant as can be.

Andre Dawson still helping grow the game

Hall of Famer maintains deep connections to Florida A&M, HBCUs
@benweinrib
February 23, 2024

From a very young age, Andre Dawson knew he wanted to be a Florida A&M Rattler. In elementary school, the future member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame attended the Orange Blossom Classic, where the Rattlers football team played annually in his hometown of Miami. The games were intoxicating

Offseason's no Holliday for baseball's top prospect

Orioles phenom uses elaborate home workout center to prepare
@benweinrib
January 31, 2024

When you're the No. 1 prospect in baseball, what's a day in your life like during the offseason? Well, Jackson Holliday is no regular prospect -- even in the storied history of top prospects. Holliday, the first pick in the 2022 Draft by the Orioles, is the son of seven-time

Lawlar, Saalfrank lead D-backs' Organization All-Stars

Duo dominated in Minors before helping team reach World Series
@benweinrib
December 14, 2023

Each offseason, MiLB.com goes position by position across each organization and honors the players -- regardless of age or prospect status -- who had the best seasons in each farm system. Next up in our 2023 Organization All-Stars series are the Arizona Diamondbacks. 2023 organization summary: Triple-A Reno: 88-62 Double-A

Dezenzo, Loperfido lead Astros Org. All-Stars

Impressive Minor League crop has Houston in a strong position
@benweinrib
December 11, 2023

Each offseason, MiLB.com goes position by position across each organization and honors the players -- regardless of age or prospect status -- who had the best seasons in each farm system. Next up in our 2023 Organization All-Stars series are the Houston Astros. 2023 organization summary: Triple-A Sugar Land: 61-89

Keith, Jung headline Tigers' Organization All-Stars

Slugging infielders showed production in advancing to upper levels
@benweinrib
November 13, 2023

Each offseason, MiLB.com goes position by position across each organization and honors the players -- regardless of age or prospect status -- who had the best seasons in each farm system. Next up in our 2023 Organization All-Stars series are the Detroit Tigers. 2023 organization summary: Triple-A Toledo: 70-78 Double-A

Thorpe hurls way to Prospect Pitcher of Year

Fifth-ranked Yankees prospect led the Minors with 182 strikeouts
@benweinrib
October 2, 2023

When the Yankees selected Drew Thorpe 61st overall in the 2022 MLB Draft, they chose to not have him pitch the rest of the season, instead building him up in the weight room for a debut in 2023. That decision paid off immediately, as the 6-foot-4 right-hander turned in one

Seasoned Oklahoma City sweeps to PCL crown

Busch, Stone play huge roles in Triple-A Dodgers' championship
@benweinrib
September 28, 2023

The Oklahoma City Dodgers roster has undergone a lot of change throughout the 2023 season. Key players have been promoted to the Majors, and some have returned. But all of that big-game experience paid off as the Triple-A club swept the best-of-3 Pacific Coast League Championship Series against the Round

Smokies scorch way to first outright title in 45 years

Horton dominates once again as Cubs affiliate wins Southern crown
@benweinrib
September 27, 2023

With Cade Horton on the mound Tuesday, the Cubs' Double-A affiliate had reason to be confident about their prospects of winning the franchise's first outright Southern League title in 45 years. And once the Tennessee Smokies scored four runs in the first three innings, it felt like that was very

Canadians stake claim to fifth NWL crown

High-A Blue Jays prospects log timely hits, strong pitching in Finals
@benweinrib
September 17, 2023

After coming tantalizingly close to winning a title last season, the Vancouver Canadians were able to reclaim the Northwest League crown on Saturday night in manager Brent Lavallee's second season at the helm. The Blue Jays' High-A affiliate won in convincing fashion, mounting an early lead on the Everett AquaSox

Miller's smash lifts Clearwater into FSL Finals

No. 4 Phils prospect, '23 first-rounder makes first pro dinger count
@benweinrib
September 15, 2023

Twenty-three games into his professional career, Aidan Miller was searching for his first home run. He hardly could have picked a better game when he finally connected on Friday night. Miller, the Phillies' 2023 first-round pick and fourth-ranked prospect, socked a decisive two-run homer to left field in Single-A Clearwater's

Tides turn, Holliday knocks first Triple-A homer

Baseball's No. 1 prospect gets aboard four times in slugfest win
@benweinrib
September 14, 2023

In a year full of milestones, Jackson Holliday can cross one more accomplishment off his list: his first Triple-A home run. MLB's No. 1 prospect went deep for the first time with Norfolk in Thursday's 12-10 win over Memphis at Harbor Park. The solo homer was part of an offensive

That's Nuts: Peete's first two homers are slams

No. 10 Mariners prospect keys Modesto rally with grand dingers
@benweinrib
August 28, 2023

Despite just turning 18 this month, Tai Peete has already played in a lot of important baseball games. He starred in the 2018 Little League World Series and played on the Team USA circuit before the Mariners drafted him 30th overall in July. But none of those games can compare

Smokies' slugger Caissie sizzling in Southern League

No. 3 Cubs prospect unlocks power potential with new approach
@benweinrib
August 12, 2023

Owen Caissie has long been on scouts' radars. A second-round pick in 2020 from the Canadian prep ranks, he has a sweet left-handed swing with 65-grade power that helped make him a key component of the Cubs' return in the Yu Darvish trade. Caissie has put together solid Minor League

Ramos slugs second-longest '23 Triple-A homer

Reds farmhand launches one for the ages 495 feet at 108 mph
@benweinrib
August 11, 2023

Henry Ramos has hit a lot of homers in his professional career -- 115, to be exact, between the Majors (one), Minors (89) and foreign leagues (25). But certainly none are like the one he shot into the St. Paul, Minn., sky in Thursday night's 8-5 loss to the Saints.

Five at-bats, three homers for OKC's Busch

Dodgers' No. 2 prospect has three multihomer games in 15 outings
@benweinrib
August 10, 2023

As the summer months grow hotter, Michael Busch's bat does too. The Dodgers' No. 2 prospect has been on a power surge lately, highlighted by three home runs over the course of five plate appearances for Triple-A Oklahoma City, two of which came in Wednesday's 6-4 loss to Tacoma at