Joshua Mears Named Midwest League Player of the Week
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Fort Wayne TinCaps outfielder Joshua Mears has been awarded the High-A Midwest League’s Player of the Week for April 18-24, Minor League Baseball announced Monday. The 21-year-old outfielder hit a league-high five home runs and had a league-best 10 RBIs in six road games last week
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Fort Wayne TinCaps outfielder Joshua Mears has been awarded the High-A Midwest League’s Player of the Week for April 18-24, Minor League Baseball announced Monday.
The 21-year-old outfielder hit a league-high five home runs and had a league-best 10 RBIs in six road games last week against the Lansing Lugnuts (Oakland A’s affiliate). He posted a .368 batting average and a 1.718 OPS. Mears also doubled twice, walked once, and was hit by two pitches.
With two more today, #Padres No. 10 prospect Joshua Mears has 5 HR in 4 games for the @TinCaps. pic.twitter.com/71fAAERtC4
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 24, 2022
During the road trip, the right-handed batter from the state of Washington had a pair of games with two homers — first on Wednesday and again in the opening game of a doubleheader on Saturday. Mears’ final home run of the week Saturday night was measured to have traveled 504 feet out to left-center field, according to TrackMan technology. For context, since Major League Baseball began to use tracking technology in 2015, there has been only one homer hit further in a big league game (Nomar Mazara of the Texas Rangers hit a 505-foot homer in 2019).
Mears previously received national acclaim in spring training last year. The 6-foot-3, 230-pound slugger made the front page of MLB.com after homering off Colorado Rockies reliever Carlos Estevez, a six-year major league veteran. The home run’s exit velocity was measured at 117.3 MPH, which would’ve ranked in the top 10 in the 2021 MLB regular season.
117.3 mph?!?#Padres prospect Joshua Mears has Major League power: https://t.co/JbrCoBs1Uq pic.twitter.com/0jnu9bqdKy
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) March 11, 2021
Through the first 15 games of the season, Mears, a 2019 second-round draft pick, has hit seven home runs total to lead the Midwest League (MWL) and rank in the top five across all levels of Minor League Baseball. He also leads the MWL in slugging percentage (.784) and extra-base hits (12). He’s started nine games in right field, two in center, and DH-ed three times. MLB.com rates him as the No. 10 San Diego Padres prospect.
This isn’t Mears’ first recognition from Minor League Baseball. The former Purdue University commit was named an MiLB.com Padres Organization All-Star in 2021 after hitting 17 homers and posting a .897 OPS in 71 games last season with Single-A Lake Elsinore.
While Danny Denz garnered a Pitcher of the Week award for the ’Caps in 2021, the last time a Fort Wayne position player won a Midwest League Player of the Week award was infielder Tucupita Marcano in May of 2019. Jhonatan Peña was the most recent TinCaps outfielder to claim the distinction in June 2016.
Mears and the TinCaps, who boast a 10-5 record, are back at Parkview Field Tuesday night to begin a six-game homestand against the Dayton Dragons (Cincinnati Reds affiliate). Click here for tickets and more information.
Yankees' Jones, Angels' Guzman headline July's Minor League Players of the Month
Minor League Baseball announced the Player and Pitcher of the Month Award winners for July in Major League Baseball’s player development system.
Phils' Crawford joins MiLB podcast ahead of Trade Deadline
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
These are the upcoming Minor League promos you do NOT want to miss
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
MiLB podcast previews Futures Game, MLB Draft
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
Podcast: New Erie identity, new ballparks, new Top 100
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
How clubs across Minor League Baseball are celebrating PLAY BALL Weekend
PLAY BALL Weekend is almost here, and Minor League clubs have put together an exciting calendar of events to celebrate MLB’s youth engagement initiative. Some clubs are hosting youth clinics or other events in their home ballparks while others are bringing the joy of baseball and softball into the local
Here are the weirdest plays and stats from MiLB in May
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Podcast features first-base promotions for Caglianone, Eldridge
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
Cubs' Rojas, Mets' Tong headline May's Minor League Players of the Month
Minor League Baseball announced the Player and Pitcher of the Month Award winners for May in Major League Baseball’s player development system.
Minor League Baseball, Joe Torre Safe At Home partnership enters ninth year
For the ninth year, Minor League Baseball and Joe Torre Safe At Home have teamed up to raise awareness about violence and abuse and to inspire fans of all ages to join them in SAH’s critical work. This year, 63 MiLB teams will participate in an in-ballpark initiative from May
MiLB podcast discusses Anthony, Caglianone at Triple-A
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
These are the greatest Minor League promos happening in June
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
New playoff format coming to 2025 Dominican Summer League
Minor League Baseball announced the 2025 Dominican Summer League (DSL) season will begin June 2 with Opening Day festivities taking place at the Boston Red Sox Academy in Guerra. The 2025 campaign will also see the introduction of the DSL Cup, a new playoff format that will see 16 DSL
Debating best Minor League home caps 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
The Omaha Storm Chasers' 'Take Meow-t' cat night included a Litter Box Sundae
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Boston's Triple-A affiliate throws birthday bash for Roman Anthony
With all the hype that has surrounded Roman Anthony over the past two seasons, it’s easy to forget how young he really is. MLB's No. 1 prospect played 70 games at the highest level of the Minors before he could order a beer. But he can now. Roman Anthony turned
Friendly foes, 2024 first-rounders Moore and Caglianone trade first Triple-A homers
For years, Christian Moore and Jac Caglianone laced up their cleats against one another in the SEC. A rivalry that spanned Florida, Tennessee and other landmarks across the South moved to Salt Lake City this week as the Royals and Angels' top prospects got simultaneous Triple-A promotions. So it was
Phillies' Moore, Fausnaught join MiLB 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
Red Sox prospect rips double THROUGH Fenway-esque scoreboard
Red Sox No. 4 prospect Franklin Arias, an infielder for High-A Greenville, REALLY didn’t want to let visiting Asheville score any runs in the top of the eighth inning on Friday night. With runners on first and second base in the bottom of the fourth, Arias showed he apparently held
April's hottest hitting prospects -- one for each organization
The Minor League season is a month old and several of the game's best hitting prospects are off to fast starts. Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony is tearing up Triple-A (just like he did at the end of last year), Padres shortstop Leo De Vries is leading the High-A Midwest
Check out the best -- and wackiest -- Minor League promos happening in May
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Orioles' Honeycutt joins The Show Before the Show
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
MiLB podcast coming LIVE to a Somerset this June
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
New ballparks highlight 2025 MiLB road trip stops
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Minor League Baseball partners with TruGreen
FRANKLIN, Tenn. -- TruGreen, the nation's leading lawn care treatment provider, is proud to announce a groundbreaking partnership with Minor League Baseball that includes activations across all 120 clubs, a makeover of the home dugout in each market, sponsorship of select MiLB team grounds crews, and a new initiative called