Worldwide Sports News

It’s never good news to find out that your team’s closer is going to be sidelined with a serious hamstring injury, and it’s definitely no fun to hear that he may be out for most of two months. However, given how bad last night’s injury looked for Cincinnati Reds closer Emilio Pagan, that’s actually a lot better than I think most all of us expected to hear.

It’s better than Pagan himself expected, too, as he was convinced his season was done.

The diagnosis is a Grade 2 strain, and he’ll be out for 4-8 weeks, per The Enquirer’s Gordon Wittenmyer.

The Reds placed Pagan on the 15-day IL earlier on Wednesday as part of a larger roster shuffle.

If it’s the short-end of the timeline, we could see Pagan back with the Reds around the first week of June. Even if it’s on the longer side of the estimate, that would put him back with the club for the final week or two before the All Star break in July.

In other words, despite the ugly way it looked last night, we may even see him in a Reds uniform before we see the return of Hunter Greene.

That’s excellent news to a bullpen that’s already had its share of troubleswith Pagan around. In the meantime, the club recalled Tejay Antone to help backfill the bullpen, activated Pierce Johnson off the bereavement list, and is anticipating the return of lefty Caleb Ferguson in roughly a week after he’s already looked good in a pair of rehab assignments with AA Chattanooga.

Get well soon, Emilio.

Here are the lineups for game 2 of the series. Let’s discuss.

For the Phillies:

For the Athletics:

Tyler Glasnow left his start after only one inning, but the Dodgers’ struggling offense picked up the slack in a cathartic 12-2 bludgeoning of the Houston Astros on Wednesday afternoon getaway day at Daikin Park in Houston.

Held to only one run in Tuesday night’s loss, the Dodgers were just 2-3 on the road trip, scoring two or fewer runs in five of their previous seven games. Dating back to April 21, the start of a series in San Francisco, the Dodgers averaged just 3.64 runs in their previous 14 games, with an 86 wRC+ that ranked 27th in the majors that fueled a 6-8 record.

When Glasnow walked off the mound with lower back pain while warming up for the second inning, the game was tied at one apiece. The Dodgers scored each of their first three runs on Wednesday on wild pitches, which was very funny for an offense having so much trouble scoring of late, including going six games without a home run last week, their longest power drought in a dozen years.

But the setup for those first three runs — one in the second inning, two in the third — was promising, with a double and single in the second, followed by a walk and a double in the third. The Dodgers did not stop reaching base, then began to plate runs in a more traditional manner.

After the third wild pitch by Lance McCullers Jr., Freddie Freeman and Kyle Tucker walked, then with two outs Andy Pages gave the Dodgers some rare breathing room of late by unloading for a three-run home run to left field.

That snapped a homerless drought of 83 plate appearances for Pages, dating back to April 13. He did not have a lapse until his next home run, lining a ball into the Crawford Boxes for a two-run shot in the fifth inning, turning this one into a rout.

Pages even added a third home run in the ninth inning, off position player César Salazar. He joins Max Muncy as the two Dodgers with three home runs in a game this season. Six runs batted in Thursday are a career high for Pages, whose hit streak reached eight games.

The first two home runs for Pages were on two-seam fastballs, something manager Dave Roberts before the game identified as a weakness in the scuffling offense of late.

“We don’t hit the fastball. It’s just fact that teams in baseball that are offensive hit the fastball. When you’re passive, you’re late on the fastball,” Roberts told reporters in Houston, as shown on SportsNet LA. “You’re not scaring pitchers out of the hitting zone, as opposed to being aggressive and scaring them out of the hitting zone. That starts by getting on the fastball.

Shohei Ohtani’s double in the third inning snapped an 0-for-18 skid at the plate, part of a two-hit day that also included a walk. Freeman doubled for the second game in a row while using a new batting stance with his front foot facing inward to help keep him from flying open on his swing, and also walked twice.

Hyeseong Kim tripled and singled. Tucker had two hits and reached base twice in all three games of the series in one of his former home ballparks. Alex Freeland singled and walked, reaching base eight times during the series.

All that offense provided the perfect backdrop for a bullpen that had to get the final 24 outs on Wednesday, their toughest test of the season. But with Dodgers starting pitchers going deep into games with regularity this season, including at least six innings from the rotation in each of the previous four games, Los Angeles relievers were well rested for the task.

Jack Dreyer and Edgardo Henriquez did the heavy lifting, each completing two scoreless innings. Kyle Hurt struck out two in his scoreless inning, followed by Blake Treinen allowing a run on two hits in his one inning.

Tanner Scott pitched a perfect eighth, then Brock Stewart struck out two in a perfect ninth just hours after he was activated off the injured list. It was Stewart’s first game for the Dodgers since last August 9, with September shoulder surgery in between.

“It’s a good feeling, and whatever I can do to help, I’m going to do it,” Stewart told Kirsten Watson on SportsNet LA before the game. “I like where my stuff’s at right now, so I think I can help the team, and I’m really looking forward to it. … It feels fun to throw the ball again, let’s go.”

Wednesday particulars

Home runs: Andy Pages 3 (8); Brice Matthews (4)

WP — Jack Dreyer (2-1): 2 IP, 1 hit, 1 strikeout

LP — Lance McCullers Jr. (2-3): 2 2/3 IP, 4 hits, 6 runs, 3 walks, 4 strikeouts

Up next

The Dodgers are off on Thursday before starting a homestand against the Atlanta Braves, owners of the best record in baseball beginning Friday night at Dodger Stadium (7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA). Emmet Sheehan starts the series opener, with Chris Sale on the mound for Atlanta.

Carlos Rodon is set to make his season debut for the Yankees, with manager Aaron Boone saying he believed the lefty is scheduled to pitch on Sunday on the road against the Milwaukee Brewers. 

Boone said he needed to circle back with the pitching coaches to make sure, but the belief is Sunday will be the day. 

Rodon, who had surgery in October to remove loose bodies from his left pitching elbow, made his third rehab start on Tuesday. 

While the results weren’t great (five earned runs, seven hit, two home runs allowed in 6.1 innings against Worcester), the key part for Boone and the Yanks was that Rodon got his pitch count up to where he needs it to be.

“I think he’s felt ready to go now the last couple of times,” Boone said. “But to get him up over 80 pitches this time out, we wanted to do, and give him a third game. We feel like he’s ready to go. Feel like he’s been throwing the ball well. His stuff, he’s starting to command his stuff well, and feel like he’s ready.”

The Yankees sent Elmer Rodriguez back to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after his start on Monday night against Texas, a good sign that Rodon was ready to get back to the big leagues.

Rodon pitched to a 3.09 ERA in 33 starts for the Yankees last season, earning the third All-Star nod of his career.

A lot has been made of the Yankees optioning shortstop Anthony Volpe this past Sunday and GM Brian Cashman has offered his thoughts on the move.

Speaking with the New York Post on Wednesday at a charity event, Cashman called the decision two-fold as the team continues to use its depth to climb to the top of the American League.

“We’re paid to make very difficult decisions,” Cashman said. “This year’s Yankees team is a lot deeper. We have a lot more choices. And (Jose) Caballero has emerged with his play, and so we kind of had to honor that. He snuck up on us a little bit, but that’s good.”

With Volpe recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, Caballero became the Yankees starting pitcher out of camp and has run with the opportunity. In 35 games this season, Caballero is slashing .260/.311/.407 with an OPS of .718 to go along with his four home runs, 13 RBI, and 13 stolen bases. Not to mention his defense has been stupendous to start the year.

So when Volpe's 20-day rehab assignment was up, the Yankees decided to go with the hot hand. And keeping Volpe on the bench didn't make sense with the combination of Ryan McMahon, Amed Rosario and Paul Goldschmidt excelling in their roles. 

“You let the games play out and you honor the performance when warranted,” Cashman said. “It wasn’t anything that Anthony was doing wrong. It was what Cabby was doing. Stay tuned. It’s a long year. We’re excited that we have Anthony, we’re excited that we have Cabby, we’re excited about all the talented players we have. Hopefully, they collectively find a way to get what our fans deserve.”

But Volpe, who is still just 25 years old, is still considered a part of the Yankees' future. They are currently looking for a way that serves both the Yankees and Volpe. And, for now, it's keeping Volpe in the minors to get regular at-bats. 

In six games with Triple-A this season, Volpe is hitting .240 with a home run and is coming off a two-hit game on Tuesday.

While playing with Triple-A, Volpe is starting at shortstop exclusively, but Cashman called it a "fluid situation" as they look to best utilize Volpe's talents. The Yankees already have George Lombard Jr. in Triple-A, who is a shortstop by trade. However, Lombard has already played at second and third to develop the prospect's versatility. 

Volpe may need to move around the diamond if he hopes to get back to the big leagues sooner rather than later. 

Framber Valdez's impetuous decision to drill Trevor Story in the back after a pair of Boston Red Sox home runs earned him a six-game suspension from Major League Baseball, the league announced Wednesday, May 6.

Tigers manager A.J. Hinch was also suspended for one game. Valdez is expected to appeal the suspension, but Hinch must serve it Wednesday, when the Red Sox and Tigers conclude their series.

Valdez was tagged for 10 runs -seven earned - and three home runs by the Red Sox in just three-plus innings of their 10-3 loss. And after yielding consecutive home runs to Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu in the fourth inning, Valdez drilled Story between the numbers with the first four-seam fastball he's thrown this season.

That resulted in a benches-clearing incident, and Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, in so many words, admonished Valdez for sparking the fracas. Red Sox manager Chad Tracy called it "weak."

"I think we all know what's what," Story told reporters. "It's pretty indisputable."

MLB certainly agreed.

Valdez is in the first season of a three-year, $115.5 million contract with the Tigers. His blow-up came one day after the club found out ace and two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal would miss multiple months due to elbow surgery to remove loose bodies.

The Tigers managed to sign Valdez late in the free agent process last winter as he lingered on the market, a few months after he denied intentionally crossing up his catcher after giving up a grand slam while with the Houston Astros.

Infielder Jonathan Ornelas has played in 22 of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders’ first 32 games this season. Whenever he has been called upon, he has been ready. He has hit safely in 13 of those 22 games, including six multi-hit games. He is batting .339 (21 for 62) with two doubles, one triple, two home runs, 10 RBIs and 15 runs. 

During last week’s series against the Buffalo Bisons, he came up clutch in the game April 30. His RBI single in the bottom of the fourth inning tied the game, 2-2, and his single in the bottom of the 10th won it, 5-4. 

Defensively, he has played 12 games at second base, six at third base and four at shortstop. He has committed one error (throwing) in 73 chances with 26 putouts, 46 assists and five double plays. “I just try to take it day by day whether I’m in the lineup or not in the lineup,” Ornelas said. “(Manager) Shelley (Duncan) likes to put guys in even when they’re not playing, so I know I have to come to the field ready because I could be going in in the seventh or eighth inning whether it’s to pinch-run or hit or play defense, whatever the case may be. Overall, I just know that whatever my role is, I have to be prepared every single day.”

Ornelas was drafted in the third round in 2018 by the Texas Rangers. He worked his way up through the organization and made his major league debut August 7th, 2023, at Oakland. With the score tied at three, he entered the game as a pinch-runner in the top of the eighth inning for Mitch Garver and wound up scoring the go-ahead run on a fielder’s choice by Travis Jankowski. The Rangers won, 5-3.

“It was a nice debut,” he said. “But the first week and a half, two weeks I was up there, I didn’t get an at-bat.”

He was sent back down to Triple-A Round Rock, but called up a few weeks later. This time he did get his first major league at-bat. It was against the A’s again in Arlington, Texas, on Sept, 9, 2023. With the bases loaded and the score tied, 2-2, in the bottom of the seventh, he was sent up to pinch-hit for Jankowski.

“It was a big situation and the A’s brought a lefty in from the pen,” Ornelas said. “The good thing about it was the guy on the mound, I had faced him before, so I had some familiarity. It wasn’t like, Wow, all these things being thrown at me at once. I got to 0-2 really fast, then the guy threw a breaking ball in the dirt, got past the catcher and the tying run scored. That’s when I was relieved of all the pressure and I ended up having a good at-bat and having a good swing.”

Coincidentally, he flew out to the warning track in right field and the ball was caught by current RailRiders teammate Seth Brown.

After going 0-fer in his first five at-bats, Ornelas finally got his first major league hit Sept. 15, 2023, at Cleveland. It was a single to left field in the ninth inning off Eli Morgan in a 12-3 loss.

“It was really good to get my first hit out of the way like that in a game like that,” Ornelas said. “I was able to feel a little more comfortable. My emotions weren’t super high or super tense. But we ended up losing the game. So, yeah, I was happy, but in the big leagues it’s all about winning. It was cool to have this moment for myself, but I wanted to be part of the team and help them win as much as I could.” 

In 2024, he played 18 games in the majors and 88 games at Triple-A. He started last season at Round Rock, then was traded to the Atlanta Braves on May 24. He played 85 games with Triple-A Gwinnett and appeared in two games with the Braves in August. 

“It was a lot to process,” Ornelas said. “I felt like I was with the Rangers for such a long time, that’s all I knew. I completely forgot that a process like being traded and being with another team kind of existed. But it ended up being a good experience for me. I was able to figure myself out. It was a difficult year for me overall last year, but it was good that I went through the things I went through because it made me better overall.”

Although his major league career has only consisted of 32 games, Ornelas enjoyed every moment of it.

“It was a surreal moment in the beginning, definitely tried to soak it all in as much as I could,” he said. “It was difficult because I still had to try to go out there and perform. But it was everything everybody had told me about and more. It exceeded all expectations. I loved it. I loved every bit of my time with the Rangers and with the Braves. I’m excited to keep on the journey and get back to the big leagues soon.”

The Yankees signed Ornelas as a free agent in November. In his short time with the organization, he believes he is getting the development that he needs. 

“I feel like that was a big thing coming over here,” Ornelas said. “Where I struggled last year and years prior is kind of where the Yankees excel. It was good fit for me. I think I’ve gotten a lot better in a lot of those areas. A main one was getting the ball off the ground. The exit velocity and stuff like that is there. I hit the ball hard, but on the ground. So I think I’ve been able to improve in those areas and the guys here have helped me a ton in all those aspects.”

A good spring training has carried over into the start of the season. Ornelas likes the chemistry that the RailRiders have. Even though his name may not be on the lineup card every day, he knows he has to be ready when his name is called. 

“Whenever I get my opportunity to play, I just have to go out and do my thing,” Ornelas said. “Not think about it too much. Just realize that other things are going on around me and just take care of the things I can control and everything else will be all right.”

After being home at PNC Field for two weeks, the RailRiders (18-14) are on the road this week in Worcester against the Red Sox.

Here are some highlights:

The RailRiders won eight of 12 games, going 4-2 against both Rochester and Buffalo. 

Spencer Jones, in the Buffalo series, batted .400 (10 for 25) in six games with five home runs, 11 RBIs and five runs. Jones leads the International League with 37 RBIs and is tied for second with 10 home runs. Eight of Jones’ home runs have been solo, the other two grand slams. 

Oswaldo Cabrera batted 9 for 16 (.563) with four doubles and two RBIs in five games against Buffalo.

Reliever Zach Messinger went 1-0, not allowing a run or a hit in two games covering 5.1 innings against Buffalo with three walks and two strikeouts. Fellow reliever Yovanny Cruz also had a win and didn’t give up a run in two games covering 3.2 innings with two hits, two walks and three strikeouts. Cruz (4-0) is tied for third in the IL in wins and has one save, a 0.69 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 13 innings.

Top prospect George Lombard Jr. finished his first week in Triple-A going 5 for 17 (.235) with four runs, three walks and five strikeouts. 

The Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association on Wednesday afternoon announced via social media on X, formerly known as Twitter, that a current Major League Baseball star will be sponsoring their annual Mr. Baseball Award.

Per the TBCA, Los Angeles Dodgers’ star Mookie Betts has become the title sponsor for the association’s prestigious Mr. Baseball Award. With Betts’ sponsorship of the award, the association said the honor moving forward will now known as the Mookie Betts Mr. Baseball Award.

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“The Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association is proud to announce (Mookie Betts) as the title sponsor of the prestigious Mr. Baseball Award! Beginning this year, the honor will officially become the Mookie Betts Mr. Baseball Award,” the statement read on social media.

Betts since his time playing in MLB for the Boston Red Sox and Dodgers has become one of the most notable names in the game. The multifaceted Betts played for the Red Sox from 2014 to 2019 before being traded to the Dodgers, where he’s won four World Series titles.

Before Betts went on to become one of the best players in the game of baseball on the professional level, he starred at Nashville (TN) Overton High School, where as a junior he batted a sensational .548 average with 24 steals. 

More about the Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association

“The Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association is built on the belief that the growth of baseball in our state depends on the dedication, passion, and leadership of its coaches. Our mission is to advance the game by supporting coaches, fostering player development, and strengthening the baseball community across Tennessee.

Since its founding in the early 1990s, the TBCA has established itself as one of the premier coaches’ associations in the South. Our structure and vision have served as a model for other states, inspiring the creation and reorganization of similar associations nationwide. Together, we remain committed to growing the game, building strong relationships, and ensuring a lasting legacy for baseball in Tennessee.”

More about Overton High School

Overton High School, located in Nashville, TN, offers a comprehensive education for students in grades 9-12. Known for its diverse community, the school emphasizes academic excellence, a wide array of extracurricular activities, and strong athletic programs, including football and basketball. The Bobcats foster a culture of teamwork and leadership, encouraging students to excel both academically and athletically. Overton also provides various support services to help students succeed, preparing them for future challenges in higher education and beyond.

Apologies to anyone who was looking for a mega roundup on Monday recapping the weekend’s games. I sadly was unable to get to it this time around, but you can expect it next weekend! Now let’s dive into Tuesday’s action on the farm, which featured 4 games … the Arizona Complex League is in action, but High-A Eugene had the day off.

Link to the 2026 McCovey Chronicles Community Prospect List (CPL)

All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.

News

Not too much news. The Giants added to their international signing corps, by inking 16-year old Venezuelan LHP Moises Soto. Catcher Ty Hanchey was sent from High-A Eugene to AAA Sacramento to add some depth behind the dish for the River Cats after Jesús Rodríguez’s promotion. AAA LHP Nick Margevicius and High-A utility player Jean Carlos Sio (No. 44 CPL) were sent to the Complex League to begin rehab assignments.

AA Richmond RHP Darien Smith was named Pitcher of the Month in the Eastern League after finishing the month with a 1.35 ERA (which was lowered after his 1st May outing, when he tossed 5 shutout frames). And High-A Eugene LHP Charlie McDaniel earned Pitcher of the Month honors in the Northwest League, after a 1.10 ERA in 4 April starts (he also lowered his figures with his 1st May outing, as he threw 4 scoreless innings). Congrats to the pair, who were both undrafted free agents!

AAA Sacramento (17-15)

Sacramento River Cats lost to the Reno Aces (Diamondbacks) 4-0
Box score

It goes without saying that Monday’s promotions of Bryce Eldridge (No. 1 CPL) and Jesús Rodríguez (No. 16 CPL) are incredibly exciting for anyone watching the Major League team. But there’s a necessary evil in there: it sure makes the AAA team a lot less exciting. And so it was very fitting that the River Cats began the next chapter of their season by getting shut out, and failing to record an extra-base hit at all.

With Eldridge and Rodríguez gone, Sacramento only has 2 position players who appeared on our Community Prospect List, but that pair provided the bulk of the team’s 6 hits, as right fielder Victor Bericoto (No. 35 CPL) hit 2-4, while second baseman Nate Furman (No. 39 CPL) went 2-5 with a strikeout. Neither player has an outrageous overall line in their 1st real run through AAA — Bericoto has an .822 OPS and a 119 wRC+, while Furman is at .780 and 118 — but their contact skills have been very impressive. For the right-handed hitting Bericoto, that means a .313 batting average and a 19.7% strikeout rate, and for the left-handed hitting Furman, a .287 average and a 12.1% K rate.

Center fielder Harrison Bader began his rehab assignment and hit 1-3 with a strikeout. The single was loud contact, but the reports from the McCoven weren’t stellar.

It was a very rough game for RHP Carson Seymour, who couldn’t find the strike zone. Seymour threw just 55 of 91 pitches for strikes while walking 4 batters in 5.2 innings, and hitting another. When he did find the strike zone, things went pretty well for him: he gave up 5 hits in those 5.2 innings, with 4 being singles and 1 a double, and he struck out 6 batters. The strikeouts have been lacking a little bit this year, so that was nice to see for Seymour, who now has a 4.50 ERA and a 4.77 FIP through 7 starts after giving up 4 runs in this game.

LHP Sam Hentges made another rehab appearance and pitched 1.1 no-hit innings with a strikeout, though he walked 2 batters. Through 9 rehab games and 9 innings, Hentges has allowed just 2 hits, but the reports continue to be that he isn’t looking great … in this game, his fastball sat around 91 and peaked at 92.3, which is quite a drop from his last stint in the Majors, when he averaged 95. Hentges’ rehab window is about to close, so the Giants will have to make a decision on whether this version of him is an upgrade over Ryan Burucki or not. Hentges is on a Major League deal and doesn’t have options, so the Giants hands are a little tied, though if the dip in velo is at all due to physical issues, they could throw him back on the Injured List.

AA Richmond (21-6)

Richmond Flying Squirrels beat the Akron RubberDucks (Guardians) 5-0
Box score

The Squirrels just keep rolling along, and they did it this game on both sides of the ball, with a dominant pitching performance and a barrage of big flies.

Let’s start on the mound, because we haven’t had a ton of opportunities to give LHP Joe Whitman (No. 26 CPL) his flowers lately, and this game provided such a chance. Whitman had one of his best games as a pro, pitching 6 dominant scoreless innings, while allowing only 1 hit. He did a good job of staying in the strike zone and staying ahead in counts, and finished the day with 7 strikeouts against just 2 walks.

That part is good and dandy, but it’s the 1 hit that really stands out to me. Whitman has had solid strikeout and walk numbers for a while, which is part of why his FIP has dramatically outperformed his ERA ever since he arrived in Richmond at the start of the 2025 season. But the former compensatory round selection (No. 69 overall in 2023) just keeps throwing hittable pitches: he gave up 129 hits in 117.1 innings last year, and was at almost exactly a hit per inning entering this start.

With the outing, Whitman lowered his ERA to 4.76 and his FIP to 3.36 … he’ll have to keep working on the hit suppression, but his strikeout rate (30.2%) minus walk rate (8.6%) now ranks 7th out of 39 Eastern League pitchers with at least 20 innings thrown this year. There’s a solid foundation there.

RHP Tyler Vogel followed up Whitman’s great game with a dominant bounce-back performance. Vogel started the year with 7 consecutive outings without an earned run, but gave up earned runs in each of his last 2 outings. This one? 2 perfect innings with 3 strikeouts, while throwing 16 of 21 pitches for strikes. Fantastic! Walks have been a huge issue for Vogel this year (he has 11 in 12 innings), but he’s been quite a strikeout artist and has limited damage with the bat. He has a 1.50 ERA on the year, though the walks have inflated his FIP to 5.16.

On offense there were big swings abounding, and Richmond really took advantage of their hits: they only had 8 of them, but 6 went for extra bases. The biggest hit and biggest day both belonged to shortstop Maui Ahuna (No. 33 CPL), who hit 2-4 with a 2-run home run to cap the scoring.

Ahuna, who struck out once, has shown some impressive things as he adjusts to AA life after just 11 games in High-A. Concerns remain — his swinging strike rate of 19.8% is the 3rd-highest among the 97 qualified hitters in the Eastern League, while his 31.7% strikeout rate is 15th-highest — but there’s no denying the impact he can have on the ball when he does make contact. Ahuna now has 10 extra-base hits in 101 plate appearances this year (including 3 home runs), and his .178 isolated slugging percentage is comfortably above league average. Those are highly impressive traits for someone who is a dynamic defensive player at shortstop!

First baseman Sabin Ceballos (No. 43 CPL) homered again, in yet another data point suggesting that his lackluster 2025 is well behind him.

The 23-year old saw his power evaporate in AA last year, where he had just 6 home runs in 420 plate appearances. But after Tuesday’s game he has already matched those 6 home runs … and in just 106 plate appearances. Whatever he did this offseason worked, as he’s sitting on a .922 OPS and a 137 wRC+. You have to wonder if he might be one of the earlier promotions this year, given his experience at the level, his current performance, and the fact that his primary position (third base) is currently blocked by a higher-ranking prospect in Richmond, while both corners are fairly open in Sacramento.

Rounding out the dinger party was designated hitter Zach Morgan, who went 1-3 with a sacrifice fly and a solo shot, his 1st of the year. A 7th-round pick in 2022, Morgan is more organizational depth than pure prospect at this point, and only has 35 plate appearances on the year as he is behind Drew Cavanaugh (No. 19 CPL) and Adrián Sugastey on the catcher depth chart. But he’s made the most of his opportunities, as the 26-year old is sporting a 1.020 OPS and a 174 wRC+ through those 35 plate appearances.

Left fielder Scott Bandura continued his dynamic season by hitting 1-2 with a double, 2 walks, and a stolen base, while center fielder Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL) and third baseman Parks Harber (No. 17 CPL) both hit 1-4 with a double and a strikeout.

Low-A San Jose (17-11)

San Jose Giants lost to the Fresno Grizzlies (Rockies) 13-11 (10 innings)
Box score

You would think, given the 13 runs allowed, that it was an awful day on the pitching front for the Baby Giants. However, it was not. It was an awful day for the bullpen, but only after one of the best starts of the season in the system, from one of the top pitching prospects: RHP Keyner Martinez (No. 10 CPL).

Martinez positively overpowered the Grizzlies hitters, with a dazzling 10 strikeouts and 0 walks in just 5 innings of action. What a performance! He only gave up 3 hits and 1 run in that time, which lowered his ERA to 4.35 and his FIP to 3.82. As those numbers show, it hasn’t been a great season for Martinez, who was one of the breakout stars of the 2025 season on the farm. But for the 21-year old Venezuelan, it seems to be a case of just needing a few outings to adjust to the level, which he only got a brief taste of last year. Martinez, who employs a wicked fastball/slider combo meal, gave up 7 earned runs in 6.2 innings over his 1st 2 starts of the year … but in 3 starts since? Just 8 hits and 3 runs in 14 innings, and with 25 strikeouts. My goodness!

A year after striking out 12.6 batters per 9 innings, Martinez has pumped that number up to an other-worldly 14.8 this season. The walks have also spiked, but that’s almost entirely due to 1 start, when he issued 5 of them. It’s been a very impressive season for Martinez, who simply appears to have stuff that is far too nasty for the Cal League.

The same cannot be said for the quartet of arms that followed, as each of them allowed 3 runs: RHPs Alix Hernandez (in 2 innings), Cooper McGrath (in 1.1 innings), Fernando Vasquez (who didn’t record an out), and Garrett Langrell (in 1.2 innings, with only 2 of the runs earned).

In the batter’s box it was a well-balanced day, with production up and down the lineup. But it was the top of the lineup that really shined, with the 1st 3 hitters continuing their excellent seasons. Leading off was shortstop Jhonny Level (No. 3 CPL), who had just another casual day at the office, hitting 3-6 with a double, a stolen base, and a strikeout.

Level is no longer hitting an extra-base hit seemingly every at-bat, but he’s still having a magical season that only gets more magical when you remember that he’s a defensively-talented shortstop who just turned 19. Among 71 qualified hitters in the California League, Level is 4th in batting average (.343), 17th in on-base percentage (.405), 7th in slugging percentage (.562), 6th in OPS (.967), 9th in wRC+ (140), and tied for 10th in stolen bases (8). All while being more than 2 years younger than his peers in Low-A. He’s the real deal, folks!

Next up was right fielder Cam Maldonado (No. 34 CPL), who continued his tear, hitting 3-6 with a triple, a double, a stolen base, and 2 strikeouts. Like Level, Maldonado is making the rest of the Cal League look silly: of those 71 qualified hitters, he’s 9th in average (.333), 12th in on-base percentage (.423), 1st in slugging percentage (.644), 1st in OPS (1.067), 2nd in wRC+ (156), and tied for 5th in stolen bases (10). Last year’s 7th-round pick started the year hitting 6-34 with 0 extra-base hits … and since then has gone 23-53 with 12 extra-base hits. It would seem that the 22-year old figured something out!

And then it was last year’s 15th-round pick, left fielder Damian Bravo, who went 2-5 with a double, a stolen base, and 2 strikeouts. Like Maldonado, Bravo was cold to start the year, but has found his groove in a big way, and is up to an .886 OPS and a 110 wRC+ on the season.

Third baseman Dario Reynoso also had a very nice day, hitting 1-4 with a home run, a walk, and a stolen base, while striking out twice. As he did last year, the 21-year old right-hander is putting up fabulous numbers despite striking out way too much: he has a .824 OPS and a 120 wRC+, but has a 32.6% strikeout rate.

Second baseman Lorenzo Meola (No. 23 CPL) had a much-needed nice day, as he hit 2-4 with a walk and a stolen base, though he struck out twice. That broke last year’s 4th-round pick out of a slump, as he had gone 0-16 with 10 strikeouts in his past 4 games. It’s been a very rough 1st full season for Meola, who has just a .196 average, a .543 OPS, and a 46 wRC+ with a 30.5% strikeout rate. But it’s early days, and his defense emphatically is not struggling.

ACL Giants (0-3)

ACL Giants lost to the ACL D-backs 8-6 (7 innings)
Box score

If anyone was questioning San Francisco’s decision to start shortstop Luis Hernández (No. 6 CPL), the consensus top international signing in the sport in January, in the states, question no more. Hernández made one hell of an impression on in his professional debut over the weekend, as his 1st career hit was a grand slam that tied the game with 2 outs in the 9th inning.

That was not an outlier display of power, as on Tuesday, in his 3rd career game, Hernández again went deep, this time a solo shot as part of a 1-4 day that had no strikeouts. Those are the only 2 hits that the recently-turned 17-year old has in 13 plate appearances, but who cares. He is fitting in in a big way, and it’s pretty clear that this is the right level for him to start his career at.

His fellow star prospect shortstop, Josuar González (No. 2 CPL) didn’t play in this game, as the Giants are slow-playing the switch-hitter following a mild injury in the spring. González did play in each of the ACL Giants’ 1st 2 games, though he didn’t play a full game either time. But even when he doesn’t play there’s good news about him!

Yes, folks, it is worth being very, very excited about the Giants young middle infielders!

Third baseman Yulian Barreto had a delightful game, hitting 2-2 with a hit by pitch and a stolen base. Barreto, an 18-year old from Venezuela, had a dynamic debut season last year, posting a 134 wRC+ with just a 14.5% strikeout rate in the DSL. So far he seems to be settling into the states quite nicely, as he’s 4-8 with a walk, though he has struck out 4 times.

Left fielder Jean Carlos Sio (No. 44 CPL) missed the start of the season with an injury, and is rehabbing in the ACL. He hit 1-3 with a double and a strikeout in this game, before handing the position to 19-year old Oliver Tejada, who doubled in his only at-bat while also recording an outfield assist.

A pretty tough game for the pitchers. RHP Alexander Fuentes got the start in his season debut, and gave up 3 hits and 3 walks in just 3 innings … but he struck out 5 batters, and limited the damage to just 1 run. Fuentes, a 21-year old in his 3rd season, is repeating the level despite having a 2.62 ERA last year (though he had a 3.97 FIP and 4.5 walks per 9 innings). He’s hoping to book a ticket to San Jose soon.

RHP Samir Chires had a really nice game, striking out 4 batters in 2.1 shutout innings, while giving up 2 hits and 0 walks. It might be go time for the 22-year old Chires, who is beginning his 4th Complex League season, and has yet to make it to A-ball.

A very tough debut for RHP Trey Seeley, the organization’s 14th-round pick in July. This was his 1st professional game, and he gave up 3 hits, 1 walk, and 3 earned runs, while recording just 1 out.

Home run tracker

6 — Sabin Ceballos — [AA]
3 — Maui Ahuna — [AA]
2 — Dario Reynoso — [Low-A]
2 — Luis Hernández — [ACL]
1 — Zach Morgan — [AA]

Wednesday schedule

Sacramento: 12:05 p.m. PT vs. Reno (SP: Spencer Bivens)
Richmond: 4:05 p.m. PT vs. Akron (SP: Trystan Vrieling)
Eugene: Off day
San Jose: 6:00 p.m. PT vs. Fresno (SP: Jordan Gottesman)

Reminder that almost all MiLB games can be watched on MLB TV