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Ben's Biz: An evening with the (little) Giants

San Francisco's prospects start their pro journeys in San Jose
@BensBiz
11:45 AM EDT

This is an excerpt from the latest edition of the Ben's Biz Beat Newsletter, bringing Minor League Baseball business and culture news to your inbox each and every Thursday. Check out the full newsletter HERE. The following ballpark road trip recap is presented by Wyndham, proud sponsor of Minor League

Isotopes strike a chord with latest Copa victory

Three-time champion makes donation to local arts organization
@Gerard_Gilberto
9:14 AM EDT

The Isotopes understand the role that art plays in connecting with the local Albuquerque community. “If you talk to people in New Mexico, they won't really tell you that they're artists. It's just sort of in the soil here. Everyone is in some way connected to art,” said Ana Romero,

Check the Tale of the Tape: Skenes and Strasburg

How two of the game's best pitching prospects ever match up
May 9, 2024

Paul Skenes could be Stephen Strasburg. Stephen Strasburg could be Paul Skenes. Send Skenes back in time or bring Strasburg forward, and one easily could stand in for the other. Both overmatched college hitters, leading CAA Division I in strikeouts while posting the highest K rates in D-I history for

Wood excels as Nats' top 3 finds the fences

MLB's No. 12 prospect homers for third time in four at-bats
@JoeTrezz
12:13 AM EDT

It's become glaringly clear over the past few years that the future in the nation’s capital is bright. The Nationals took a step forward in 2023 and are improving again this year with a young core led by C.J. Abrams and MacKenzie Gore. Not to mention that Washington has a

Isaac perfect, powerful in Hot Rods double dip

Rays No. 3 prospect launches two home runs on 5-for-5 night
@MavalloneMiLB
1:16 AM EDT

A doubleheader provided Xavier Isaac not one but two opportunities to get his engine revved up. The Hot Rod didn't disappoint. Isaac homered twice, collected five hits and reached safely in all seven plate appearances during High-A Bowling Green's twin bill on Thursday at Bowling Green Ballpark. MLB's No. 51

Comparing Skenes to past top pitching prospects

Valenzuela, Price, others also shined in brief Minor League stints
May 9, 2024

It remains to be seen what kind of big league career Paul Skenes will have, but now that it’s about to begin, we can try to put the build-up to his Major League debut in some historical context. There is no question that Skenes’ debut is the most highly anticipated

Elias Sports named official statisticians of MiLB

Existing MLB partnership expanded to include 120 affiliated clubs
May 9, 2024

Major League Baseball and the Elias Sports Bureau announced the expansion of their decades-long partnership which will now include becoming the Official Statisticians of Minor League Baseball (MiLB). Elias will assume the role of Official Statisticians of Minor League Baseball’s 11 leagues at the Triple-A, Double-A, High-A and Single-A levels,

Holliday back in the swing of things with Tides

MLB's top prospect homers for first time since his Triple-A return
@JoeTrezz
May 9, 2024

The Orioles sent Jackson Holliday back to Triple-A to get everyday at-bats so he could find his swing, the idea being that if all went according to plan, MLB's top prospect would return to Baltimore in short order. More nights like Wednesday, and that day might approach quickly.

Skenes gets the call, heads to The Show

Pirates bringing up MLB's top pitching prospect for Saturday start
May 8, 2024

PITTSBURGH – The wait for Paul Skenes is finally over. The Pirates announced on Wednesday that they are promoting their top prospect to the Majors. Skenes, a fireballing right-hander, is scheduled to make his first start on Saturday against the Cubs at PNC Park (4:05 p.m. ET), according to the

Miller putting it all together with Threshers

Phillies No. 3 prospect has career night with HR, 4 hits, 4 RBIs
@benweinrib
May 9, 2024

Already in the midst of a breakout season, Aidan Miller turned in his best game yet as a professional Wednesday night. As Phillies Minor League infield coordinator Adam Everett sees it: "It's all falling into place."

Minor League Player Spotlight: 'Tugboat' Wilkinson

Guardians' left-handed prospect joined elite ranks during April
@RobTnova24
May 8, 2024

Equipped with one of the Minors' best fastballs and an 80-grade nickname to follow suit, Matt Wilkinson -- known as 'Tugboat' -- has taken the league by storm since his debut with the Hillcats on April 6. Wilkinson was recently named April's Minor League Player of the Month in the

Boosted by family dream, Luciano climbing ranks

Astros prospect garnering attention with Single-A Fayetteville
May 8, 2024

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. -- As a young ballplayer, Waner Luciano spent months away from his home in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, for the chance to play baseball in the United States. And he did that for one main reason -- to make the dream he and his dad shared of signing

The weirdest MiLB stats, plays from the past month

Triple-A seems to have monopoly on wackiness early in '24 season
@BensBiz
May 7, 2024

After a multi-season hiatus, Crooked Numbers returns with a heaping portion of Minor League Baseball on-field oddities and absurdities. This edition, covering the start of the season through the end of April, has a disproportionate number of items from the Triple-A level. As for why that is, who knows? Maybe

Road to The Show™: Giants’ lefty Crawford

Club's No. 8 prospect seeing early results as he focuses on pitching
@Gerard_Gilberto
May 7, 2024

Each week, MiLB.com profiles an elite prospect by chronicling the steps he's taken toward achieving his Major League dream. Here's a look at Giants prospect Reggie Crawford, who will be spotlighted each month as a Nationwide Road to The Show "featured player" in 2024. For more stories about players on

Watch for these 10 Complex league prospects

Eight position players making U.S. debuts in Rookie-level ball
May 7, 2024

The Rookie-level Arizona Complex and Florida Complex leagues began play Saturday, a month earlier than they did a year ago. The changes mean that the circuits will be populated more by players making the jump from the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League the season before and less by guys coming out

Yanks' Jones lowers hands, raises potential

Adjustment in stance pays off for Yankees' No. 2 prospect
@SamDykstraMiLB
May 6, 2024

BRIDGEWATER, N.J. – Spencer Jones spent a good chunk of his offseason working out with and talking to pitchers, particularly his fellow Vanderbilt alums in Nashville. One night, he chatted with good friend and former Commodores teammate Jack Leiter over dinner, and he got a little jealous. “He said, ‘Man,

Skenes allows first pro HR, still sports 0.99 ERA

MLB's No. 3 prospect has fanned 45 in 27 1/3 innings for Indy
@brendan_samson
May 5, 2024

With growth comes growing pains, even for the top pitching prospect in baseball. Pitching on four days' rest for the first time as a professional, Paul Skenes allowed his first home run since the Pirates selected him with the No. 1 overall Draft pick last July, but he limited the

Guardians call up Manzardo for MLB debut

Club's No. 2 prospect hit .303/.375/.642 in 29 games this year
May 6, 2024

CLEVELAND -- The Kyle Manzardo Era is about to begin in Cleveland. The Guardians added Manzardo to the Major League roster on Monday afternoon in place of outfielder Steven Kwan, who was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain. Manzardo, 23, will bat seventh and serve

Jupiter's Meyer drops hammer, K's career-high 9

Marlins' No. 1 prospect strong in return to scene of Single-A debut
@alyssam_gomez
May 5, 2024

Just 41 days after being drafted, Noble Meyer made his Single-A debut with Jupiter at Clover Park last August. Now, 259 days later, the 19-year-old returned to St. Lucie to record a career-best outing. In Jupiter’s 4-0 victory over the St. Lucie Mets on Saturday, the top Marlins prospect twirled

Tidwell rumbles through bats for Binghamton

Mets' No. 10 prospect strikes out nine over career-high eight IP
@thevandalorian
May 4, 2024

Returning to Double-A Binghamton for 2024, Blade Tidwell has opened the year sharp. The Mets’ No. 10 prospect carved through 21 1/3 innings in April, posting a 1.69 ERA with 27 strikeouts, but his first outing of May almost threw him off track in his torrid start.

Spokane's Ward makes history with six swipes

Rockies outfield prospect has straight steal of home in effort
@RobTnova24
May 4, 2024

Braiden Ward is not the first player to successfully swipe six bags in a single pro baseball game. That feat was matched just a year ago by Red Sox outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela, and has occurred in five separate instances in AL/NL history -- starting with Eddie Collins, who did it