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Around the Minors: The week of Aug. 30

Sights and sounds from action across Minor League Baseball
September 6, 2021

Sept. 5

Sept. 5

A grand capper to a wild night
Anyone who left First National Bank Field after the eighth inning to beat the traffic may not believe the final box score. That's because High-A Hudson Valley only led Greensboro, 9-4, heading into the final frame. The Renegades erupted for 14 more runs, batting around twice. They collected 11 hits -- including five home runs -- and reached base 15 times in the ninth. Sixth-ranked Yankees prospect Austin Wells had already notched his career-high fifth hit of the night by the time No. 13 Everson Pereira posted his own milestone in the frame -- a three-homer game highlighted by a grand slam.

One in the Winn column
The box score of the Peoria-West Michigan game showing Masyn Winn in the pitching section is not a typo. The fourth-ranked Cardinals prospect, who has logged 90 professional games since being taken in the second round of last year's Draft out of high school, has only lined up at shortstop in the field. But with High-A Peoria trailing 3-0 after the third, Winn took the ball and the hill for the first time in his career. The 19-year-old righty not only twirled a perfect frame, but also notched his first career strikeout by getting Cole MacLaren to swing through a 1-2 pitch to end the fourth. Winn exited the game after tossing 10 of his 14 pitches for strikes.

Not wanting company
After getting pulled back into a tie for the top spot in the Minors' home run race, Griffin Conine reclaims solo possession of the leaderboard. The 22nd-ranked Marlins prospect crushed his 36th roundtripper -- a solo shot off the batter's eye in straightaway center for Double-A Pensacola. The blast was his 13th for the Blue Wahoos, coming two days after fourth-ranked Royals prospect MJ Melendez notched his 35th.

Throwing some pepper on it
It's the type of burn that lingers. Jake Gatewood, sitting on a 3-1 fastball, not only turns on it with fury, but the Angels infield prospect then unleashes a bat flip that would immediately find a place in the bat flip Hall of Fame if such a place existed. Sure, the home run is great for Triple-A Salt Lake at Sacramento's expense, but that bat flip is simply majestic.

Good things come in threes
The No. 3 is definitely working for Kyle Isbel, who launched a two-run shot to right-center in the sixth inning for his third long ball in as many games. The sixth-ranked Royals prospect has 15 dingers on the season for Triple-A Omaha. The blast was part of a three-hit game for the 24-year-old who has six knocks over his last three contests.

The grass is Greene(r) on the other side
Make that three multihomer games in Riley Greene's career. The 2019 fifth overall Draft selection showed off his 55-grade power with screamers to left and right field against Omaha. The blasts were his 19th and 20th of the season, bringing his total to four dingers since joining Triple-A Toledo. The second-ranked Tigers prospect finished with three RBIs and sports a .276/.364/.526 slash line with 18 RBIs and 14 runs scored over 19 games with the Mud Hens.

Scorching hot
It appears as though The Martian is flying around the sun. Jasson Dominguez continued his torrid play with an absolute moonshot to right that cleared the palm trees beyond the wall. The blast was his fifth of the year and part of a three-knock performance. The 18-year-old is riding a three-game multihit streak -- going 7-for-12 with a pair of extra-base hits, four RBIs and two runs scored in that span.

Sept. 4

Going the distance, like a good boy
It was a debut that won't soon be forgotten. The Triple-A Rochester Red Wings' bat dog Milo didn't just suit up for the first time this season, the loveable pooch retrieved his club's bats for all nine innings. While that might sound like a challenge to other Minor League bat dogs, there's not one out there that fans won't clap their paws for.

House of Casas
It's Triston Casas' world, the competition is just trying to live in it. The second-ranked Red Sox prospect found his power dial once again, turned it to max and broke the knob. Casas mashed a pair of home runs for Double-A Portland on Saturday, one day after clubbing a trio of jacks in a doubleheader. The 21-year-old is 7-for-10 with five long balls, a pair of walks, 11 RBIs and five runs scored in three games over the past two days.

Locked-in and loaded
It's not easy to follow up a four-hit night, let alone top it, but Michael Busch did exactly that on Saturday. The third-ranked Dodgers prospect mashed a pair of home runs, doubled, reached base four times and drove in six for Double-A Tulsa. The 2019 first-round Draft selection clubbed a two-run blast in the second, a three-run jack in the fifth and lifted a sacrifice fly to left in the third. Busch brought his tater tally to 19 on the season with the Drillers and has 61 RBIs over 99 games.

Immaculate encore
After whiffing the side in his first inning of relief for Double-A Altoona, Oddy Nunez returned to the hill and executed an immaculate inning -- nine pitches, nine strikes, three outs. The left-handed Pirates prospect got Chris Roller and Bo Naylor swinging before freezing Marcos Gonzalez on a pitch that clipped the outside corner of the zone. The 24-year-old has amassed 47 strikeouts over 40 frames in 26 appearances with the Curve this season.

Groomed and dangerous
In his first start for Double-A Portland, Jay Groome absolutely dominated New Hampshire. The eighth-ranked Red Sox prospect sparkled over five scoreless frames -- fanning a career-best 10 while scattering a pair of hits and not issuing a walk. The left-hander whiffed the side in the opening inning and recorded at least two punchouts in all but one frame. Groome amassed 108 strikeouts over 81 2/3 innings with High-A Greenville this season.

Serving up some grand ol' history
This one will be tough to top for Billy Cook, and the 22-year-old's professional career is only 20 games old. Cook balled out for not one, but two grand slams as part of a three-homer game with a double mixed in for good measure. The four-knock performance accounted for 10 of Low-A Delmarva's 21 runs in the game as the 2021 fifth-round Draft selection drove in nine runs while scoring four times.

I wonder what happened to the 'O-Needers'
To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the 1996 film "The Thing You Do!" the Double-A Erie Sea Wolves welcomed the film's stars Tom Everett Scott, Johnathon Schaech and Steve Zahn to UPMC Park for "Wonders Night." The trio took the field for the ceremonial first pitch and sang "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the seventh-inning stretch. The SeaWolves donned custom Wonders jerseys for the game that were auctioned off for charity.

Eye of the Tiger
It was another flex for Detroit infield prospect Manuel Sequera, who mashed a trifecta for the Rookie-level Florida Complex League Tigers East. The 18-year-old clubbed solo shots to left in the first and fifth innings, and then connected on a two-run blast to the same spot in the third. The Venezuela native has hit safely in five straight games and paces the circuit with 11 long balls, 33 RBIs and 79 total bases.

Sept. 3

A no-no quartet
History was made at Sutter Health Park on Friday night when right-hander Norwith Gudino, lefty Conner Menez and righties Tyler Cyr and Trevor Gott combined to twirl the first nine-inning no-hitter in Sacramento River Cats history. The foursome tallied 15 strikeouts without issuing a walk and faced just one above the minimum. The only blemish for the Sacramento hurlers came with one out in the sixth when Menez plunked Mitch Walding with a 3-2 pitch. Gudino set a season high with nine whiffs over four perfect frames to open the game. It marked the 25-year-old's first scoreless start of the year. Menez earned the victory to improve to 2-1 and finished with three strikeouts over three innings. Cyr needed just seven pitches to navigate a perfect eighth, and Gott completed the feat with a perfect frame in the ninth -- fanning a pair.

Stealing a place in history
Less than 100 games into his career, Zac Veen has already become a legend. With a career-high four stolen bases Friday, the top Rockies prospect tied the Grizzlies' record for the most steals in a single game. After stealing second and third in the first and then again in the sixth, Veen entered a four-way tie for the fifth-most stolen bases in Fresno history with 36 successful swipes.

The ultimate seventh-inning stretch
In the middle of the nightcap of Low-A Daytona's doubleheader against Fort Myers at The Jack, Reds outfield prospect Leonardo Seminati got married to fiancée Carissa in a ceremony that lasted approximately 32 seconds. The 22-year-old from Italy reached base twice in the game with a pair of walks, and the Tortugas held on for a 5-2 victory to cap the special night.

Great Scott!
Much like the domination of Cones of Dunshire, Adam Scott was in total control against Altoona again. The left-hander did not yield a hit over six shutout frames as he worked around a pair of walks and whiffed eight for Double-A Akron. Exactly one month ago against the Curve, the 25-year-old twirled five hitless frames. He sports a 2.72 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP over 46 1/3 frames with the RubberDucks this season.
And after Scott left the game, two Akron pitchers combined to come within a strike of tossing a no-hitter. Mason Martin's single with two outs in the ninth proved to be the only blemish in the game for RubberDucks hurlers.

Three times is a pattern
After finding the seats twice for Double-A Portland in the opener of the club's doubleheader against New Hampshire, Triston Casas picked up where he left off and blasted a two-run shot that traveled 430 feet at 107 mph in the fifth inning of the nightcap. The towering blast gave the Sea Dogs a 6-0 advantage and was his 10th of the year.

Wearing his PF Flyers
We already know about the bat and the defense, but Bobby Witt Jr. has wheels too. The top Royals prospect motored around to score from second for Triple-A Omaha on an infield hit that barely trickled onto the grass. The throw home on the play wasn't even close as Witt padded the Storm Chasers' lead against the Mud Hens in the third.

Flying high
Everything was working for Grayson Rodriguez, who posted his sixth scoreless outing of the year -- the fifth with Double-A Bowie. The second-ranked Orioles prospect worked around a hit and three walks over five frames while fanning seven for the Baysox. Baseball's top pitching prospect has amassed 151 punchouts over 95 total innings this season.

I'm still here
Stop us if you heard this before -- the race for the Minors' home run king is tied again. In what continues to be a back-and-forth affair, MJ Melendez connected on his 35th long ball of the year to again pull even with Miami's Griffin Conine atop the homer leaderboard. The go-ahead two-run blast put Triple-A Omaha on the board in the first inning, and was the fourth-ranked Royals prospect's seventh dinger with the Storm Chasers.

Wild run
Talk about keeping your head on a swivel. Nolan Gorman took a walking lead from second base when a wild pitch was delivered to the plate in the third inning, and the top Cardinals prospect just never stopped running until he slid safely into home for the Triple-A Redbirds. The infielder may earn a bump in his 40-grade speed after this play!

Back in the passing lane
After finding the seats just once in the entire month of August, Triston Casas has already topped that two games into September. The second-ranked Red Sox prospect mashed a pair of dingers -- while driving in five runs -- for Double-A Portland through four innings of the Sea Dogs' twin bill opener on Friday. The 21-year-old has clubbed nine home runs on the year.

Sept. 2

The hits just keep on coming
The last time Hunter Stovall didn't hit safely in a game for High-A Spokane was back on Aug. 1. Over the course of the Colorado infield prospect's 21-game run, he's raised his average from .289 to .319. Thursday's output was a 2-for-3 night with his 11th double, three runs scored, an RBI, two walks and a stolen base en route to a 7-5 win over Tri-City.

Harrison strikes back
In the Low-A West, San Jose's Kyle Harrison trails only teammate Carson Ragsdale when it comes to strikeouts. Ragsdale, a 23-year-old righty, has 150 whiffs in 99 1/3 frames this year. The fifth-ranked Giants prospect vaulted up to 141 in 87 2/3 innings after posting a dozen Thursday in five scoreless frames against Visalia. With the outing, Harrison's ERA dropped to 3.49.

Yes, yes to another no-no
The second no-hitter of the night featured a dazzling starting performance by Matt Brash, who struck out 11 for the third time this season and took a perfect-game bid into the seventh for the Double-A Travelers. The 10th-ranked Mariners prospect exited after allowing a walk to open that frame, but Nate Fisher fanned three in two perfect frames and Dayeison Arias survived a couple of walks to close out the ninth and complete the no-no against the Wind Surge.

The more the merrier
In 269 games since 2018, Greyson Jenista had never had a multihomer outing. He made up for lost time with three long balls for Double-A Mississippi against Biloxi. The No. 9 hitter in the order belted a three-run shot to right-center in the second, a solo shot to right in the fourth and his 16th of the season to right in the seventh. The Braves outfield prospect has 29 career homers.

Four by four
It took four Red Sox prospects to complete the fourth no-hitter in Greenville Drive history. In his High-A debut, left-hander Jeremy Wu-Yelland struck out a career-high nine while walking four and hitting a batter over five frames against the Tourists. Righty Jose Espada followed with two perfect frames, fanning two, and southpaw Oddanier Mosqueda issued a walk but struck out the side in the eighth. With a perfect ninth, Jacob Wallace set off the celebration for the team's first no-no since July 19, 2018 -- also against Asheville.

Partial to the day before Friday
Thursdays seem to make Nolan Gorman thirsty for hits. Over the past month, he has posted four-hit nights on a Thursday three times. The top Cardinals prospect's latest effort came in the first game of the Triple-A Redbirds' doubleheader against the Stripers. Gorman collected two doubles, two singles, two runs and an RBI. The 21-year-old also racked up four hits against the Tides on Aug. 12 and the Sounds on Aug. 19.

Rochester night speaks volumes
If an event works in the Minor Leagues, the team will definitely do it again. Such was the case with the Triple-A Red Wings-turned-Plates' Second Annual Deaf Culture Game. In addition to some groovy uniforms with P-L-A-T-E-S spelled out in sign language, representatives from Rochester's NTID, the world's first and largest technological college for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, taught those in attendance some basics of ASL.

Sept. 1

20-20 vision
The 2021 Minor League 20-20 club has another member. After getting his 20th homer between Low-A Carolina and High-A Wisconsin on Tuesday, Joe Gray added his 20th stolen base Wednesday night in the Timber Rattlers game. Other members of the prestigious club this year include Bobby Witt Jr., Romy Gonzalez, Izzy Wilson, Anthony Volpe, Joey Wiemer and Josh Lowe.

Clawing way to a milestone
He didn't even get started until the fourth inning, but Darrien Miller homered his way into Mudcats history by hitting the trifecta. The catcher lofted a three-run homer to right in the fourth, a grand slam to right in the sixth and a solo shot to right-center in the eighth for the Low-A affiliate against the Shorebirds. Miller became Carolina's first player to accomplish the feat since Jai Miller in 2007, when the club was a Double-A affiliate.

When one is just not enough
There was some prescient playcalling on MiLB.TV when Great Lakes broadcaster Chris Jared pointed out that Robert Hassell III had hit his first home run of the night for Fort Wayne. It was true enough at the time, the third-ranked San Diego prospect sent his first High-A long ball over the fence in right field in the fifth inning. It seemed to hint that there would be another, though. Sure enough, the next frame, Hassell went the other way to left with a man aboard for his second home run of the night. But wait, there's more! There was a third in the 11th inning -- a two-run dinger that bounced off the "hit it here" target in right.

And now, the home run race update
He hadn't gone yard since sending two out on Aug. 22, but Griffin Conine retook sole possession of the Minor League home run lead with a two-run shot for Double-A Pensacola in the second inning against Montgomery. Miami's No. 22 prospect has amassed 35 across two levels of the Minors this year, one ahead of Omaha's MJ Melendez.

Turning the dream into reality
Every kid who wants to be a Major League player probably has thought up the scenario -- hitting a walk-off grand slam with two outs in an 0-2 count. Will Simoneot made it happen in the first game of a doubleheader for the High-A Lugnuts. The Toronto catching prospect, who also smacked a walk-off homer for Lansing last Wednesday, posted a career-high four RBIs with his first career bases-loaded blast against Dayton.

Putting in Coach
Grab the tissue box before clicking on Triple-A Norfolk's tribute to late longtime manager Ron Johnson, who holds the Tides' record with 491 victories in seven seasons. The team inducted the legend into the Tidewater Baseball Shrine with the help of emotional messages from those who played for and worked with him in Norfolk. Among the highlights, Julio Borbon recalling how R.J. was able to "light up a room" and Pedro Beato detailing how the skipper impacted lives on and off the field.

Torkelson taking off
Although Spencer Torkelson has been struggling some at the plate since reaching Triple-A, when he hits them, they stay hit. The top Tigers prospect parked two for the Mud Hens in the first game of a doubleheader and has four long balls in the past seven games at the highest level of the Minors. Torkelson has racked up a multihomer game at all three stops he's made this year. He also went yard twice on May 29 for High-A West Michigan and on Aug. 12 for Double-A Erie.

Aug. 31

Ahhhh...Busch
It was a career night for Michael Busch who capped off a four-hit performance with a towering home run. The third-ranked Dodgers prospect recorded three doubles before launching a solo shot into the bullpen beyond the wall in right field. The blast was his 17th of the year and drove in his fifth run of the night for Double-A Tulsa.

A grand finale for a grand encore
It's not easy to top a three-homer, eight-RBI performance, but Nick Gonzales may have done just that. The fourth-ranked Pirates prospect, two days removed from his career night, blasted a pair of home runs -- with his second being a grand slam of the walk-off variety. The 22-year-old finished with seven RBIs and has mashed five taters in two games.

Tied again at the top
The Minor League home run race continued it's must-see pace as MJ Melendez blasted his 34th home run of the year to pull into a tie again with Miami's Griffin Conine. The fourth-ranked Royals prospect went oppo-taco for his sixth dinger with Triple-A Omaha. It was the third long ball in as many games for Melendez.

The Martian launches into orbit in wild game
Not only did highly touted, second-ranked Yankees prospect Jasson Dominguez crush his fourth home run with Low-A Tampa with a towering shot that landed on the boardwalk beyond the outfield, but the Tarpons and Marauders combined to mash 12 total dingers in the game. For the 18-year-old, it was the first long ball in six games. Dominguez is batting .256/.322/.406 since joining Tampa.

Now that's just nasty
It was a familiar sight for Blue Jays fans as second-ranked prospect Nate Pearson took the hill for Triple-A Buffalo and tossed a perfect inning of relief -- striking out the side. It was the sixth appearance with the Bisons for the 25-year-old since being activated from the injured list on Aug. 14. Pearson has not allowed a run in four of those games, and has amassed eight whiffs over six frames since returning.

Rudy! Rudy! Rudy!
MLB Pipeline's fourth-ranked overall prospect Spencer Torkelson was thinking RBI and extra bases here, but Royals outfield prospect Rudy Martin had something else in mind. The 25-year-old made a diving snag on a sinking line drive in right to record the out, save a run and keep the game scoreless. Martin is sporting a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage over 18 games in right with Triple-A Omaha.

Parking one in the street
This ball didn't just clear the ballpark, nope, Vidal Brujan sent this three-run shot for Triple-A Durham into the street beyond left field at 121 Financial Ballpark. MLB Pipeline's No. 22 overall prospect put the Bulls on the board with this mammoth blast -- his 10th of the season. It was the 23-year-old's first long ball since June 20.

Aug. 30

It's a bird. It's a plane. It's Buddy Reed?
Talk about taking flight to save the day. With the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth, and Triple-A Las Vegas clinging to a 6-4 lead, there is a flair sent into center that looks destined to find grass and at least tie up the game. Well, Buddy Reed had other ideas. The A's prospect made a full-extension, leaping grab to end the game and secure the victory for the Aviators. Watch it again!

Strong opening statement
In his first start at the Minors' highest level, A's 23rd-ranked prospect Brady Feigl whiffed five over 4 2/3 frames for Triple-A Las Vegas. The 2018 fifth-round Draft selection allowed a pair of runs on four hits and two walks. Feigl was promoted to the Aviators after posting a 3.96 ERA over 20 starts with Double-A Midland and striking out 106 over 102 1/3 innings.

Finding the power dial
For the second straight day, Luis Campusano found the seats for Triple-A El Paso. The second-ranked Padres prospect hammered a solo shot to left and nearly swung out of his shoes. The blast was the 22-year-old's 15th of the season and sixth in the month of August. Campusano is slugging .765 over his last 15 games.

Towering over the competition
Optical illusion or just a really tall guy? Well, I guess that depends on perspective, but there is no denying the first you thing you notice about 13th-ranked Giants prospect Sean Hjelle on the mound --- or at the plate -- is his imposing frame. The 24-year-old is 6-foot-11 and 228 pounds -- and he looks every bit of it in this picture.

The week that was
National Dog Day brought man's best friend to ballparks across the Minor Leagues, where canines and their owners saw many home runs flying out of their respective yards. But the pitchers were able to strike back, aided by an array of amazing web gems. Review the action here.

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