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Roundup: Top quartet among Mets' camp invites

Alvarez, Mauricio, Allan, Baty all heading to Port St. Lucie
@jtbloss
February 13, 2021

The Mets were one of the most active teams this offseason, making a series of signings and trades to infuse their roster with veteran talent. Still, though, there will be a youth movement when camp opens later this month. All four of New York’s Top 100 Prospects -- No. 48

Musselman masks up in support of MiLB teams

Arkansas basketball coach shows off brands, spreads awareness
@jtbloss
February 8, 2021

Two weeks into Eric Musselman’s crowdsourced wardrobe overhaul, his boss noticed something was off. The head basketball coach of a Power Five school has an apparel agreement with Nike and there’s no shortage of Razorbacks gear in Fayetteville. Yet every time University of Arkansas director of athletics Hunter Yurachek walked

Rangers land backstop Heim in veteran swap

Catching prospect heads to Texas with Davis, Andrus on the move
@jtbloss
February 6, 2021

While Khris Davis and Elvis Andrus headlined the exchange of veteran mainstays between the Athletics and Rangers on Saturday, Texas also scored a catching prospect as part of the five-player trade. Jonah Heim, who entered the weekend as the Athletics’ ninth-ranked prospect, headed to Texas, joining a catching stable that

Phillies' Simmons testing progress in ABL

No. 26 prospect altered swing with help from ROY Lewis
@jtbloss
January 20, 2021

At some point between Spring Training and Summer Camp in 2020, the baseball field at Dominion Christian northwest of Atlanta transformed from a high school diamond into a professional sandlot. Some of the area’s best talent gathered to stay sharp while the sport charted a course for playing through a

State of the System: Chicago White Sox

South Siders optimistic about youth beyond Vaughn, Crochet
@jtbloss
December 7, 2020

Starting in October and running through the end of the year, MiLB.com's State of the System series will evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each Major League organization, highlights prospects who've made the biggest strides in 2020 and offers a peek at 2021. While much of the offseason conversation around

Giants' Canario undergoes shoulder surgery

No. 7 prospect tore left labrum during recent instructional camp
@jtbloss
November 14, 2020

Giants outfielder Alexander Canario underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum after dislocating his left shoulder during the final week of the team’s instructional camp in Scottsdale, Arizona. The team's seventh-ranked prospect will return to Arizona soon to begin rehabbing.

State of the System: Philadelphia Phillies

Club bullish on pitching talent beyond top prospect Howard
@jtbloss
November 11, 2020

Starting in October and running through the end of the year, MiLB.com's State of the System series will evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each Major League organization, highlights prospects who've made the biggest strides in 2020 and offers a peek at 2021. There are things to like about where

Rays' Arozarena claims two more playoff records

No. 19 prospect passes Jeter, ties Bonds with World Series homer
@jtbloss
October 24, 2020

With one swing, Randy Arozarena tacked two records onto his historic playoff tear. The No. 19 Rays prospect’s ninth-inning home run in Game 3 of the World Series gave Arozarena 23 hits this postseason, eclipsing Derek Jeter’s 1996 mark for the most by a rookie. And because the knock left

Minors legend Shoals couldn't quit Appy League

Slugger spent a third of his career with Johnson City, Kingsport
@jtbloss
October 21, 2020

Throughout the 1946 season, fans of the Kingsport Cherokees -- one of eight teams in the Class D Appalachian League -- voted for a team MVP. The leading vote-getter at season’s end was awarded an Elgin watch. The runner-up received a Schick electric razor. Leo “Muscle” Shoals was the team’s

Pache has two-way day for Braves

Atlanta's top prospect collects RBI, robs homer in Game 5 loss
@jtbloss
October 17, 2020

It wasn’t yet enough to send the Braves to their first World Series since 1999, but Cristian Pache continued to show on Friday night why it was best to thrust him into the lineup when injury shook up the Atlanta outfield at the worst time. The top Braves prospect produced

Rangers' Huff has Texas-sized night with bat

No. 70 overall prospect uses both fields in first multi-homer game
@jtbloss
September 26, 2020

Sam Huff’s 60-grade power figures to do a lot of damage from the middle of the Rangers’ lineup at Globe Life Field for years to come. Consider what happened Friday night to be an appropriate first act. The second-ranked Rangers prospect launched his first home run at Texas’ new ballpark

Combs brought major smiles to Minors

Former Pirates prospect lost battle with ALS this month
@jtbloss
September 14, 2020

Paul Stabile felt like entering professional baseball meant starting life over. He was born in Brooklyn, went 33-0 as a high schooler on Staten Island and was selected in the eighth round of the 1987 Draft, thanks to a 202-strikeout season at a community college in Northern New Jersey. Beginning

Bubic picks up first Major League win

Royals No. 7 prospect follows Singer with another gem
@jtbloss
September 12, 2020

The Royals’ rotation of the future is looking good -- now. One night after No. 58 overall prospect Brady Singer took a no-hitter into the eighth inning, Royals No. 7 prospect Kris Bubic picked up his first Major League win in a 4-3 victory over Pittsburgh. Bubic allowed a career-best

Padres promote Campusano from alternate site

Fourth-ranked catching prospect to make Major League debut
@jtbloss
September 4, 2020

The Padres, who've gotten little production from their backstops this season, on Friday promoted catcher and No. 52 overall prospect Luis Campusano from their alternate training site at the University of San Diego. Campusano fills the roster spot of right-hander Luis Perdomo, who was placed on the 10-day Injured List

Yankees' Garcia to make MLB debut Sunday

No. 100 overall prospect to pitch in Subway Series twinbill
@jtbloss
August 29, 2020

The stadium will be empty, but one of the Yankees' top pitching prospects will be making his Major League debut in the Subway Series. The club has tabbed right-hander Deivi Garcia, its third-ranked prospect, to pitch one of the games in Sunday's doubleheader against the Mets, the Yankees confirmed Saturday.

Royals land outfielder Olivares from Padres

Rosenthal traded for No. 20 prospect, player to be named
@jtbloss
August 29, 2020

Edward Olivares made the most of his opportunities in the San Diego system after coming over in a 2018 trade with the Blue Jays. Now he’ll get the chance to do the same after being dealt again. The Padres on Saturday traded the 24-year-old outfielder to the Royals, along with

Sixto dominant in second start for Marlins

No. 24 overall prospect strikes out 10 over seven shutout frames
@jtbloss
August 29, 2020

The Marlins deployed Garrett Cooper as their designated hitter on Friday night, his first game action since he missed more than a month on the COVID-19 Injured List. But before his return, Cooper rehabbed with Miami’s alternate squad in Jupiter, Florida. The first pitcher he faced during his comeback was

RiverDogs, area nonprofit give Charleston Hope

MiLB CommUNITY grant will benefit efforts at Title 1 schools
@jtbloss
August 26, 2020

Chris Singleton had a good feeling after he submitted Charleston Hope as a possible recipient of one of Minor League Baseball’s five CommUNITY grants. So the Charleston RiverDogs’ director of community outreach texted Emily Kerr, Charleston Hope’s founder and executive director, to pass along that the nonprofit had a strong

The Road to The Show™: DL Hall

No. 4 Orioles prospect shines as one of Minors' best southpaws
@jtbloss
August 24, 2020

Each week, MiLB.com profiles an elite prospect by chronicling the steps he's taken to reach the brink of realizing his Major League dream. Here's a look at Baltimore Orioles left-hander DL Hall. For more player journeys on The Road to The Show, click here. One of the most direct ways

Marlins promoting Sixto, Jesús Sánchez for debuts

Miami calling up Top-100 prospects to bolster second-place Fish
@jtbloss
August 20, 2020

The Marlins have made 80 transactions since their season began on July 24. Perhaps none of them were as highly anticipated as the 81st. Miami will reportedly call up both No. 24 overall prospect Sixto Sánchez and No. 88 overall prospect Jesús Sánchez for their Major League debuts. Sixto Sánchez,

Astros' Javier throws a one-hit gem

No. 6 prospect faces one over minimum in six-inning stint
@jtbloss
August 16, 2020

Cristian Javier made a habit of putting up miniscule ERAs in the Minor Leagues. Five outings into his Major League career, nothing’s changed. The Astros’ No. 6 prospect navigated six one-hit innings in a 2-1 victory over the Mariners on Saturday at Minute Maid Park. He lowered his ERA to

Phillies promoting top prospect Bohm to Majors

No. 31 prospect becomes fourth 2018 first-rounder in The Show
@jtbloss
August 13, 2020

It’s a good week to be atop the Phillies’ prospect rankings. After top pitching prospect Spencer Howard made his Major League debut Sunday, the Phillies promoted No. 31 overall prospect Alec Bohm on Thursday, the club officially announced. Bohm, 24, has been with Philadelphia’s alternate training squad based at Triple-A

Order up: PawSox balance restaurant, training site

Triple-A affiliate pulling double duty to serve fans, support Red Sox
@jtbloss
August 12, 2020

There was baseball at McCoy Stadium on Saturday. More than 5,000 people watched -- via Facebook. At first pitch, one man played the outfield. Coaches sat behind a screen, behind home plate. No white chalk extended down the baselines, and the batter’s box was simply scraped in the dirt. Everyone

Rockies' Castellani unhittable in debut

No. 18 prospect retires first 12 batters against Mariners
@jtbloss
August 9, 2020

In the 28-year history of the Colorado Rockies, 324 people have pitched for the franchise. Only one had done what Ryan Castellani did Saturday. The Rockies’ No. 18 prospect retired the first 12 batters he faced in his Major League debut against Seattle at T-Mobile Park, setting the tone for

Looking back on Acuña's torrid stretch at Triple-A

Braves outfielder dominated International League in August 2017
@jtbloss
August 6, 2020

By the end of the 2016 season, Ronald Acuña Jr. had yet to accrue 150 at-bats above Rookie ball. A lot can change in a year. The Braves outfielder spent the first month of 2017 at Class A Advanced Florida, moved up to Double-A Mississippi for 57 games, then arrived