Lugnuts Player Spotlight: Reggie Pruitt
LANSING, Mich. via TORONTO, Ont. - Lansing Lugnuts outfielder Reggie Pruitt had a relaxing offseason after his third year of professional baseball.In 2018, the native of Kennesaw, Georgia, stole an astonishing 37 bases, adding 13 doubles and three triples to go along with a .211/.300/.304 slash line in 89 games
LANSING, Mich. via TORONTO, Ont. - Lansing Lugnuts outfielder Reggie Pruitt had a relaxing offseason after his third year of professional baseball.
In 2018, the native of Kennesaw, Georgia, stole an astonishing 37 bases, adding 13 doubles and three triples to go along with a .211/.300/.304 slash line in 89 games for the Lugs. After a hugely impactful season, he decided to take a break, travelling to Texas and around his home state for the first two months.
"I decompressed and took it down a bit," he said of his offseason. "After that, I really hunkered down and started to work, especially on my hitting, because that's really what I need to work on."
And work on his hitting he did.
Any observer would notice that Pruitt, more patient and connected at the plate, has greatly improved his ability to make contact and hit to all fields. After 80 games, his batting average has increased by 47 points since last year, with his on-base percentage and slugging percentage also rising steadily. Of course, he continues to be a demon on the basepaths.
Notably, Pruitt worked out with Colorado Rockies All-Star Charlie Blackmon, Boston Red Sox rookie Michael Chavis and Washington Nationals infielder Carter Kieboom, among others.
"We know how hard it is to play this game and to be a certain age," he said. "I feel like that did a lot of help for me this offseason."
Though his approach changed slightly after an offseason of learning and conversation, perhaps the biggest change for Pruitt this season was the fact that he now wears glasses while playing.
While he never had any massive vision problems, it was suggested to him in Spring Training that wearing glasses (or contacts, which Pruitt personally dislikes) might make things a little brighter and easier to see.
Seeing as this is his second season in the Midwest League, Pruitt is facing different challenges this time around, mainly finding consistency in his swing and approach. With the help of hitting coach Logan Bone, he's lowered his hands and slightly adjusted the path of his stride.
"I originally had a high hand 'load', I guess you could say," Pruitt remarked of his swing. "When I took my stride, my hands would be dropping. When I stride now, my hands go up, it's kind of like a lever, just reversed it."
Because of these changes, Pruitt has been able to control his strikeout numbers, making more solid contact with tough pitches in various different situations, something he attributes to both the position of his hands, and a sharper eye at the plate when it comes to high heat.
Though he admits that he feels a little "antsy" on the basepaths, he continues to be a force to be reckoned with in terms of stealing bases. In sole possession of the Midwest League lead in stolen bases with 36 (ten more than the next most prolific base stealer), Pruitt continues to feel good about both his abilities and his progress.
"That's a part of the game that I'm really confident in," he noted. "I know that even if I get thrown out, I'll stride back up and try again. When I get good preparation on my jumps, which me and [Lugnuts position coach] Dave Pano work on all the time, it definitely leads to success on the field."
One of the league's top defenders as well, Pruitt always likes to help out his pitchers, making both the highlight reel and routine plays. Simply put, Pruitt's goal is to get outs and minimize the amount of baserunners that his hurler has to deal with.
As he improves his offensive prowess, Reggie Pruitt, one of the most consistent and energetic players on the roster, remains a defensive wizard. With the speed of a sprinter and the improving bat of an up-and-coming outfielder, he remains one of the system's most intriguing names.
"This group of guys is hilarious," he joked about his team. "We may not be as old as the guys last year, but we definitely have that competitive youth. It's never a dull moment. We always want to have fun - win, lose, or draw."
Lugnuts' Jump named MWL Pitcher of the Week
LANSING, Mich. – Lansing Lugnuts pitcher Gage Jump has been named the Midwest League’s Pitcher of the Week for the week of April 28-May 4, Minor League Baseball announced Monday afternoon. Jump, 22, allowed only one baserunner, a Jonah Advincula fourth-inning single, in firing five scoreless innings with seven strikeouts
Valenzuela delivers rainy walkoff winner in 10th, 1-0
LANSING, Mich. – Sahid Valenzuela slapped a game-winning RBI single through a drawn-in infield in the bottom of the 10th inning, and the Lansing Lugnuts (16-11) walked off the Lake County Captains (15-12), 1-0, on a rainy Sunday afternoon at Jackson® Field™. The victory clinched a six-game series split with
After Judkins gem, Caps top Nuts in 9th
LANSING, Mich. – Grant Judkins pitched six scoreless innings, but los Picantes de Lake County (15-11) scored three runs in the ninth to best the Lansing Locos (15-11), 3-1, in a Copa Saturday matinee at Jackson® Field™. Lake County has won two straight games in the series and enters the
Captains strike early, top Lugs 5-3
LANSING, Mich. – Jaison Chourio lined a two-run single in a three-run rally, and the Lake County Captains (14-11) built a five-run lead and defeated the Lansing Lugnuts (15-10), 5-3, on Friday night at Jackson® Field™. The Caps and Lugnuts have split the first four games of the six-game series.
Jump nearly perfect in 5-0 rain-shortened win
LANSING, Mich. – The Lansing Lugnuts (15-9) jumped out to a quick lead, Cole Conn and Tommy White homered, and Gage Jump turned in his latest dominating performance in a 5-0 rain-shortened victory over the Lake County Captains (13-11) on Thursday night at Jackson® Field™. The game was delayed twice,
Robinson schools Captains in 5-2 Lugnuts win
LANSING, Mich. – In the first Grand Slam School Day of the season, Kyle Robinson twirled six hitless innings while Clark Elliott homered and drilled a two-run single to help the Lansing Lugnuts (14-9) beat the Lake County Captains (13-10), 5-2, in a Wednesday matinee at Jackson® Field™. In the
Captains rout Locos late, 13-5
LANSING, Mich. – The Lake County Captains (13-9) broke open a tight game with six-run rallies in the eighth and ninth innings, romping to a 13-5 win over the Lansing Locos (13-9) on Tuesday evening at Jackson® Field™. Lansing starter Yunior Tur had tossed 5 1/3 strong innings, allowing only
Cedeño HR in 9th helps TinCaps stop Lugnuts, 5-4
LANSING, Mich. – Nerwilian Cedeño slugged a go-ahead two-run homer onto Larch Street in the top of the ninth inning, and the Fort Wayne TinCaps (10-11) edged the Lansing Lugnuts (13-8), 5-4, on Sunday afternoon at Jackson® Field™. The result ended a four-game TinCaps losing streak, though Lansing still won
Down 7-0, Lugs rally to win, move into 1st place
LANSING, Mich. – The Lansing Lugnuts (13-7) gave up seven runs in the first three innings, scored nine runs in the next three innings, and won their fourth straight game over the Fort Wayne TinCaps (9-11), 9-7, in a Saturday matinee at Jackson® Field™. With the win, the Lugnuts clinched
Jump fans 13 in LSU-driven Lugnuts win
LANSING, Mich. – LSU teammates Gage Jump struck out 13 batters in 6 2/3 scoreless innings and Tommy White delivered a first-inning RBI double and an eighth-inning RBI single, lifting the Lansing Lugnuts (12-7) to a 3-1 victory over the Fort Wayne TinCaps (9-10) on Friday night at Jackson® Field™.
Schofield-Sam's huge night lifts Lugs, 7-3
LANSING, Mich. – The Lansing Lugnuts started T.J. Schofield-Sam as their designated hitter on Thursday night against the Fort Wayne TinCaps – and he accepted the role, and then some. Schofield-Sam went 5-for-5 with three extra-base hits and the Lugnuts (11-7) scored in each of the first four innings en
Lugs’ pen quiets TinCaps, 8-3
LANSING, Mich. – A night after allowing 16 hits and 15 runs in a slugfest loss, the Lansing Lugnuts (10-7) stopped the Fort Wayne TinCaps (9-8), 8-3, on Wednesday night at Jackson® Field™. After starter Yunior Tur struck out six in five innings, a quartet of Lugnuts relievers – Hunter
De Vries cycles TinCaps past Locos, 15-14
LANSING, Mich. – 18-year-old Leo De Vries, the No. 1 prospect in the San Diego Padres organization, completed the cycle with a tie-breaking two-out two-run triple in the top of the ninth inning, and the Fort Wayne TinCaps (9-7) held off the Lansing Locos (9-7), 15-14, on Tuesday night at
Nuts complete win, Judkins CG wrap Wisconsin series
APPLETON, Wisc. – The Lansing Lugnuts (9-6) completed a 4-3 victory from Friday night before Grant Judkins tossed the Midwest League’s first complete game in a 2-0 loss to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (5-10), concluding a six-game series on Saturday afternoon at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. The
Nuts win 5th straight, rain suspends nightcap
APPLETON, Wisc. – The Lansing Lugnuts (8-5) extended their winning streak to five with an 8-4 win over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (4-9) in Game 1 of a day-night doubleheader on Friday afternoon at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Game 2? More like Game To Be Continued. The
Lugnuts, Team Lyders Taco Bell announce Launch-a-Ball to benefit Capital Area Humane Society
LANSING, Mich. – The Lansing Lugnuts and Team Lyders Taco Bell are teaming up to support the Capital Area Humane Society through Launch-A-Ball, launching into Jackson® Field™ during nine select home games throughout the 2025 season. “At Team Lyders Taco Bell, we’re always looking for ways to bring fun, community,
Lugnuts hold off T-Rats, win 4th straight
APPLETON, Wisc. – In a game featuring their first back-to-back home runs in four years, it was a run-scoring balk in the ninth inning that lifted the Lansing Lugnuts (7-5) to a 4-3 victory over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (4-8) on Thursday night at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities
Three-run 8th keys third straight win
APPLETON, Wisc. – Yunior Tur struck out eight batters in 4 2/3 innings, and the Lansing Lugnuts (6-5) used a three-run rally in the eighth inning to top the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (4-7), 3-1, on Wednesday afternoon at Neuroscience GroupField at Fox Cities Stadium. The Lugnuts have won three consecutive
Garland, Nuts open Wisconsin trip with W
APPLETON, Wisc. – Jake Garland pitched into the seventh inning, and the Lansing Lugnuts (5-5) were in control from start to finish for a 6-2 series-opening win over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (4-6) on Tuesday night at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Following Sunday’s memorable 12-11 12-inning victory
Absolutely Nuts: Green slam forces extras, Dickey walks off in 12th
LANSING, Mich. – Is the ninth game of the season too soon for the Game of the Year? The Lansing Lugnuts (4-5) rallied from a six-run deficit in the ninth inning, forcing extras on a two-strike, two-out Rodney Green, Jr. grand slam, and then rallied again in the 12th inning
Nuts notch 16 hits, fall victim to Loons' 7-run 7th
LANSING, Mich. – The Great Lakes Loons (4-4) scored seven runs in the seventh inning to double up the Lansing Lugnuts (3-5), 12-6, in a marathon three hours and 41 minutes on Saturday afternoon at Jackson® Field™. The game had 29 combined hits, 16 by Lansing; 17 walks, 11 issued
Valenzuela rallies Lugnuts to 4-3 win
LANSING, Mich. – Sahid Valenzuela lined a go-ahead two-run single in the bottom of the eighth inning, and the Lansing Lugnuts (3-4) edged the Great Lakes Loons (3-4), 4-3, on Friday night at Jackson® Field™. The Nuts rallied from two different late deficits against the Great Lakes’ bullpen, erasing a
Nuts’ rally in 9th falls short, 3-2
LANSING, Mich. – Joe Vetrano broke a 1-1 tie in the third inning with a two-run double, and the Great Lakes Loons (3-3) held on to edge the Lansing Lugnuts (2-4), 3-2, on Thursday night at Jackson® Field™. Trailing 3-1 and facing flame-throwing Loons closer Reynaldo Yean in the bottom
Nankil drives in five, rain halts Nuts' win in sixth
LANSING, Mich. – Nate Nankil scored the Lansing Lugnuts’ first run on a Cole Conn RBI double, and then drove in five runs with his next three swings, leading the Lugnuts (2-2) to a rain-shortened 8-2 six-inning victory over the Great Lakes Loons (2-3) on Wednesday night at Jackson® Field™.
Green homers twice, but Loons double up Lugs
LANSING, Mich. – Rodney Green, Jr., thumped a pair of home runs, but the Great Lakes Loons (2-2) outslugged the Lansing Lugnuts (1-3), 10-5, on Tuesday night at Jackson® Field™. The temperature was 35 degrees at first pitch for the Lugnuts’ 29th Midwest League home opener, with a combination of