Welcome to Capital One Premier Plays! While you're here, check out the the high-flying, gravity-defying plays that we're voted as the Play of the Week in previous campaigns. Then CLICK HERE to participate in the next round of voting!
Open up, Grant's home! - April 11-17
Short fences and outfield gates always make for entertaining highlights and difficult catches. This Grant Witherspoon play for Double-A Arkansas checks both boxes. Witherspoon hustled back to the five-foot wall, and managed to hang on to this home run robbery as he crashed through the bullpen gates.
Johnston's glovely thinking - March 29-April 10
A diving play is already hard enough. Timing the dive. Getting the glove to the ball. Controlling your body. It's all tough business. When Troy Johnston completed this diving stop for Triple-A Jacksonville, it seemed the hard part was over. But the ball wouldn't come out of his glove. So, Johnston came up with a quick solution. Just throw the glove!
Duzenack duz it again - Sept. 14-20
This is one of those plays you'll have to watch a few times to fully understand. Camden Duzenack's behind-the-back flip happens so quickly that it's actually difficult to catch on first viewing. The 28-year-old has earned a reputation for ridiculous defensive plays. But this double play for Double-A Amarillo is tough to top.
Brown runs it down - Sept. 1-13
This play will probably resurface on highlight reels for years to come. The ball was absolutely smoked, but High-A Greensboro center fielder Luke Brown ran a long way, timed the jump at the end of his sprint and got to the ball just as it reached the top of the fence. Brown's outfield mates were even more jacked up than he was after the play.
Cowser gets way up - Aug. 23-30
The first of two nominees from Triple-A Norfolk comes from Colton Cowser. The Orioles No. 2 prospect gets to the wall quickly to line up his leap and extends just about as far as he can to reach the would-be homer at the top of a fairly tall fence. He's likely to join Baltimore for the playoff push, so this play may be his parting gift to the Tides.
Avina's juggling, walk-off denial - Aug. 17-22
This Jace Avina catch is among a number of wild plays to happen in important moments this week. The Single-A Carolina center fielder not only steals away a walk-off homer, but he also performs a juggling act to do so. Sure, knocking it down prevented the homer, but the second effort made sure the runner could not score from first.
Nunez leaps, crashes hard - Aug. 10-16
What does it take for a 14th-rounder to steal the spotlight from the No. 2 overall pick? Well, crashing into the wall to make a play might do the trick. Elijah Nunez, whom the Nats selected 403 picks after Dylan Crews, made this tough out while sharing the same outfield for Single-A Fredericksburg as the Golden Spikes winner.
Juggling act gets Rave reviews - Aug. 1-9
The broadcast view of John Rave's juggling catch doesn't quite do the play justice, so credit to the Storm Chasers' media team for this angle, which allows for a full appreciation of the play. The center fielder shows immense concentration as he snags the ball and falls to the track.
Flint pulls one back ... again - July 20-26
This game will be a memorable one for Tucker Flint as this wild home run robbery wasn't even his first of the contest for the Double-A Rocket City outfielder. Flint hasn't played much left field in his two Minor League seasons, staying mostly at first base and right field -- though he seems to have found a new home.
Schunk navigates tarp, net - July 14-19
This catch by Aaron Schunk is the first of two nominees from Triple-A Albuquerque this week. Netting makes for interesting plays, and the tarp adds another obstacle. Schunk doesn't even seem to look down before he dives over the tarp, and he gets high enough to reach the ball before it hits the netting.
More F7's in Cantrelle's future - July 1-9
Hayden Cantrelle has played two games in left field and has had six balls hit in his direction. This was the sixth. The 24-year-old, who's spent a majority of his time with Richmond at second and third, didn't get turned around like an inexperienced outfielder. This was a dead sprint into the gap and an incredible diving grab.
Adams' soaring grab - June 22-28
Jordyn Adams is one of the few prospects in the Minors with 80-grade speed, the highest possible mark on the scouting scale. The 23-year-old didn't really have to turn on the jets for this play. But the Triple-A Salt Lake center fielder got back to the wall and timed his jump perfectly to pull back an extra-base hit.
Wallace, Newton get tough out - June 15-21
Just two batters into the game, High-A Quad Cities was nearly in a sticky situation. But Cayden Wallace was able to cover a lot of ground on the left side of the infield. The third baseman made a diving stop on a grounder and threw from his knees to first. Shervyen Newton, a former shortstop, made a long stretch and tough pick to dig out the throw.
Wood crashes the party - June 8-14
James Wood has above-average grades for all five tools and shows off his speed and fielding ability to make this leaping catch for Double-A Harrisburg. He gets up just fine after crashing into the wall. But, realistically, with Wood's 6-foot-6, 240-pound frame, there's probably more concern for the wall.
'Los Manos' returns - May 25-31
Luis Guillorme's teammates once nicknamed him "Los Manos" because of the slick defensive plays he makes on the field and in the dugout. He's been a Major League regular the past couple of years but has brought those terrific hands back to Syracuse as few can pull off this behind-the-back flip.
Stubbs masters new domain - May 18-24
C.J. Stubbs is a catcher by trade, but he's seeing more time at first for Double-A Corpus Christi. The fearlessness that comes with being a backstop clearly hasn't worn off. Stubbs tracked down this pop-up well over the dugout railing and managed to land on his feet.
Dean gets up like The Kid - May 11-17
Justin Dean has made dozens of plays that prove he's a tremendous defender and terrific athlete, but considering he's 5-foot-8, it's difficult to see this catch coming. The M-Braves center fielder propped himself up with a foot in the outfield wall like Ken Griffey Jr. and propelled himself toward the sky to haul in the fly ball.
Ward just does it - May 4-10
Perhaps it was the spirit of Phil Knight in Eugene that made Braiden Ward show off his hops in this game for Spokane. Ward made a different leaping catch against the wall in the right field gap in the inning prior to this home run robbery. Tracking it down with his back to the infield, Ward leaps to steal a would-be dinger on the backhand.
Keirsey shows off the hops - April 20-26
DaShawn Keirsey Jr. is no stranger to top plays lists, which should come as no surprise considering the athleticism he displays here for Wichita. Keirsey comes close to a complete stop to time the jump perfectly, then leaps to make the grab just as the ball passes the fence. "Posterized" is a term usually reserved for basketball, but freeze this clip at the right time, and that's an image that belongs on a poster.
Lee Sang hits the track - April 13-19
Down the Shore everything's alright. The first of two incredible nominees by Blue Claws outfielders belongs to Marcus Lee Sang. This flailing, over-the-shoulder grab on a fly ball brought him crashing down onto the warning track in center -- a carnival-like catch that fits right in near the boardwalk.
Siani's heave, Pereda's pick - April 6-12
It's always fun to see an outfielder show off the hose. Louisville's Michael Siani had his momentum going forward after snagging this liner, and he unloaded a strong throw to the plate. Awaiting that throw was backstop Jhonny Pereda, who made a brilliant pick on the short hop and swiped the tag on the runner in the same motion.
Jack gets it Dunn - March 31 - April 5
Jack Dunn was an Economics major at Northwestern before being drafted by the Nationals in 2019. Knowing he had to be economical with his time after making this diving stop on a hard grounder up the line, the 26-year-old heaved the ball across the diamond from his knees and got it to the bag on a hop.