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The Minnesota Twins had a productive trade deadline. After weeks of speculation about whether they would buy or sell, the front office ultimately made three additions over the final weekend before the deadline. They bolstered the rotation with Dean Kremer and strengthened the bullpen with A.J. Minter and Jeff Hoffman before the clock struck 5 p.m. While opinions varied on each move, the overall consensus was positive. Twins Daily's Cody Christie graded the club's trades between a B- and a B+, and most national analysts landed in a similar range. Still, every trade deadline leaves behind a handful of deals that make you stop and wonder. Some trades immediately spark the reaction of, "That's all it took?" Others look even better a few days later after you have time to compare the prices teams paid across the league. Looking back, there are at least three deals the Twins probably wish they had been the team making instead. Kevin Gausman - Starting Pitcher The Chicago Cubs acquired the veteran right-hander from Toronto for infield prospect Ty Southisene, the Blue Jays' No. 17 prospect, and outfielder Brett Bateman, their No. 20 prospect. Considering Gausman's résumé, it was a surprisingly modest return. Yes, Gausman has struggled this season, posting a 4.38 ERA, and he's only a rental with two months of team control remaining. But this is also a two-time All-Star who finished third in American League Cy Young voting as recently as 2023. His underlying metrics still point toward a pitcher capable of performing much better than his ERA suggests. The return is what makes this trade so intriguing from a Twins perspective. The Cubs only had to part with their No. 17 and No. 20 prospects despite owning MLB.com's No. 23-ranked farm system. According to FanGraphs, those prospects would rank below players like Bruin Agbayani and John Klein in the Twins organization. Minnesota ultimately paid a steeper price to acquire Dean Kremer. Kremer brings another season of club control, which certainly adds value, but if the goal was simply maximizing the 2026 postseason push, it's hard not to wonder if Gausman would have been the better target at a lower acquisition cost. Taylor Ward - Outfielder Another missed opportunity came in the market for right-handed hitting. The Mariners acquired Taylor Ward from Baltimore for reliever Alex Hoppe, who owns a 5.79 ERA, along with pitching prospects Brock Moore and Harrison Kreiling, neither of whom ranked among Seattle's top 30 prospects. That feels like a deal the Twins should have been all over. Minnesota entered the deadline with one glaring offensive need: another right-handed bat capable of punishing left-handed pitching. Ward checks that box while also providing the versatility to handle center field when needed. He's exactly the type of player who would've fit the roster without requiring a major overhaul. Considering the Mariners didn't have to surrender a premium (or even good) prospect to get him, it's difficult not to look back and wonder why the Twins weren't able to put together a similar package. Ward is also a rental, but for that price, he would've addressed one of Minnesota's biggest weaknesses without significantly impacting the organization's long-term outlook. The final deal that stands out happened inside the division. Foster Griffin - Starting Pitcher The Cleveland Guardians acquired left-hander Foster Griffin from Washington in exchange for Will Dion, Josh Hartle, Kendeglys Virguez and Nick Mitchell. Hartle was Cleveland's highest-ranked prospect in the deal at No. 25, meaning the Guardians landed an All-Star without giving up anyone inside the top 24 of their system. Griffin has one of the more unique stories in baseball. After leaving for Japan in 2023, he spent three seasons dominating overseas before returning to Major League Baseball with the Nationals this year. All he has done since returning is post a 3.06 ERA with a WHIP barely over 1.00 while earning his first All-Star selection. Perhaps even more enticing are the underlying metrics, which suggest the 31-year-old could be even better moving forward. He offers more upside than Kremer while costing Cleveland less prospect capital to acquire. Making matters worse for the Twins, Griffin is now headed to Cleveland. The Guardians have built a reputation for getting the most out of pitchers, and it's hard not to imagine Griffin taking another step forward in their development system. None of this is meant to criticize what the Twins accomplished at the deadline. Their front office addressed multiple needs and deserves credit for being aggressive enough to improve the roster for the stretch run. But hindsight is part of every trade deadline. Once the dust settles and every deal can be compared side by side, there are always a few moves that leave you wondering what could have been. Looking back at the prices teams paid for Kevin Gausman, Taylor Ward and Foster Griffin, it's hard not to think the Twins had opportunities to come away with an even stronger deadline than the one they already had. Do you agree that these are the three trades the Twins should have made? Are there any other deadline deals you wish Minnesota had jumped into? Leave a comment below and start the conversation! View the full article

Jefferson Rojas needed a few days, but he has now delivered his first big moment as a Mets prospect. The top-100 infielder lashed a go-ahead, two-run triple in the bottom of the eighth inning Saturday to push Double-A Binghamton to a come-from-behind 6-4 victory over Hartford. The hit completed a 3-for-4, three-RBI night. Rojas was 1-for-11 in his first three games with the club after being acquired from the Chicago Cubs at the trade deadline for Clay Holmes and Tyrone Taylor. Rojas played third base and batted third, behind two other newcomers: shortstop Mitch Voit (promoted from High-A Brooklyn) and second baseman Emilien Pitre (acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays in the Freddy Peralta trade). The three combined for seven hits and four runs scored to go with Rojas’ RBIs. Another recent infield arrival, Billy Amick (acquired from the Minnesota Twins), hit a two-run homer, his fourth dinger in six games. Add in holdovers Jacob Reimer and Marco Vargas, both ranked in Grand Central Mets’ soon-to-be-updated Top 20, and the Ponies have some serious horsepower on the dirt. Elsewhere in the organization: We’re switching up the usual order to highlight Mets DSL Blue’s 5-0, seven-inning no-hitter against DSL Giants Black. Josbel Torrez (three innings) and Esteban Mejia (four innings) combined on it. It wasn’t the cleanest no-no; the two issued three walks and hit a batter between them, and another batter reached on an error. It still counts. The Mets took the lead with three runs in the top of the fifth. Royner Bravo hit a two-run triple, and Michalle Mercedes drove in Bravo with another triple. The Mets added on in the seventh. Jesus Minaya hit a solo home run and Frank Moreno hit an RBI single. Syracuse out-slugged Columbus 13-7. Ronny Mauricio went 4-for-4 with a home run, two doubles, five RBIs and four runs scored. Jose Ramos homered twice. Brooklyn lost a doubleheader at Wilmington, 6-5 and 4-0. Sammy Stafura and Aidan Smith combined for five hits, four runs and three RBIs in Game 1. Brooklyn had three hits in Game 2. St. Lucie split a doubleheader with Daytona, winning the opener 3-1 and losing the nightcap 15-7. Julio Zayas provided the offense in Game 1 with a three-run home run in the fourth inning. He ended his night as a mop-up reliever in Game 2. Mets DSL Orange edged the DSL Angels 3-2. Cesar Acosta’s RBI single in the fifth proved to be the game-winning hit. Mets Transactions New York Mets claimed 3B Gabriel Arias off waivers from Cleveland Guardians. New York Mets activated 3B Gabriel Arias. New York Mets optioned 1B Eric Wagaman to Syracuse Mets. Mauricio, Ramos Power Syracuse Rout Mauricio and Ramos were at the center of the Mets' offense for most of the night. In the first inning, Mauricio hit a laser to right for a solo home run and a 1-0 Mets lead. Four St. Lucie pitchers combined on a seven-hit effort. Starter Nathan Hall struck out three over 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Caden Wooster followed and went 1 2/3 innings. He allowed Daytona's only run, on a solo home run in the third. Ernesto Mercedes threw two scoreless innings and became the pitcher of record after Zayas' homer. Miguel Mejias recorded the final five outs for the save. Player AB R H RBI BB K Elian Peña 3 0 1 0 0 0 Aiden Robbins 2 1 1 0 1 0 John Smith III 3 1 1 0 0 0 Julio Zayas 3 1 1 3 0 0 Yovanny Rodriguez 3 0 0 0 0 1 Vladi Gomez 3 0 0 0 0 0 Wyatt Vincent 2 0 1 0 0 0 Reed Stallman 2 0 0 0 0 0 Dylan Carey 1 0 0 0 1 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Nathan Hall 1 2/3 2 0 0 1 3 0 Caden Wooster 1 2/3 1 1 1 3 3 1 Ernesto Mercedes 2 4 0 0 1 3 0 Miguel Mejias 1 2/3 0 0 0 0 1 0 Mets' Comebacks Go To Waste In Game 2 This was a 6-6 game after four innings. Kuhio Aloy's two-run homer in the bottom of the third pulled St. Lucie even. Daytona finally pulled away with three runs in the fifth, four runs in the sixth and two runs in the seventh. Those last two runs were scored against Zayas, who was called upon to pitch for the second time in three days. St. Lucie battled back in each of the of the first three innings to lead or tie. In the first, Ryan Tayman's RBI groundout and a throwing error put the Mets up 2-1. In the second, Simon Juan homered for a 3-2 lead. In the third, Yovanny Rodriguez hit a sacrifice fly before Aloy tied the game with his homer. Starter Jonathan Jimenez lasted just 1 1/3 innings, He was charged with two runs (one earned) on three hits. Tyler McLoughlin, Wilmer Lugo and Luis Sotillo combined to give up 11 runs on seven hits and eight walks out of the 'pen. Player AB R H RBI BB K Bohan Adderley 4 1 1 0 0 1 Vladi Gomez 2 2 1 0 2 0 Ryan Tayman 4 0 1 1 0 1 Julio Zayas 3 1 0 0 1 2 Yovanny Rodriguez 2 0 1 1 0 0 Reed Stallman 1 0 0 0 0 0 Kuhio Aloy 4 1 1 2 0 1 Simon Juan 3 2 2 1 0 1 Kooper Schulte 3 0 1 1 0 2 Dylan Carey 3 0 0 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jonathan Jimenez 1 1/3 3 2 1 1 1 0 Tyler McLoughlin 2 2/3 5 4 4 2 2 1 Wilmer Lugo 2/3 1 3 3 4 0 0 Luis Sotillo 1 1 4 4 2 1 1 Julio Zayas 1 1/3 4 2 2 0 0 1 Top-20 Prospect Performance Jonah Tong: DNP Jack Wenninger: DNP Ryan Clifford: DNP Elian Pena: 1-for-3 Nick Morabito: DNP Jacob Reimer: 1-for-4, RBI, 2 K Mitch Voit: 2-for-3, 2 R, BB, K Jonathan Santucci: DNP Zac Thornton: MLB Chris Suero: 1-for-2, 2B, R, BB, K Will Watson: DNP Wandy Asigen: DNP Eli Serrano III: DNP Randy Guzman: DNP Dylan Ross: DNP Ryan Lambert: DNP Antonio Jimenez: 0-for-5, 2 K R.J. Gordon: DNP Jonathan Pintaro: 2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HR Marco Vargas: DNP View the full article

Chicago Cubs Transactions Chicago Cubs activated RHP Clay Holmes from the 60-day injured list. Chicago Cubs optioned LHP Braxton Garrett to Iowa Cubs. Triple-A Iowa Cubs: Kevin Alcántara Homers In Iowa's 16-3 Loss At Indianapolis Iowa took the lead first. Justin Dean walked to open the game, moved up on a single by Owen Ayers and a walk to Kevin Alcántara, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Chas McCormick. Indianapolis erased that in the second, batting around and scoring nine runs on a two-run double by Jack Brannigan, RBI singles by Joshua Palacios, Cameron Barstad, and Mitch Jebb, an RBI double by Billy Cook, and a two-run single by Dominic Fletcher. Two Iowa throwing errors extended the inning. Alcántara answered with a solo home run in the third, his 18th of the season, and finished 1-for-2 with two walks and a run driven in. Hayden Cantrelle tripled home a run in the fourth and went 1-for-4. Owen Ayers had one of Iowa's four hits, going 1-for-5, and Owen Miller went 1-for-4. Iowa drew six walks and was hit twice, but struck out nine times and stranded 14 runners. Will Sanders started and took the loss, allowing five hits, seven runs, seven earned, with three walks and one strikeout over 1 2/3 innings. Collin Snider allowed two hits and two runs in 1/3 of an inning. Antoine Kelly walked two and allowed two runs, and Evan Taylor allowed one hit over 1 1/3 innings. Daniel Palencia struck out one and walked one over one inning. Grant Kipp allowed five hits and five runs across 2 1/3 innings, including a two-run home run to Barstad. Hayden Cantrelle finished the game with 2/3 of an inning. Iowa committed four errors, and three of Indianapolis' 16 runs were unearned. Iowa Cubs Hitting Player AB R H RBI BB K Justin Dean 3 1 0 0 2 2 Owen Ayers 5 0 1 0 0 0 Kevin Alcántara 2 1 1 1 2 0 Owen Miller 4 0 1 0 0 1 Chas McCormick 1 0 0 1 1 1 Grant Kipp 1 0 0 0 0 1 Ben Cowles 3 0 0 0 1 1 Greg Jones 1 0 0 0 0 1 Ed Howard 2 1 0 0 0 0 Ethan Hearn 3 0 0 0 0 2 Hayden Cantrelle 4 0 1 1 0 0 Totals 29 3 4 3 6 9 Iowa Cubs Pitching Player IP H R ER BB K HR Will Sanders 1 2/3 5 7 7 3 1 0 Collin Snider 1/3 2 2 1 1 0 0 Antoine Kelly 2/3 1 2 0 2 2 0 Evan Taylor 1 1/3 1 0 0 0 1 0 Daniel Palencia 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 Grant Kipp 2 1/3 5 5 5 3 3 1 Hayden Cantrelle 2/3 1 0 0 0 0 0 Totals 8 15 16 13 10 8 1 Double-A Knoxville Smokies: Ariel Armas Drives In Four As Knoxville Beats Chattanooga 9-4 Knoxville scored in seven of nine innings and collected 20 hits. Ariel Armas led the way, going 4-for-6 with a home run, a double, and four runs driven in. He homered in the second, doubled home a run in the third, singled home a run in the fourth, and singled home another in the sixth. Kane Kepley went 2-for-4 with two walks and three runs driven in, including a two-run home run in the fourth and a run-scoring double in the seventh. Alex Madera went 3-for-4 with a run driven in and two runs scored with some great defensive plays. Dom Krupinski went 3-for-5 with a double. Carter Trice went 2-for-6 with a double and two runs scored. Andy Garriola went 2-for-4 with two walks and a solo home run in the ninth, his 20th of the season. Drew Bowser added two hits. Brooks Caple started and threw four scoreless innings, allowing no hits, walking two, and striking out seven. Jackson Brockett earned the win with three hits, three runs, three earned, three walks, and four strikeouts over three innings, with all three runs coming in the sixth on a bases-loaded walk to Carlos Sanchez and a two-run double by Ruben Ibarra. Tyler Ras closed with two innings, allowing one hit and one run on a solo home run by Carter Graham, with no walks and two strikeouts. Knoxville Smokies Hitting Player AB R H RBI BB K Kane Kepley 4 1 2 3 2 0 Andy Garriola 4 2 2 1 2 0 Miguel Useche 5 0 1 0 1 0 Carter Trice 6 2 2 0 0 1 Dom Krupinski 5 1 3 0 1 2 Ariel Armas 6 1 4 4 0 0 Drew Bowser 5 0 2 0 0 2 Alex Madera 4 2 3 1 0 1 Karson Simas 4 0 1 0 0 2 Totals 43 9 20 9 6 8 Knoxville Smokies Pitching Player IP H R ER BB K HR Brooks Caple 4 0 0 0 2 7 0 Jackson Brockett 3 3 3 3 3 4 0 Tyler Ras 2 1 1 1 0 2 1 Totals 9 4 4 4 5 13 1 High-A South Bend Cubs: South Bend Shut Out 7-0 By Cedar Rapids South Bend managed four hits and two walks and never scored. Angel Cepeda went 1-for-4 as the leadoff man. Kade Snell went 1-for-4 with a double. Josiah Hartshorn went 1-for-4, and Michael Hallquist went 1-for-4. Michael Carico and Justin Stransky each drew a walk. The Cubs struck out eight times and did not put a runner across in any inning. Pierce Coppola started and took the loss, allowing five hits, two runs, one earned, with one walk and four strikeouts over four innings. Cedar Rapids scratched a run across in the second on a run-scoring groundout by Byron Chourio, and Quinn McDaniel homered in the fourth. Nate Williams allowed four hits and five earned runs over 3 1/3 innings with no walks and three strikeouts. Chourio hit a three-run home run off him in the sixth, and Jose Salas doubled home a run and Luis Hernandez added a sacrifice fly in the eighth. Yoendris Gonzalez finished with 1 2/3 innings, two hits, no runs, no walks, and three strikeouts. South Bend Cubs Hitting Player AB R H RBI BB K Angel Cepeda 4 0 1 0 0 1 Kade Snell 4 0 1 0 0 1 Josiah Hartshorn 4 0 1 0 0 1 Jose Escobar 4 0 0 0 0 0 Alexey Lumpuy 4 0 0 0 0 2 Michael Hallquist 4 0 1 0 0 1 Michael Carico 2 0 0 0 1 1 Geuri Lubo 3 0 0 0 0 1 Justin Stransky 2 0 0 0 1 0 Totals 31 0 4 0 2 8 South Bend Cubs Pitching Player IP H R ER BB K HR Pierce Coppola 4 5 2 1 1 4 1 Nate Williams 3 1/3 4 5 5 0 3 1 Yoendris Gonzalez 1 2/3 2 0 0 0 3 0 Totals 9 11 7 6 1 10 2 Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans: Myrtle Beach Falls 4-3 In 10 Innings At Hickory Myrtle Beach struck out 17 times, took a one-run lead in the 10th, and lost on a walk-off. Alexey Lumpuy led off and went 2-for-4 with a home run, a walk, and two runs scored. His solo home run in the third, his seventh, put the Pelicans ahead 2-1. Alexis Hernandez went 1-for-3 with a hit by pitch and a run driven in. Ethan Conrad went 1-for-5, Derik Alcantara went 1-for-4, and Edward Vargas went 1-for-4 with a run scored. Eli Lovich went 0-for-4 with a sacrifice fly that drove in the game's first run, and Fernando Cruz went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts. In the 10th, Alexis Hernandez lifted a sacrifice fly that scored zombie runner Edward Vargas for a 3-2 lead. Hickory answered with a run-scoring double by Marco Argudin and a run-scoring groundout by Pablo Guerrero to end it with one out. Noah Edders started and allowed four hits and one earned run over four innings, with no walks and four strikeouts. Emilio Ramos followed with three innings, four hits, one earned run, one walk, and five strikeouts, with the run coming on a solo home run by Yolfran Castillo. Edwardo Melendez took the loss, allowing two hits and two unearned runs over 2 1/3 innings with one walk and three strikeouts. Myrtle Beach Pelicans Hitting Player AB R H RBI BB K Alexey Lumpuy 4 2 2 1 1 1 Alexis Hernandez 3 0 1 1 0 1 Ethan Conrad 5 0 1 0 0 1 Eli Lovich 4 0 0 1 0 3 Derniche Valdez 3 0 0 0 2 2 Derik Alcantara 4 0 1 0 0 2 Fernando Cruz 4 0 0 0 0 4 Jose Silva 3 0 0 0 1 1 Edward Vargas 4 1 1 0 0 2 Totals 34 3 6 3 4 17 Myrtle Beach Pelicans Pitching Player IP H R ER BB K HR Noah Edders 4 4 1 1 0 4 0 Emilio Ramos 3 4 1 1 1 5 1 Edwardo Melendez 2 1/3 2 2 0 1 3 0 Totals 9 1/3 10 4 2 2 12 1 Top-20 Prospect Performance Jefferson Rojas: DNP Pedro Ramirez: DNP Jaxon Wiggins: DNP Josiah Hartshorn: 1-for-4, K Kevin Alcantara: 1-for-2, HR, 2 BB, RBI Ethan Conrad: 1-for-5, K Kane Kepley: 2-for-4, HR, 2B, 2 BB, 3 RBI Owen Ayers: 1-for-5 Jonathon Long: DNP Kaleb Wing: DNP James Triantos: DNP Brooks Caple: 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 K Mason McGwire: DNP Ty Southisene: DNP Will Sanders: 1 2/3 IP, 5 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 3 BB, 1 K Juan Cabada: DNP Eli Lovich: 0-for-4, RBI, 3 K Ariel Armas: 4-for-6, HR, 2B, 4 RBI Jostin Florentino: DNP Grant Kipp: 2 1/3 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 0-for-1, K View the full article

While the San Diego Padres' offense finally began to find its footing in July, several of the organization's best offensive performances came in the minors. Despite this being labeled one of the lower-tier farm systems in the league, multiple hitters strengthened their cases to become future reinforcements as the team looks to climb back into the National League wild-card picture. Ranking Padres' Best Minor League Hitters In July #3 Ethan Salas (Double-A San Antonio Missions | Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas) After an oblique injury limited him in June, Salas bounced back into form with an elite July. He hit .344/.449/.469 with a .918 OPS, earning a late-month promotion to Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas. While Salas has long been known for his power, July showcased other areas of his game. Despite not hitting a home run for the second consecutive month, after hitting seven through the first two months of the season, he continued to make himself valuable. Salas has already stolen a career-high 14 bases this season, and he wasted little time adjusting to the increase in talent at Triple-A, going 3-4 with a triple in his debut. Through his first five games with El Paso, he hit .333 with six hits and five RBIs, showcasing that he can adapt quickly to tougher competition. #2 Blake Hunt (Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas) Following a brief stint with the major league club near the end of June, Hunt returned to El Paso and picked up where he left off. In July, he hit .321/.403/.643 with a 1.046 OPS, while recording 18 hits, 12 runs, 15 RBIs and even showcased some speed by hitting his first triple of the season. But his stellar month was highlighted by his power, in which he led the team with five home runs. Hunt’s biggest stretch came during the team's four-game series against the Las Vegas Aviators, where he hit three home runs, including a multi-home run game in the series finale. His combination of power and consistent run production made him one of the hottest hitters in the organization during July and strengthened him as one of the Padres' top catching depth options. #1 Nick Solak (Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas) After renegotiating a minor-league contract with the Padres, the veteran showcased why he can still be an asset for the major-league roster. In July, he slashed .333/.363/.609 with a .972 OPS. while leading El Paso with 29 hits, 18 runs, 10 doubles and 18 RBIs. His four home runs ranked second on the team behind Hunt. Solak has consistently produced throughout the season at Triple-A, and July was another reminder of his potential offensive value. While his brief stint with the Padres resulted in just one hit in seven at-bats, there were some encouraging signs beneath the surface. As opposed to his usual pull-heavy approach, Solak showcased a more balanced spray profile, hitting the ball 37.5% to the left, 37.5% to the center and 25.0% to the right field. While the sample size was small, this all-fields approach could help him take better advantage of his limited opportunities the next time he is called up. View the full article

The Milwaukee Brewers squared off with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS last year, but the Dodgers got the best of the Crew in the form of a sweep. This year, Jacob Misiorowski's status as a starter is no longer in question, as he's the NL Cy Young frontrunner. Kyle Harrison has emerged as a front-of-the-rotation threat. How does the Brewers' pitching staff compare to Tarik Skubal and the Dodgers' starters? We dove in headfirst to find out. View the full article

The Cubs were very active at the deadline, and maybe got their future starter for years to come as well. Clay Holmes is a prime candidate for the Cubs to sign to an extension before uncertainty sets in with the expected lockout this winter. With Holmes's high groundball rate paired with the Cubs elite defense, this is a match made in heaven.View the full article

Developing arms is key for any organization looking to win sustainably. As the Chicago Cubs have painfully seen this year, injuries can derail even the best-laid plans. Having a war chest of developable and projectable arms to dip into, whether to use in the majors or as trade pieces, is what good organizations do. Here are some pitchers who improved their stock in July ahead of the trade deadline. And, spoiler alert, unlike the MiLB Hitter of the Month, all of the pitchers featured below are still around. Ranking Cubs' Best Minor League Pitchers In July Honorable Mention: Yoendris Gonzalez - RHP - South Bend Like seemingly every other Cubs pitcher this year, Gonzalez was placed on the IL in March. He started his rehab assignment at the end of May and was in Myrtle Beach by June 13. He had four good outings for Myrtle Beach in June and carried that into July where he put up 10 innings out of the Pelicans bullpen and allowed just two earned runs while striking out 18 and walking just three. Gonzalez was promoted to South Bend by the end of the month. He is a 23-year-old with a fastball that tops 95 and less than 75 total career innings under his belt, making him a pretty intriguing arm to follow. Honorable Mention: Anhuar Garcia - RHP - Myrtle Beach If you know Anhuar Garcia’s name, it is probably not for positive reasons. The 22-year-old was suspended in June of last year for 60 games for testing positive for performance enhancing drugs. He was activated at the end of June and made one appearance for Myrtle Beach before the calendar turned to July. He made seven appearances out of the bullpen and allowed just six hits and five runs in 12 innings. If you remove the one bad appearance he made where he allowed four runs on two homers, he had 10.2 innings of one-run ball with 14 strikeouts, only giving up two hits. He finished the month in the rotation in Myrtle Beach with a solid four-inning start. If he can continue to put up numbers like that while staying out of the news for the wrong reasons, he could be an asset down the line. Third Place: Jackson Brockett - LHP - South Bend A third reliever to get things kicked off. Brockett posted 17 strikeouts to four walks in 13 innings in July for South Bend. Each of his four outings lasted three or more innings and, over his final three outings of July, he had 13 strikeouts over 9.1 innings while giving up just one walk and three singles. He earned a Midwest League Pitcher of the Week award as well. The undrafted free agent continues to have a great season, and would probably be higher on this list had he pitched more than 13 total innings. Runner-up: Ethan Flanagan - LHP - South Bend After a great first professional year in Myrtle Beach last year, Flanagan started the year in South Bend and was… fine. Between April and May, he threw 30 innings, had a 34:10 K:BB ratio, and allowed 13 runs on 33 hits. That is when the Cubs transferred him to the development list on May 24, where he remained until June 21. Whatever they worked on in that month seemed to pay dividends in July. Flanagan threw 20 innings and had a 26:4 K:BB ratio and allowed seven runs on just 13 hits. Batters hit .306 off him in May and .181 in July. Flanagan was a 17th-round pick in 2023, but if he can continue to put outings together like he did last month, the lefty could force his way into the Cubs' future plans. Winner: Brooks Caple - RHP - Knoxville Caple made four starts in Double-A in July and allowed a .613 OPS to opposing hitters in 21 innings of work. He had a 24% strikeout rate and a 6% walk rate and allowed just eight runs total in the month. Caple also spent some time on the development list from 6/23-7/1 after scuffling a bit in three June starts. He came off the DL and rebounded with four pretty solid starts to get back on track. Heading into August, Caple looks to be a front-runner for the organization’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year award. View the full article

Developing arms is key for any organization looking to win sustainably. As the Chicago Cubs have painfully seen this year, injuries can derail even the best-laid plans. Having a war chest of developable and projectable arms to dip into, whether to use in the majors or as trade pieces, is what good organizations do. Here are some pitchers who improved their stock in July ahead of the trade deadline. And, spoiler alert, unlike the MiLB Hitter of the Month, all of the pitchers featured below are still around. Ranking Cubs' Best Minor League Pitchers In July Honorable Mention: Yoendris Gonzalez - RHP - South Bend Like seemingly every other Cubs pitcher this year, Gonzalez was placed on the IL in March. He started his rehab assignment at the end of May and was in Myrtle Beach by June 13. He had four good outings for Myrtle Beach in June and carried that into July where he put up 10 innings out of the Pelicans bullpen and allowed just two earned runs while striking out 18 and walking just three. Gonzalez was promoted to South Bend by the end of the month. He is a 23-year-old with a fastball that tops 95 and less than 75 total career innings under his belt, making him a pretty intriguing arm to follow. Honorable Mention: Anhuar Garcia - RHP - Myrtle Beach If you know Anhuar Garcia’s name, it is probably not for positive reasons. The 22-year-old was suspended in June of last year for 60 games for testing positive for performance enhancing drugs. He was activated at the end of June and made one appearance for Myrtle Beach before the calendar turned to July. He made seven appearances out of the bullpen and allowed just six hits and five runs in 12 innings. If you remove the one bad appearance he made where he allowed four runs on two homers, he had 10.2 innings of one-run ball with 14 strikeouts, only giving up two hits. He finished the month in the rotation in Myrtle Beach with a solid four-inning start. If he can continue to put up numbers like that while staying out of the news for the wrong reasons, he could be an asset down the line. Third Place: Jackson Brockett - LHP - South Bend A third reliever to get things kicked off. Brockett posted 17 strikeouts to four walks in 13 innings in July for South Bend. Each of his four outings lasted three or more innings and, over his final three outings of July, he had 13 strikeouts over 9.1 innings while giving up just one walk and three singles. He earned a Midwest League Pitcher of the Week award as well. The undrafted free agent continues to have a great season, and would probably be higher on this list had he pitched more than 13 total innings. Runner-up: Ethan Flanagan - LHP - South Bend After a great first professional year in Myrtle Beach last year, Flanagan started the year in South Bend and was… fine. Between April and May, he threw 30 innings, had a 34:10 K:BB ratio, and allowed 13 runs on 33 hits. That is when the Cubs transferred him to the development list on May 24, where he remained until June 21. Whatever they worked on in that month seemed to pay dividends in July. Flanagan threw 20 innings and had a 26:4 K:BB ratio and allowed seven runs on just 13 hits. Batters hit .306 off him in May and .181 in July. Flanagan was a 17th-round pick in 2023, but if he can continue to put outings together like he did last month, the lefty could force his way into the Cubs' future plans. Winner: Brooks Caple - RHP - Knoxville Caple made four starts in Double-A in July and allowed a .613 OPS to opposing hitters in 21 innings of work. He had a 24% strikeout rate and a 6% walk rate and allowed just eight runs total in the month. Caple also spent some time on the development list from 6/23-7/1 after scuffling a bit in three June starts. He came off the DL and rebounded with four pretty solid starts to get back on track. Heading into August, Caple looks to be a front-runner for the organization’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year award. View the full article

Braylon Payne - yes, still-teenager Braylon Payne - entered Timber Rattlers stratosphere. Jett Williams' status complicates a potential big-league need. Nashville and Wilson were victorious. Transactions: Milwaukee Brewers selected the contract of RHP Lyon Richardson from Nashville Sounds. Milwaukee Brewers sent RF Sal Frelick on a rehab assignment to Nashville Sounds. Nashville Sounds activated SS Jett Williams from the 7-day injured list. Nashville Sounds transferred C Andrick Nava to the Development List. RHP Luke Roupe assigned to Wilson Warbirds from ACL Brewers. Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Nashville 4, Memphis (Cardinals) 3 Box Score and Game Log Via the Sounds, game details, and we encourage readers to always review affiliate write-ups as part of their Link Report routine: Wilken's Late-Inning Homer Pushes Sounds Past Redbirds Another robust report linked above via the Nashville braintrust. You'll want to visit our report on Jett Williams' injury status (as well as Sal Frelick's first rehab game). The linked game summary indicates how run-productive Brock Wilken has been - if you can get past the batting average, Our lone look at Luke Adams' home run came in the midst of a charity-related in-booth interview, the Memphis announcer navigated it just fine. Adams also walked and singled, as did Eduardo Garcia. Seven K's and zero walks in an understandably brief two-run, four-inning outing for birthday boy Garrett Stallings (Happy 29th!). Dude is solid, as the Brewers know. Catch up with the latest Biloxi pre-game audio interview archives - Infielder (and girl dad) Daniel Guilarte is the most recent interviewee Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Columbus (Braves) 7, Biloxi 0 Box Score and Game Log Shuckers Fall to Clingstones on Saturday Night - Burke extends on-base streak to career-best 25 games Shuckers batters managed three lonely singles, four walks, K'd 15 times, and were 0-for-7 with RISP. The pitchers did not have stellar nights. Catcher Marco Dinges reached base twice (single, walk). Not surprisingly, there was no relevant Biloxi video from this game, so instead enjoy catching up with Mark Coley II from Friday night in this two-part interview. There are three videos from a Columbus perspective should you wish (August 8th selections). RHP Ryan Birchard struck out the side upon entering in the 7th. He also fanned the first man he faced in the 8th, before then going single - double - strikeout (#5) - two-run single. It seemed odd that LHP Sam Garcia was then summoned to get the final out in a 7-0 contest with Birchard only at 32 pitches total, but I checked out the game archive, and it was not an injury situation. Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes (download link) Final: Beloit (Marlins) 8, Wisconsin 5 Box Score and Game Log Via the Timber Rattlers, game details (with a few videos, including the one below): Payne Sets New Timber Rattlers Home Run Record He's still a teenager for a few more days, and now he's in Timber Rattlers royalty: Payne is such a physical specimen, and could we quibble with the 29.6% K rate? Perhaps, but c'mon, he's a premium prospect, no doubt. RHP Ethan Dorchies (another 19-year-old, by the way) gave up two long balls in his rough five-inning outing, 12 baserunners, but he muscled through 88 pitches to get his work in. Both taters were on off-speed pitches down and in to LH batters, as can be seen here and here. The majority of Daniel Dickinson's 20 errors (one on Saturday) came much earlier in the season, so he's upped his game on both sides of the ball. Dickinson also singled and stole his 41st base in 51 tries. Wilson Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Wilson 8, Hill City (Guardians) 3 Box Score and Game Log Warbirds Score Eight Unanswered in Blowout Win - Ebel Extends On-Base Streak to 27 It's been a struggle for 19-year-old Frederi Montero, who has started 85 of Wilson's 104 games at first base. His Link Report mentions have been few, as can be expected when your OPS is .596 and you're limited to a prime power position. So, good for him here: #11 for Handelfry, who also singled and walked: We'll mix in a bit of video on the baserunning downside - José Anderson back-picked and Brailyn Antunez caught stealing. Back to the positive: Antunez RBI double Anderson RBI single Nice work by RHP's Hayden Robinson and Miqueas Mercedes (though Mercedes did issue five free passes (four walks, one HBP). Really excited by Robinson, who seems well past his 2024 UCL elbow surgery. In his last four appearances (three starts) - 17 IP, 12 H, 3 ER, 6 BB, 16 K. Final: DSL Brewers Blue 5, DSL Red Sox Red 0, seven innings as scheduled Box Score and Game Log In a rematch from Friday (a 5-4 Blue victory), the Crew is on top again. All five Blue hits were singles, so the 12 free passes (11 walks, one HBP) led the offense, along with the six successful steals in as many attempts. 17-year-old southpaw Alexander Mercedes (yes, a rarity on these DSL rosters) and 17-year-old RHP Daniel Munoz combined for one of the prettiest combined pitching lines we've seen at any level this year. Somehow the Boston club had seven AB's with RISP but failed in each. Enjoy your box score review. Final: DSL Brewers Gold 9, DSL Rojas 7 (Reds), seven innings as scheduled Box Score and Game Log This was a 1-0 game, Brewers down, after five innings. One would think scoring nine unanswered runs over the next inning and a half would make everyone comfortable. However, the Cincinnati boys answered the Gold six-spot in the final frame with one of their own. How, do you say? Three Gold pitchers combined (all in that final inning, mind you) for six walks, a HBP, a wild pitch (and yes, hits also). With the score now 9-7 and the bases loaded, a strikeout finally ended things. Although no Brewer had a multi-hit game, everyone contributed. Brandon Sproat makes his Nashville debut Sunday. Enjoy your summer day! Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth View the full article

The Twins acquired Jeff Hoffman just before the trade deadline as the front office made strides to strengthen the bullpen for a playoff run. Many will remember that Hoffman spent spring training with the Twins in 2023 but opted out of the deal before ever putting on a Twins jersey for a regular-season game. Now he returns to the Twins, but his path brings him back as a much different reliever than he was then. Going Oppo is two stories on Twins Daily with different opinions running simultaneously. Read the other side here. Since leaving the Twins, he found success with the Philadelphia Phillies. That season, he posted an increased K-rate and K/9 that landed him as the closer on a very competitive Phillies team for two seasons. As a free agent, he translated that into a nice little contract (3 years, $33 million) with the Toronto Blue Jays, and the world watched last season as he anchored their bullpen during a World Series run. This season, Hoffman fell out of favor with Blue Jays leadership and was removed from being the primary closer in favor of Louis Varland. Most glaringly, one can look at Hoffman’s numbers and see a 3.94 ERA this season and a 4.37 ERA last season and wonder exactly what the Twins have gotten themselves into here? One aspect of Hoffman’s statistics this season that sticks out like a sore thumb that directly impacts his ERA is a gigantic number in the BABIP column, .389. Since establishing himself as the competitive closer he has been the last several seasons, his BABIP sits most often in the lower .200s, with a .278 BABIP in 2024 being the highest through that stretch. So, one could argue his slow start in 2026 was at least somewhat attributable to bad luck. If one is concerned with Hoffman’s output based on ERA, that number alone should regress to its normal mean. Often, to do so, it will be much better than his career norms, and the Twins could reap the rewards. Hoffman’s xERA reflects the reality that his outcomes should most often be better than they have been, as he carries a 3.75 xERA versus his 4.37 actual ERA. A direct correlation with Hoffman’s success since 2023 is an increase in his fastball velocity. For years, the former ninth overall pick sat around 94 mph with his fastball. Then in 2023 it jumped up to 97 mph. He is still throwing near that mark, averaging 96 mph with his four-seam fastball. Hoffman has traditionally used his slider to attack right-handed hitters and his four-seamer to attack left-handers. Something in that approach this season has caused him to have far less success against righties than usual, currently allowing right-handed hitters to carry a .306 batting average against him. It could be that even with a dropped arm angle, Hoffman isn’t getting as much run on his slider as he has in past seasons. Even with those struggles, Hoffman has proven to be a reliable reliever since opting out of his minor-league contract and leaving Twins camp those years ago. While Hoffman will be remembered for his blown save in Game 7 of last year’s World Series, his overall numbers last postseason will still be what you want out of a backend reliever. Over 12 1/3 innings, Hoffman held a 1.46 ERA, allowed two earned runs, six hits, and struck out 18 batters while only walking four. Even this season, since the beginning of June, he holds a miniscule 1.21 ERA, three earned runs, 30 strikeouts, and eight walks. Putting the whole package together, it begins to be obvious why the Twins targeted Hoffman and were willing to part with a top 10 prospect in Dasan Hill to do so. View the full article

Leading up to the trade deadline, the Twins had already added a trio of pitchers to bolster the pitching staff. But acquiring former All-Star reliever Jeff Hoffman from the Blue Jays was on a different level. Minnesota has certainly made aggressive moves at previous deadlines, but it's been a while since the front office has acquired an established late-inning reliever with Hoffman's pedigree. Just one year removed from a 33-save season, the Twins paid a hefty price to bring him to Minnesota in hopes of solidifying the back end of the bullpen for a playoff push. And on paper, it's easy to see why. Going Oppo is two stories on Twins Daily with different opinions running simultaneously. Read the other side here. Hoffman's underlying metrics are nothing short of elite. Among all qualified major league pitchers this season, his whiff rate, chase rate and strikeout rate all rank in the 98th percentile or better. When he's locating his pitches, very few relievers in baseball can match the quality of his stuff. Hitters chase out of the zone, they swing through pitches in the zone, and they rarely make quality contact. It's exactly the type of profile contenders dream about adding at this point in the season. However, there's a reason those numbers are called "underlying" metrics. They're designed to explain what's happening beneath the surface, and in Hoffman's case, they've consistently painted a prettier picture than his actual results. Across 49 innings this season, Hoffman owned a 3.86 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP with Toronto. Now, a 3.86 ERA certainly isn't terrible for a reliever. Plenty of teams would gladly take that kind of production. But it's also worth asking why someone with some of the most dominant swing-and-miss metrics in baseball has an ERA sitting a full run (or more) higher than many of the game's elite relievers. The answer isn't particularly complicated. When Hoffman is on, he's one of the nastiest relievers in baseball. The problem is that he simply hasn't been on consistently enough over the past two seasons. Let's go back to 2025. Hoffman couldn't have asked for a better start. Over his first 15 1/3 innings of the season, he posted a microscopic 1.17 ERA while striking out 22 batters and issuing just one walk. He looked every bit like one of the best relievers in baseball, and while nobody expected him to maintain that pace for an entire season, there wasn't much reason to believe disaster was around the corner either. Then May happened. Over just 10 innings that month, Hoffman surrendered 15 earned runs. He also allowed five home runs and issued six walks. For a late-inning reliever who's usually being trusted with close leads, that's about the worst combination you can have. The strikeouts didn't disappear, and the swing-and-miss stuff was still there. He just wasn't putting enough pitches in competitive locations. Instead of getting ahead in counts and finishing hitters, free passes created traffic, mistakes got punished, and crooked numbers followed. Unfortunately, that wasn't just a one-month anomaly. The inconsistency stuck with him throughout the remainder of the season. His final two months serve as a perfect example. Hoffman posted a 6.00 ERA in August before completely flipping the script with a dominant 0.84 ERA over the final month of the season. On the surface, those look like two completely different pitchers. In reality, many of the same issues remained. The command continued to come and go, and the walks never disappeared. The difference was simply that the extra-base hits weren't coming at the same rate in September as they had during some of his rougher stretches. That roller coaster carried over into 2026, where Hoffman once again opened the season as Toronto's closer. By the end of May, though, he owned an ERA north of 6 through 25 2/3 innings. And once again, the reasons looked awfully familiar. Too many walks, and too many extra-base hits. Eventually, Blue Jays manager John Schneider decided enough was enough. Toronto removed Hoffman from their closer role and handed ninth-inning duties to former Twins pitcher Louis Varland. Ironically, that may have been exactly what Hoffman needed. Since the start of June, he's been outstanding. Across his last 23 1/3 innings, Hoffman has allowed just three earned runs. And wouldn't you know it, the biggest differences haven't been his strikeout numbers or his stuff. He's simply done a much better job limiting walks and keeping hitters from doing serious damage when they make contact. That's ultimately what makes evaluating Hoffman so fascinating. The advanced metrics aren't lying; he truly does possess the arsenal of a dominant, late-inning reliever. Few pitchers miss bats at the rate he does, and when everything is working, he looks capable of shutting down anyone in baseball. But the surface-level numbers aren't lying either. There's a reason his ERA has consistently landed higher than many would expect given those elite peripherals. Over the past two seasons, his command has disappeared often enough to create disastrous stretches, and those blowups are especially damaging for a one-inning reliever who's expected to protect slim leads. That's the version of Hoffman the Twins are betting they can avoid. If he continues limiting walks and extra-base hits the way he has over the past two months, there's every reason to believe he'll become one of Derek Shelton's most trusted high-leverage relievers down the stretch. But if those command issues resurface, the Twins may quickly learn why some people have been far more cautious about Hoffman's profile than the underlying metrics would suggest. View the full article

The trade deadline has officially come and gone, and the Minnesota Twins walked away with three new arms to bolster their pitching staff. But while those were the moves that ultimately got done, there was another name that generated plenty of buzz throughout deadline day. It just never crossed the finish line. According to Bob Nightengale, the Twins were "all over" Angels shortstop Zach Neto leading up to the deadline. It was an interesting report considering there had been very little linking Minnesota to Neto in the days and weeks beforehand. On the surface, it's easy to understand why fans would've been excited. Neto is a young, controllable shortstop with legitimate power and speed, and adding a player of that caliber would've been one of the biggest splashes the Twins could've made. But as intriguing as the idea sounded, I think Minnesota dodged a bullet by not completing that trade. There's no denying Neto has developed into a quality major league player with the Angels. Across 476 career games, he's put together a .754 OPS and a 110 OPS+, while launching 77 home runs and stealing another 75 bases. That combination of power and athleticism has helped him quickly establish himself as Los Angeles' everyday leadoff hitter. Players capable of contributing 20-plus home runs while also providing impact on the bases don't exactly grow on trees. That's the appeal. But once you dig a little deeper into his profile, some pretty significant concerns begin to appear. The biggest issue comes with his approach at the plate. His whiff rate and strikeout rate both rank in the ninth percentile or lower among all qualified major league hitters. That's an alarming combination, especially for someone expected to be setting the table near the top of a lineup. His chase rate sits in the 14th percentile, meaning he's consistently expanding the strike zone and offering at pitches he probably shouldn't. Even though he's already hitting just .230 this season, the underlying metrics suggest things could actually be worse. His expected batting average sits all the way down at .202. Now, to be fair, expected batting average isn't everything. Neto intentionally sells out for pull-side power, and hitters with that approach often see their expected numbers suffer because they're trading contact quality for home run production. But it also reinforces a larger point. Neto isn't a particularly well-rounded offensive player. When the power is there, he's an exciting player to watch. But when the extra-base hits aren't coming, there isn't much else in his offensive profile to fall back on. The concerns don't stop once he takes the field, either. Despite possessing above-average athleticism and solid quickness, Neto's defensive metrics have consistently graded out poorly. He ranks in just the second percentile in Outs Above Average this season, making him one of the least effective defensive shortstops in baseball by that metric. More importantly, this isn't simply a down year. He's ranked in the bottom tenth of the league defensively during each of his three full major league seasons. There's certainly arm strength there, and that has led some to believe third base could ultimately be his best long-term position. But that brings us to perhaps the biggest issue of all: the acquisition cost. Neto is only 25 years old and remains under team control through the end of the 2029 season. Players with that combination of age, production and years of control don’t come cheap. Yes, the Twins have built one of baseball's deeper minor league systems, but even organizations with strong farm systems have to be careful about which prospects they move. Trading away one of your top prospects for a player with clear offensive flaws, below-average defense and a hefty acquisition cost is far from a slam dunk - especially when two of those top prospects are also shortstops. That's an unnecessary gamble, and judging by the fact a deal never materialized, it may have been one the Twins ultimately weren't comfortable making. Would adding Zach Neto have created plenty of excitement on deadline day? Absolutely. He's a recognizable name, he's young, and he's capable of producing highlight-reel moments. But excitement doesn't always equal the right baseball decision. When you weigh the swing-and-miss concerns, the defensive limitations and, perhaps most importantly, the likely prospect package it would've taken to get him, the risk starts to outweigh the reward. The Twins certainly improved their roster at the deadline by strengthening their pitching staff. And while some fans may wonder what could've been had Neto ended up in Minnesota, there's a strong argument that the best move the front office made was the one it didn't make. Passing on Zach Neto may not have generated the biggest headlines, but in the long run, it might prove to be one of the smartest decisions the Twins made all week. View the full article

July was an extremely friendly month for the entire Boston Red Sox organization. Not only did the major-league club go on a run that put them comfortably into a playoff spot, but the minor-league teams went on their own respective runs. The pitching infrastructure was a big reason for that success, with players across every level shining. Today, we’re going to discuss the top five pitchers in the farm system during the month of July. Ranking Red Sox's Best Minor League Pitchers In July Honorable Mention: Anthony Eyanson (Portland Sea Dogs) Despite being traded to the Baltimore Orioles at the trade deadline, it would be wrong to not include Eyanson in some form, hence the honorable mention. The right-hander made four appearances, three of them being starts, and tossed 17 2/3 dominant innings. Opponents hit just .161 against him and he walked just seven batters, good for a WHIP 0.96. Eyanson struck out 30 batters in that same span, continuing to showcase his strong ability to get batters out by strikes. To add to his impressive month, the right-hander allowed only four runs, one by a home run as he finished the month with a 2.04 ERA. Eyanson had two starts that stood out, his July 18 start showcasing his dominance on the mound as he tossed five innings and allowed just one hit while striking out eight batters. That was followed up with his final start in the Red Sox organization where he struck out a career-high 10 batters in 4 2/3 innings. Now, he will look to continue his dominance in Baltimore. Honorable Mention: Tyler Uberstine (Worcester Red Sox) Another pitcher traded at the deadline, Uberstine was quite the arm out of the bullpen for Worcester in July. The right-hander tossed 14 1/3 innings and allowed just three runs for the entire month. Opponents hit just .152 against him and his WHIP was 0.70. Uberstine made eight appearances for Worcester in July, including one spot start, and in that span struck out 18 batters while issuing just three walks. Uberstine was dealt to the Atlanta Braves at the trade deadline and will now have a clearer path to return to the majors. Whether out of the bullpen or part of the rotation is unknown, but the right-hander should be able to provide quality innings for the Braves. #3 Angel Bastardo (Worcester Red Sox) Bastardo, who is a reliever, may be a surprise addition to those who haven’t followed him this season. Having been taken in the Rule 5 draft prior to the 2025 season by the Toronto Blue Jays, Bastardo was returned to the Red Sox organization while still recovering from Tommy John surgery from 2024. Since returning, he has shown some electric stuff during his outings, but everything seems to have finally clicked this summer. Bastardo appeared in nine games during the month of July and was one of the most trusted arms out of acting manager Iggy Suarez’s bullpen. The right-hander tossed 14 2/3 innings and allowed just four earned runs, good for an ERA of 2.45. More impressive was the fact that opponents hit just .137 against him and his WHIP was an impressive 0.48. Over those 14 2/3 innings, he didn’t allow a single walk and struck out 23 batters. His performance throughout July has quickly brought his name into the conversation surrounding potential depth pieces for the major-league bullpen should Boston need reinforcements down the stretch. #2 Jason Gilman (Salem RidgeYaks) Gilman showcased the potential that made the Red Sox interested in him during the 2025 draft. With a pitch arsenal made up of a fastball, curveball and changeup, Gilman mowed down the competition in four July appearances including three starts. Tossing 21 1/3 innings, the left-hander allowed just seven earned runs. Overall, he held opponents to just a .164 average while punching out 25 batters. Despite tossing a complete game, his best start may have come on July 4 where he tossed six shutout innings. In that outing, he allowed just two hits and two walks while striking out nine batters. Following his strong month of July, Gilman was promoted to High-A Greenville. #1 John Holobetz (Portland Sea Dogs/Worcester Red Sox) The month of July was a great one for Holobetz, who not only performed great on the field, but also got a promotion to Triple-A. The right-hander, who was the player to be named later in the Quinn Priester trade, has moved through the system quickly since being acquired. Las month, Holobetz appeared in five games, making four starts while being workhorse by minor-league standards. Tossing 23 innings, the right-hander allowed just seven earned runs good for a 2.74 ERA. His control was exceptional, walking just four batters and striking out 32 as his WHIP was 0.91. Opponents also struggled to make good contact as he allowed 17 hits across the 23 innings. Holobetz made his final start of the month in Worcester where he delivered a gem. In his Triple-A debut, the right-hander tossed 5 2/3 innings, allowing just one run on four hits while striking out six batters. Now in Worcester, the plan is to tinker with his pitch arsenal and see if he can get a sweeper, sinker or cutter to join his current four-pitch mix. He's turning himself into a legitimate piece of the pitching puzzle for 2027 and beyond. View the full article

The end of July and early August are a crazy time for a MiLB system. When the MLB team gets to dealing, you get players going out, players coming in, and players forced both up and down the ladder to make room for or replace members of the first two groups. We’ve known for months that the New York Mets would be selling at the trade deadline. Their efforts netted them more than a dozen prospects, giving the organization another much-needed injection of young talent. It also led to seemingly every hitting prospect already in the system changing levels throughout the month, including all four of the guys mentioned below. Perhaps we’ll see Jefferson Rojas or Sammy Stafura on this list for August. In the meantime, we celebrate the OG farmhands who tore it up in July. Monthly stats referenced in tables are from milb.com for the player’s full month, as opposed to a specific level, like in past editions. Prospect Rankings are from Grand Central Mets. Ranking Mets' Best Minor League Hitters from June 4. Trey Snyder – SS, Low A/High-A (St. Lucie/Brooklyn) Snyder, New York’s fifth-round pick (No. 144 overall) in 2024, opened the year on the injured list. He rehabbed briefly before joining St. Lucie in June, where he posted a .569 OPS across 18 games. His .394/.438/.592 slash line (1.030 OPS) for St. Lucie in the same number of games in July suggests whatever rust impeded him the prior month has been shaken off. G (AB) Slash Line (OPS) XBH (HR) R RBI 21 (85) .365/.411/.541 (.952) 10 (2) 12 17 A 3-for-14 start in three appearances for Brooklyn slightly watered down Snyder’s overall monthly numbers, but his dominance more than earned him this spot. If his July performance was not an aberration, but a preview of what happens when things click for him, he should put on a show as a Cyclone. 3. Randy Guzman – OF, A/High-A (St. Lucie/Brooklyn, No. 13 Prospect) July was a busy month for Guzman, who spent time in the Florida Coast League, Single-A and High-A. The FCL stint was a rehab assignment that he didn’t play particularly well on (2-for-14). He shredded that entire script in St. Lucie and Brooklyn, though, posting an OPS of 1.000 or better in both spots. G (AB) Slash Line (OPS) XBH (HR) R RBI 18 (59) .339/.432/.576 (1.007) 7 (3) 14 18 The Dominican Republic native has a lot of red on his Prospect Savant page from his 60-game sample in St. Lucie, which is what you want to see. Any improvement in his chase rate could lead to July’s massive numbers over a much larger sample. 2. John Bay – OF, High-A/AA (Brooklyn/Binghamton) Bay played 11 games in Brooklyn before moving to Binghamton on July 21st. He then took the field six times for the Rumble Ponies, and essentially maintained his production from High-A, which is easier said than done. G (AB) Slash Line (OPS) XBH (HR) R RBI 17 (59) .305/.438/.576 (1.014) 9 (3) 14 11 We’re being real sticklers if we’re going to bash a guy for *only* boasting a .940 OPS in his first six Double-A games after notching a 1.041 OPS across (presumably) his final 17 contests of High-A action. Not bad for someone who went undrafted out of Austin Peay a year ago, eh? 1. Corey Collins – 1B, High-A/AA (Brooklyn/Binghamton) Collins was an honorable mention here in June despite posting 18 RBI and a .409 OBP. That status had more to do with other incredible months than any slight toward him. Nonetheless, he took it personally. G (AB) Slash Line (OPS) XBH (HR) R RBI 18 (59) .356/.465/.508 (.973) 5 (2) 9 9 Like Bay, Collins was promoted from Brooklyn to Binghamton on July 21st. Unlike Bay, Collins somehow played better for the Rumble Ponies than Cyclones, raising his OPS more than 200 points (.881 to 1.082) in just five fewer at-bats (27) than he saw at High-A (32). The increase in production while jumping levels makes him our top hitter of the month. Honorable Mentions: JT Schwartz (AA, Binghamton), Antonio Jimenez (High-A, Brooklyn) View the full article

The Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers may yet again be on the David vs. Goliath course that we saw the conclusion of in the NLCS last year. Milwaukee has consistently been in the bottom half of the league’s payroll rankings, while the Dodgers live amongst the cream of the crop when it comes to top-end spending. Despite the financial disparity, there may not be a starting pitcher more electric than Jacob Misiorowski and Tarik Skubal. Kyle Harrison and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are both secondary options, so we’ll compare those two as well. Jacob Misiorowski Breakdown Misiorowski has quickly stolen headlines for having the most electric fastball in the sport. The Brewers’ flamethrower has fired a ball as fast as 105.5 miles per hour, and he’s improved leaps and bounds with his command since debuting in the major leagues last year. The 24-year-old former second-round pick is 11-5 this year with a 1.63 earned run average and has 195 strikeouts in 127 innings of work. He’s striking out 40.6 percent of hitters (100th percentile) and is walking hitters just 6.0 percent of the time (87th percentile). The Brewers’ ace has a five-pitch mix, but he heavily relies on the fastball that holds a rising effect out of his 30-degree arm angle upon release. His 0.73 WHIP tops all starters by 0.15, and he’s holding opposing hitters below the Mendoza line against every one of his pitches. Tarik Skubal Breakdown Skubal was the big-ticket acquisition at this year’s MLB trade deadline, and for good reason. The two-time Cy Young winner has the accolades on his side, and he currently profiles as one of the hardest-throwing lefties in baseball. The newest member of the Dodgers’ rotation holds a 7-6 record this year with a 2.81 earned run average. He has 122 strikeouts in 102.2 innings pitched, operating with a 0.92 WHIP on the season. Skubal is a master of deception, and he’s one of the more cerebral pitchers in baseball, using his sinker 32% more often against fellow southpaws than he does against right-handed hitters. The 29-year-old lands in the top 10 percent for chase rate (36.1), whiff rate (32.5), strikeout rate (30.7) and walk rate (4.0), and he has postseason experience under his belt from his time in Detroit. Kyle Harrison’s Tale of the Tape Harrison was the Brewers’ big offseason acquisition, as Milwaukee got him from the Boston Red Sox in a package deal. Harrison has one of the best slurves in baseball, garnering just a .150 opposing batting average against his low-80s, gloveside biting pitch. The first-year member of the Crew is 9-2 this season with a 2.84 earned run average, and he’s struck out 111 hitters in 88.2 innings. He’s been an absolute master at creating swing-and-miss and limiting quality contact. The 24-year-old southpaw has an elite 33.4 percent chase rate (79th percentile) accompanied by a 29.4 percent whiff rate (80th percentile). He’s also allowing a ball to get barrelled up just 6.3 percent of the time. His 6.6-foot extension (67th percentile) allows what’s already a mid-90s fastball to appear even quicker. The most important aspect for Harrison is staying healthy, as his most recent injury scare was related to cramping in both calves. Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s Makeup Yoshinobu Yamamoto rounds out matchups, and if he’s the Game 2 opponent in this hypothetical series between LA and Milwaukee, runs may be at a premium. The 27-year-old righty has an 11-7 record this year, earning a 2.76 earned run average and a miniscule 0.88 WHIP on the season. Yamamoto has an elite ground ball rate, forcing a hitter to roll over 47.5 percent of the time (75th percentile). The Japanese-born pitcher put up a Madison Bumgarner-like performance in the World Series last year, tossing 17.2 innings while allowing just two runs and striking out 15 across three different appearances. The Dodgers’ pitchers have the postseason experience, but overall, give me Miz as a guaranteed two wins if his stuff is on in a playoff atmosphere. Yamamoto gets the slight edge over Harrison since he’s been performing at a higher level for a little longer, but overall, Milwaukee’s starters have impressed me more in the 2026 regular season and have the edge. View the full article

It's been a peculiar sophomore season for Royals left-handed pitcher Noah Cameron. In 22 appearances (21 starts) and 123.2 IP, the St. Joseph, Missouri product is posting a 4.37 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 3.73 FIP, and a 2.1 fWAR. While his ERA is worse than a year ago (2.99 ERA in 2025), his fWAR is higher (1.8 last year) in fewer innings (138.1 IP). He is also striking out more batters (22.0% K% this year, 20.5% in 2025), walking fewer (7.6% BB% this year to 7.7% in 2025), while sporting better control overall (14.4% K-BB% in 2026 to 12.8% in 2025). It hasn't been a perfect improvement for Cameron in 2026. While the overall numbers are better, he is getting hit harder than a year ago. His barrel rate allowed has climbed from 6.3% to 8.7%, his average exit velocity allowed has gone from 87.8 MPH to 89.1 MPH, and his hard-hit rate allowed has gone from 37.4% to 38.3%. Those batted-ball metrics are a big reason why his ERA was 4.89 before the All-Star Break, compared to 2.57 after the Midsummer Classic. Since the All-Star Break, Cameron has been on a heater, especially in his past three starts. Over that three-game span, he has posted historic numbers, going seven or more innings in each outing (including two in which he went eight). So what has been the key to Cameron's turnaround in the second half? A primary factor has been his switch to calling his own pitches, which has changed his pitch mix and made him more effective. Which then begs Royals fans to ask: Should more Royals pitchers, especially non-veteran ones, follow Cameron's lead? Breaking Down Cameron's Pitch Mix Changes After a tough July 19th start against the Padres in which he gave up seven runs on nine hits in five innings of work, Cameron seemed intent on making changes, as did the Royals coaching staff. Not only did he have an Opener in his next start against Detroit, but he also decided to begin calling his own pitches. Here are some details about that process in a recent piece from MLB.com Royals beat writer Anne Rogers. After his July 19th start against San Diego, Cameron was sporting a 5.27 ERA and 1.46 WHIP. Here's what his pitching summary looked like from the beginning of the season until his July 24th start against the Tigers. As Royals fans can see, Cameron leaned heavily on his four-seamer, as evidenced by his 27.8% usage on the pitch. Unfortunately, it was not an effective pitch, both on a TJ Stuff+ end (91) and a swing-and-miss end (17.2% whiff rate). Overall, most of his metrics were mediocre, with his zone rate (48.1%), chase rate (28%), whiff rate (24.4%), and xwOBACON (.417) all profiling as below average. He had some pitches that profiled as above average: his changeup (102) and slider (102), but the rest of his repertoire was middling, as evidenced by his 97 overall TJ Stuff+. In his last three starts, here's Cameron's pitching summary via TJ Stats. Obviously, the results have been incredible. While the zone rate still rates as below average (44%), his chase rate (35.1%), whiff rate (33.3%), and xwOBACON (.260) have all been elite. He's improved his overall TJ Stuff+ by two points. And what has been the primary reason? A change in the pitch mix. Cameron is only throwing the four-seamer 18% of the time, a 9.8% drop from earlier in the year. It has gone from his most-thrown pitch to his third-most-thrown offering. On the flip side, he's increased his cutter usage by 1.7%, his changeup usage by 0.7%, and his curveball usage by 0.7%. The biggest increase, however? His slider, which he has thrown 16.3% of the time in his last three starts. Previously, he only threw the slider 9.2% of the time. With the increased slider usage has come more effectiveness with the breaking pitch. Over these past three starts, he's generating a 50% chase and whiff rate, as well as a .253 xwOBACON. Thus, he's not only getting chase and whiffs needed with the pitch, but minimizing hard contact with the offering as well. That's a recipe for success. To dive deeper into his slider, here's a look at his slider swing-and-miss rolling percentage, which correlates with his increase in usage since the All-Star Break. In April and May, his slider had whiff rates under 20 and 25 percent, respectively. In July? That whiff rate was over 50 percent. He's only had one start in August, but it still is impressive at around 45 percent. What's also interesting is that with the decrease in four-seam usage, it has become a more effective swing-and-miss offering. Here's a look at his four-seam whiff rate rolling chart this year via Savant. The four-seamer whiff rate regressed in May and June before seeing a slight bump in July and then experienced a major spike in August. As stated before, it's only one start, but his 25% four-seamer whiff rate is better than the 20% he posted in April with the fastball. It will be interesting to see whether using his four-seamer less will not only make his other pitches more effective but also make the four-seamer itself more effective, as illustrated by this rolling chart data. Issues With Jensen Behind the Plate? Now, according to Rogers' article, Cameron isn't calling EVERY pitch. He has been challenged to throw other offerings by the catcher, specifically Salvador Perez, who's caught his last three appearances. Here's an example of this in Rogers' article. Two things that stood out to me are: 1) There's some flexibility in Cameron's pitch-calling system, and 2) Perez has been the primary catcher during Cameron's bounce-back. Thus, I became curious about Cameron's pitcher splits this year with different catchers. Here's what the data says, per Baseball-Reference. By Catcher Split G IP ER ERA PA AB R H 2B 3B HR SB CS BB SO SO/W BA OBP SLG OPS TB GDP HBP SH SF IBB ROE BAbip tOPS+ sOPS+ Elias Díaz 3 15.2 10 5.74 75 67 9 21 6 1 0 0 0 8 15 1.88 .313 .387 .433 .820 29 1 0 0 0 0 1 .404 133 116 Carter Jensen 9 47.0 31 5.94 203 188 33 52 7 1 12 1 4 11 37 3.36 .277 .312 .516 .828 97 2 0 1 3 0 4 .282 129 114 Luke Maile 2 10.0 8 7.20 52 44 8 15 4 0 1 2 0 7 8 1.14 .341 .423 .500 .923 22 0 0 0 1 0 0 .389 161 91 Salvador Perez 8 51.0 11 1.94 197 177 12 31 10 0 1 1 1 14 56 4.00 .175 .246 .249 .495 44 4 3 2 1 1 0 .248 41 31 Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table Generated 8/8/2026. Cameron has had nine starts with Jensen this year and eight starts with Salvy. And yet, the St. Joseph product has been significantly better with Perez. With Jensen, the lefty has a 5.94 ERA and has allowed 12 home runs in 47 IP. With Perez, Cameron has a 1.94 ERA and has only allowed ONE home run. Yep. When Jensen has been behind the plate, the 27-year-old pitcher has given up 11 more home runs in four fewer innings. The OPS with Jensen (.828) is also significantly higher than the OPS with Perez (.495). Interestingly enough, there doesn't seem to be a clear pattern with Jensen and other "younger" pitchers who likely don't call their own pitches (veterans like Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo do). I looked up Luinder Avila and Stephen Kolek, two younger Royals pitchers who have had success this year (though both are out for a while due to Tommy John surgery). Interestingly enough, they had the inverse splits with Jensen behind the plate. Here's a look at Avila. By Catcher Split G IP ER ERA PA AB R H 2B 3B HR SB CS BB SO SO/W BA OBP SLG OPS TB GDP HBP SH SF IBB ROE BAbip tOPS+ sOPS+ Elias Díaz 1 2.0 2 9.00 9 7 2 2 0 0 0 2 0 2 2 1.00 .286 .444 .286 .730 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 .400 86 99 Carter Jensen 12 46.0 15 2.93 186 163 15 38 10 1 3 0 2 18 40 2.22 .233 .310 .362 .672 59 5 1 2 2 0 0 .287 68 78 Luke Maile 1 4.1 3 6.23 21 17 0 4 1 0 0 0 0 4 2 0.50 .235 .381 .294 .675 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 .267 71 44 Salvador Perez 7 17.2 23 11.72 93 74 22 27 6 0 4 2 3 18 17 0.94 .365 .495 .608 1.103 45 1 1 0 0 0 0 .434 175 189 Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table Generated 8/8/2026. With Jensen, Avila posted a 2.93 ERA, a 2.22 K/BB ratio, and a .672 OPS in 46 IP. The Venezuelan righty had fewer innings with his fellow countryman at 17.2 IP. That said, the numbers were much worse. With Salvy behind the plate, Avila had an 11.72 ERA, 1.103 OPS, and 0.64 K/BB ratio. Now, let's take a look at Kolek. By Catcher Split G IP ER ERA PA AB R H 2B 3B HR SB CS BB SO SO/W BA OBP SLG OPS TB GDP HBP SH SF IBB ROE BAbip tOPS+ sOPS+ Carter Jensen 5 29.0 9 2.79 113 108 10 26 4 1 2 1 0 5 16 3.20 .241 .274 .352 .626 38 3 0 0 0 0 0 .267 68 64 Salvador Perez 5 25.0 18 6.48 111 102 20 29 7 1 6 2 0 7 18 2.57 .284 .342 .549 .891 56 4 2 0 0 0 3 .295 134 130 Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table Generated 8/8/2026. Kolek had a more split breakdown, with five starts being with both catchers. However, with Jensen, the 29-year-old posted a 2.79 ERA, 3.20 K/BB ratio, and .626 OPS. With Salvy, he had a 6.48 ERA, 2.57 K/BB ratio, and .891 OPS. Thus, the issues with Cameron and Jensen may have been more of a chemistry issue than an indictment of Jensen's game-calling abilities. What to Expect With Cameron The Royals right now are extremely thin with starting pitching. Avila and Kolek recently underwent Tommy John surgery and will be out for a good while in 2027. Cole Ragans had elbow surgery and won't be back until the middle of 2027. Ryan Bergert and prospect Ben Kudrna also underwent surgery and will have limited availability at the start of 2027. Thus, even with Wacha and Lugo returning, the Royals need a healthy and effective Cameron to get back into contention in 2027. Now, Cameron can't be the third-best Royals starting pitcher next year. He needs to be a No. 4 or 5 starter for the Royals to turn things around and compete for a playoff spot again after such a dreadful season in 2026. If the Royals don't acquire a starting pitcher or two via free agency or trade, then it's unlikely that the Royals will be much better in 2027. However, the past month has demonstrated what Cameron can do when he's locked in and has made the proper adjustments. He's a smart pitcher, and fans can't question his work ethic. Many pitchers would've continued doing the same thing despite persistent bad results. And yet, Cameron followed the Kris Bubic path here rather than the Brady Singer one (Singer was known for being stubborn and slow to change, especially with his pitch mix). Cameron has shown manager Matt Quatraro and Royals President JJ Picollo that he can be part of the Royals' future rotation. Let's hope that he can continue to make adjustments down the stretch this season. Opposing hitters are now familiarizing themselves with changes to his pitch repertoire and making adjustments. How Cameron fares against those expected hitter adjustments could determine what the Royals can expect from the lefty next season. View the full article

A member of the franchise’s Hall of Fame, Luis Castillo was never the biggest or the strongest guy for the Florida Marlins. Castillo, however, was one of the best defensively and certainly one of the fastest. The only player to make the opening day start for each of the Marlins’ two World Series-winning teams, Castillo recorded his first career hit on this day 30 years ago. Later in the game, he recorded his second career hit, which served as the walk-off winner in a 2-1 victory over the New York Mets. Hitting lead-off for the Marlins at Joe Robbie Stadium on Aug. 9, 1996, Castillo used his blazing speed to give the Marlins an early lead with an infield single to lead off the fourth – his first big-league hit – against New York’s Robert Person. On a dribbler back to the pitcher, Person was forced to hurry his throw, which got away and allowed Castillo to advance to second. He’d score the first run on a Jeff Conine sacrifice fly later in the inning. The Mets drew even on Álvaro Espinoza’s solo home run off Mark Hutton in the top of the sixth inning. After six strong innings from Hutton and seven from Person, it became a battle of the bullpens. Jay Powell, Félix Heredia and Robb Nen combined for four scoreless frames for the Marlins, yielding just two hits. In the bottom of the 10th, the Mets turned to Doug Henry. Alex Arias started the rally for Florida by working a nine-pitch walk. After a sacrifice bunt from Terry Pendleton, Henry struck out Joe Siddall before intentionally walking pinch hitter Joe Orsulak. That put the game in the hands of Castillo. The speedy switch hitter fell behind 1-2 in the count, but Castillo rolled one up the middle. The grounder slipped just past the glove of a diving Rey Ordóñez, allowing Arias to score easily for the winning run. At the top of the order, Castillo and Édgar Rentería each had two of the five hits for Florida. Bernard Gilkey finished with two hits for the Mets. A member of the Marlins for parts of 10 seasons, Castillo is the club’s all-time leader in games, runs, hits, walks, triples and stolen bases. His first career hit and his first career walk-off hit came in the same game on this day three decades ago. View the full article

TRANSACTIONS There were no announced transactions in the Twins organization on Saturday. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 9, Louisville 4 Box Score The Saints jumped out to an early lead thanks to two big innings. They led 9-1 after three innings. Their offense did nothing more, but it was more than enough to hang on for another Saints win. The Saints took the lead in the bottom of the second inning. Hendry Mendez and Kala’i Rosario started the inning with walks. Then Cody Morissette drove an inside-the-park home run to make it 3-0 Saints. After two outs, Walker Jenkins came to the plate and hit a triple. Ben Ross immediately followed by launching his 11th home run with the Saints. With one out in the bottom of the third inning, Mendez doubled and Rosario walked. Morissette flew out this time for the inning’s second out. However, Tanner Schobel drove a single to center to drive in Mendez with the sixth run. David Banuelos followed with his fifth home run of the season to make it a 9-1 game. Trent Baker went 3 2/3 innings and gave up only an unearned run. He gave up one hit, walked one and had seven strikeouts. Alejandro Hidalgo came on and gave up one run on one (solo homer) over 1 1/3 innings. He struck out three batters. Ruddy Gomez gave up two runs on three hits in two innings. He had four strikeouts. Woo-Suk Go struck out two batters over two perfect innings. The Saints scored their nine runs on eight hits and seven walks. Ben Ross went 2-for-5 with his third triple and 11th homer. Walker Jenkins also had two hits in five at-bats, including his third triple. Mendez was 1-for-3 with a walk and his 10th double. David Banuelos was 1-for-3 with a walk and fifth homer. Morissette’s home run was his ninth homer with the team (first inside-the-parker, I believe.). WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 5, NW Arkansas 2 Box Score The Surge jumped out to a 3-0 lead after two innings. From that point, the game was 2-2, but that means that Wichita won. With one out in the top of the first, Khadim Diaw got things started with a double. Brandon Winokur was hit by a pitch. Garrett Spain singled to left field to drive in Diaw with the first run. Winokur scored the second run on a ground out by Caden Kendle. Wichita added a third run in the top of the second. With one out, Jaime Ferrer singled and scored on a Jorel Ortega double. Chris Vallimont started and tossed four shutout innings. He gave up four hits, walked one and had four strikeouts. Darren Bowen pitched the fifth inning. He gave up one run on one hit and one walk. Spencer Bengard gave up one run on three hits in the sixth inning. Jaylen Nowlin pitched a scoreless seventh inning. Mitch Mueller tossed two scoreless innings to record his second Surge save. The Surge maintained the multi-run lead throughout thanks to adding on later in the game. In the sixth inning, Garrett Spain hit a solo homer, and in the eighth inning, Caden Kendle homered. Khadim Diaw went 2-for-3 with a walk and his sixth and seventh Surge doubles. Spain was 2-for-4 with his 17th home run. Ortega’s double was his first this season. Caden Kendle’s homer was his third since joining the Surge. Marek Houston went 0-for-2 but walked three times and stole his 21st base. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 7, Peoria 0 Box Score Justin Mitrovich put together arguably his best start of the season. The 2025 draft pick tossed six shutout innings. He gave up two runs on one hit while striking out four batters. Lefty Cleiber Maldonado struck out two in a perfect seventh inning. Brian Zeldin tossed two scoreless innings. He gave up two hits, one walk, and struck out two batters. Emmanuel Rodriguez had his best game during his rehab stint. He went 3-for-5 with a double. Jose Salas added his third double. Quinn McDaniel had a huge game. He went 3-for-4 with his fourth and fifth doubles and his third home run. Byron Chourio went 2-for-4 with his second Kernels homer and four RBI. MIGHTY MATTERS Fort Myers 6, Bradenton 1 Box Score The Mussels scored four runs in the third inning and two more in the fifth frame and that proved more than enough to grab the Saturday night win. With one out in the top of the third, Bryce Fowler was hit by a pitch. Next, Carson Tinney and Ramiro Dominguez walked. With two outs, Yovanny Duran doubled to left to drive in two runs Quentin Young followed with another two-run double and the Mussels led 4-0. In the fifth, Tinney led off with a single and moved to second on a wild pitch. Dominguez walked. Aidan Teel followed with an RBI double to make it 5-0. Quentin Young drove in the sixth run with a sacrifice fly. Fort Myers scored their six runs on seven hits and eight walks. Aidan Teel went 2-for-5 with his third and fourth doubles. Ramiro Dominguez was 1-for-2 with three walks. Carson Tinney went 1-for-3 with two walks. Duran’s double was his first with the Mussels. Young’s double was his 10th of the season, and he drove in half of the team’s runs. Charlie Scholvin was hit by a pitch twice. Ramiro Villanueva started and tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings despite giving up two hits and walking three batters. He had one strikeout. Eric Hammond came in and gave up one run on three hits and a walk over the next 3 1/3 innings. He struck out four batters. Nick McAuliffe struck out four and walked one over two scoreless, hitless innings. Michael Hilker gave up a hit in a scoreless ninth inning. COMPLEX CHRONICLES Game 1: DSL Twins 7, DSL Rockies 6 (9 innings) Box Score These DSL games are normally seven innings, and obviously doubleheader games are both seven innings, so note that this game had a couple of extra innings. The Rockies scored two runs in the top of the ninth inning to take a 6-4 lead. Jendy Martinez started the inning at second base as the “Manfred Man.” With one out, Abel Sosa ripped a double to left to put runners on second and third. After an infield pop out, Jeferson Abreu crushed a three-run homer over the wall in left field to give his team a 7-6 walkoff win. The Twins scored their seven runs on 14 hits and just two walks. All nine batters had at least one hit in the game. Martinez went 2-for-5 with his second triple and three RBI. Sosa went 2-for-5 with his fifth and sixth doubles. Enmanuel Merlo was 2-for-4 with a walk and his fourth double. Luis Suarez was 2-for-4 with his fourth double. And the game’s hero, Jeferson Abreu was 2-for-5 with his third home run and three big RBI. Yosangle Braffit started and gave up only an unearned run on three hits and a walk over four innings. He had four strikeouts. Miguel Martinez gave up three runs on four hits and a walk in the fifth inning. Failin Placencio recorded two outs in the sixth, one on a strikeout, but he walked three and was replaced by Jeremy Jimenez. He tossed 2 1/3 innings, facing the minimum seven batters. Jesus Moreno came in for the ninth and gave up two runs (1 earned) on two hits. He had three strikeouts. Game 2: DSL Twins 8, DSL Rockies 5 Box Score The second game was also played at the Twins/Phillies complex in Boca Chica, but the Rockies were the home team in it as it was a makeup game. Regardless, the Twins found a way to sweep the team. In this game, the Twins offense was scoreless the first two innings and then scored in each of the next five innings to take an 8-5 win. The Twins scored their eight runs on nine hits and five walks. Also, two batters were hit and the Rockies committed three errors. Jendy Martinez led the offense from the top of the order. He went 2-for-3 with a walk, was hit by a pitch, and hit his 11th double. Luis Suarez had the other multi-hit game. He went 2-for-3 with a walk, his fifth double, and his first triple. In the sixth inning, Misael Rodriguez connected for his first professional home run. Enmanuel Merlo went 1-for-3 with a walk and his fifth double. Luis Duarte also hit his third double. Angel Martinez went the first three innings. He gave up no runs on one hit and one walk and one hit batter. He added three strikeouts. Sebastian Echavarria gave up two runs on two hits and two walks in the fourth inning. Wisarly Reinosa gave up a hit in a scoreless inning. Aldwin Morillo gave up three runs (2 earned) on one hit and three walks in his inning. Herkyn Taveras recorded his third save. He walked one but struck out the three other batters he faced. PLAYERS OF THE DAY Hitter(s) of the Day Jendy Martinez (DSL Twins): 4-for-8, BB, 2B(11), 3B (2), R, 3 RBI, SB(18) Quinn McDaniel (Cedar Rapids): 3-for-4, 2-2B(5), HR(3), 3 R, 1 RBI, K Pitcher(s) of the Day Justin Mitrovich (Cedar Rapids): 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K, 77 pitches, 51 strikes (66.2%) Chris Vallimont (Wichita): 4 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K, 65 pitches, 46 pitches (70.8%) PROSPECT SUMMARY Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on our Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did today. Help us update the Top 20 prospects list now that the trade deadline is passed. #1 - OF Walker Jenkins (St. Paul) - 2-for-5, 3B(3), R, 2 K, SB(11) (batted first, played CF) #3 - IF Kaelen Culpepper (Minnesota) - 0-for-1, BB, HBP, R, K (batted seventh, played SS) #4 - OF Emmanuel Rodriguez (St. Paul) - Rehab in Cedar Rapids: 3-for-5, K (batted second, DH) #5 - SS Marek Houston (Wichita) - 0-for-2, 3 BB, 2 K, SB(21), 2 CS(4), (batted first, played SS) #10 - OF Hendry Mendez (St. Paul) - 1-for-3, BB, 2B(10), K (Batted fifth, played LF) . #13 - C Carson Tinney (Fort Myers) - 1-for-3, 2 BB, 2 R, K (batted second, Catcher) #14 - C/OF Khadim Diaw (Wichita) - 2-for-3, BB, 2B(7), (batted second, DH) #15 - 3B/CF Brandon Winokur (Wichita) - 0-for-3, R, K (batted third, played CF) #17 - 3B/SS Quentin Young (Ft. Myers) - 1-for-4, 2B(10), 3 RBI, K (batted sixth, played SS), UPCOMING PROBABLES Sunday, August 9 Louisville @ St. Paul (2:07 pm CT) - LHP Aaron Rozek (2-1, 3.22 ERA) Wichita @ NW Arkansas (2:05 pm CT) - RHP Preston Johnson (0-3, 4.76 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ South Bend (6:05 pm CT) - LHP Cesar Lares (0-4, 12.95 ERA) Ft. Myers @ Bradenton (11:00 am CT) - TBD FCL Twins - Season Complete. DSL Twins (9:00 am CT) - No Game CURRENT W-L Records Minnesota Twins: 58-60 St. Paul Saints: 66-46 Wichita Wind Surge: 41-64 Cedar Rapids Kernels: 41-64 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels: 57-48 FCL Twins: 33-26 DSL Twins: 13-31 Please feel free to ask questions about the teams, the rosters, and discuss today’s games, or anything else Twins minor-league related! View the full article

Saturday saw the San Diego Padres' four full-season affiliates go 3-1. The Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas dumped Reno 9-5, the Double-A San Antonio Missions edged Springfield 3-2, the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps were trounced by West Michigan 14-6 and the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm stopped Ontario 5-1. Padres Minor-League Transactions 1B Romeo Sanabria assigned to San Antonio Missions from El Paso Chihuahuas. Big Finish Paves Way For Chihuahuas' Victory Bryce Johnson went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored, while Ethan Salas had a two-run double and Nick Solak drove in the go-ahead run on an eighth-inning sacrifice fly as the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas bounced the host Reno Aces 9-5. The Chihuahuas scored the final four runs of the game in the eighth and ninth innings. The Chihuahuas went with a bullpen game, using seven pitchers, including rehabbing Padres right-hander David Morgan, who went 1⅓ shutout innings, allowing two hits and striking out two.Dustin Harris and Nick Pratto each had two hits, with Harris also walking once, driving in a run and scoring once. Pratto scored a run. The game was tied 1-1 when the Chihuahuas scored four in the third. Harris tripled in a run, Salas (Padres Mission's No. 1 prospect) had his two-run double to right and Rodolfo Duran singled home Salas. The Aces tied it, though, with four runs of their own in the bottom of the fourth. Harris led off the eighth with a single, then with one out stole second and went to third on a throwing error by the catcher, setting up Solak's go-ahead sac fly. In the ninth, Mason McCoy singled home Nick Pratto, who had singled and stolen a base, then stole second and went to third when Clay Dungan struck out but reached on a wild pitch. Johnson then hit his 11th double in 35 games at Triple-A, driving in the final two runs. EP_0808.mp4 EP2_0808.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Bryce Johnson 5 2 3 2 0 1 Dustin Harris 4 1 2 1 1 1 Carlos Rodríguez 5 1 1 0 0 1 Nick Solak 3 1 1 1 0 0 Ethan Salas 4 1 1 2 0 1 Rodolfo Durán 4 0 1 1 0 2 Nick Pratto 4 1 2 0 0 1 Mason McCoy 4 1 1 1 0 0 Clay Dungan 4 1 0 0 0 2 Totals 37 9 12 8 1 9 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Daison Acosta 1 3 1 1 0 0 0 Miguel Cienfuegos 2 2/3 4 4 4 3 0 1 David Morgan 1 1/3 2 0 0 0 2 0 Misael Tamarez 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 Logan Gillaspie 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Hunter Stratton 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Hans Crouse 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 Totals 9 11 5 5 5 5 1 Jamie Hitt Fans 7, Braedon Karpathios Hits Early HR In Missions' Win Braedon Karpathios hit a first-inning three-run homer that stood up for the rest of the game thanks in large part to left-hander Jamie Hitt striking out seven over six innings as the host Double-A San Antonio Missions turned back the Springfield Cardinals 3-2. Karpathios, Padres Mission's No. 12 prospect, followed a leadoff single by Ryan Jackson, a walk to Tirso Ornelas and a forceout by Jake Cunningham by hitting his 12th homer of the year on a 2-1 pitch down, an opposite-field shot that clanked off the left-field foul pole. Pitching was the bigger story, though. Hitt allowed a run on four hits and a walk with his seven punchouts, the best of his five starts since being promoted from High-A Fort Wayne. MLB veteran Jose Leclerc, no longer on the injured list by still finding his rhythm following shoulder surgery last year, gave up a solo homer over two innings, striking out three. Right-hander Garrett Hawkins, Padres Mission's No. 17 prospect, came on in a 3-2 game and loaded the bases with no outs on a pair of walks and a sharp single. The next batter grounded to second baseman Wyatt Hoffman, who threw home for the first out, then Hawkins struck out the next batter. That brought up Josiah Ragsdale, just acquired by the Cardinals from the Milwaukee Brewers who homered in his previous at-bat, and Hawkins struck him out to end the game. It was Hawkins' second save since returning to the Missions from Triple-A El Paso. SA_0808.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Ryan Jackson 3 1 2 0 1 0 Tirso Ornelas 3 0 0 0 1 1 Jake Cunningham 4 1 0 0 0 2 Braedon Karpathios 3 1 2 3 0 1 Jack Costello 2 0 0 0 0 1 Albert Fabian 3 0 0 0 0 1 Luis Verdugo 3 0 1 0 0 0 Wyatt Hoffman 3 0 0 0 0 2 Anthony Vilar 3 0 0 0 0 1 Totals 27 3 5 3 2 9 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jamie Hitt 6 4 1 1 1 7 0 José Leclerc 2 2 1 1 0 3 1 Garrett Hawkins 1 1 0 0 2 2 0 Totals 9 7 2 2 3 12 1 TinCaps Torched By 10-Run Third Inning While the fans packed the stands yet again, the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps didn't give them a whole lot to cheer about, giving up a 10-run third inning in a 14-6 loss to the West Michigan Whitecaps. The TinCaps had their ninth sellout of 7,575 spectators. Bradley Fry hit his first High-A homer since being promoted from Low-A Lake Elsinore, a two-run shot in the second inning. Frye had two hits as did Yoiber Ocopio, his first since being promoted this week from Lake Elsinore, and Rosman Verdugo. Alex McCoy, Padres Mission's No. 14 prospect, reached base three times with a single and two walks. Right-hander Bryan Balzer, in his seventh start for the TinCaps, gave up six runs on four hits and four walks with three strikeouts in two-plus innings. Right-hander Javier Chacon came in after Balzer didn't retire any of the first four batters to begin the third and gave up six runs of his own, but only three were earned, on four hits and a walk in two-thirds of an inning. The Whitecaps had the first seven batters of the inning reach and 15 in all, getting those 10 runs on five hits, three walks, three hit batters and an error. The game was the first for Whitecaps right-handed starter Brady Smith since being included in the Tarik Skubal trade between the Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers. Player AB R H RBI BB K Justin DeCriscio 3 0 0 0 2 1 Ryan Wideman 5 0 0 1 0 0 Alex McCoy 3 1 1 0 2 2 Luke Cantwell 4 2 1 1 0 0 Rosman Verdugo 5 0 2 1 0 1 Lamar King Jr. 4 1 1 1 1 2 Bradley Frye 5 1 2 2 0 3 Yoiber Ocopio 4 1 2 0 0 0 Kasen Wells 3 0 0 0 1 1 Totals 36 6 9 6 6 10 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Bryan Balzer 2 4 6 6 4 3 0 Javier Chacon 2/3 4 6 3 1 1 0 Isaiah Lowe 3 1/3 3 2 2 3 4 0 Sean Barnett 2 2 0 0 0 5 0 Jeferson Villabona 1 0 0 0 3 2 0 Totals 9 13 14 11 11 15 0 Big Hits By Jesmaylin Arias, Alex Conover Spark Storm Jesmaylin Arias had a two-run triple and Alex Conover a two-run double as the host Lake Elsinore Storm scored five early runs en route to a 5-1 victory over the Ontario Tower Buzzers. Storm right-handed starter Tyler Schmitt went 5⅓ innings, allowing just a run on three hits, but walked five while striking out six. Right-hander Rordy Mejia was the only other reliever needed, going the final 3⅔ innings, not allowing a run and just two hits with a pair of walks and one strikeout. With one out in the fourth, Jorge Quintana (Padres Mission's No. 6 prospect) walked and Jose Verdugo singled. Arias, the 19-year-old outfielder from the Dominican Republic, then tripled on a ball to left-center that kept slicing away from the center fielder, rolling to the wall, easily scoring both runners. In the fifth, 10th-round draft pick Augie Lopez walked, Qrey Lott and sixth-round draft pick Nu'u Contrades singled to load the bases. Conover, the Padres' fourth-round compensation pick, pulled a double down the right-field line that scored Lopez and Lott. One out later, Quintana hit a sacrifice fly to center to make it 5-0. LE1_0808.mp4 LE2A_0808.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Nu'u Contrades 5 1 1 0 0 2 Alex Conover 4 0 1 2 0 1 Ty Harvey 4 0 0 0 0 1 Jorge Quintana 2 1 0 1 1 1 Jose Verdugo 4 1 2 0 0 0 Jesmaylin Arias 4 0 1 2 0 1 Truitt Madonna 1 0 0 0 3 0 Augie Lopez 3 1 0 0 1 2 Qrey Lott 2 1 1 0 1 1 Totals 29 5 6 5 6 9 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Tyler Schmitt 5 1/3 3 1 1 5 6 0 Rordy Mejia 3 2/3 2 0 0 2 1 0 Totals 9 5 1 1 7 7 0 Padres Mission's Top 20 Prospect Performance Ethan Salas: 1-for-4, R, 2B, 2 RBI, K Kash Mayfield: Traded Miguel Mendez: Traded Ryan Wideman: 0-for-5, RBI Kruz Schoolcraft: DNP Jorge Quintana: 0-for-2, R, RBI, BB, K Ty Harvey: 0-for-4, K Kale Fountain: Injured, out for season Tucker Musgrove: DNP Coleman Borthwick: In Arizona Lamar King Jr.: 1-for-4, R, RBI, BB, 2 K Braedon Karpathios: 2-for-3, R, HR, 3 RBI, K Jagger Haynes: DNP Alex McCoy: 1-for-3, R, 2 BB, 2 K Truitt Madonna: 0-for-1, 3 BB Jesus Castro: DNP Garrett Hawkins: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, S Elliot Lascelles: In Arizona Winyer Chourio: DNP Rosman Verdugo: 2-for-5, RBI, K FW_0808.mp4 View the full article

Henry Williams spun 5 2/3 scoreless innings with six strikeouts as Omaha rolled in Toledo, and the Royals system took three of four Saturday. Emmanuel Reyes struck out seven over five innings for Quad Cities, which walked its way to a four-run eighth in Peoria. Yeri Perez slammed the door with three scoreless innings for Columbia, and Josh Hammond piled up four hits. Northwest Arkansas piled up 12 hits, stranded 10 runners, and took the only loss. Kansas City Royals Transactions Kansas City Royals released LHP Matt Strahm. Matthew Lugo's Three-Run Homer Powers Omaha Past Toledo The Omaha Storm Chasers beat the Toledo Mud Hens 7-2 on Saturday, scoring in four different innings behind a dominant start from Henry Williams. Williams worked 5 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing three hits, walking three, hitting one batter, and striking out six. He threw 99 pitches and picked up his fourth win. Omaha scored first when cleanup hitter Drew Waters reached on a fielder's choice that brought Gavin Cross home. Brett Squires added a run two innings later, coming around when Jack Pineda struck out swinging, and the throw to first got away from the catcher. The fifth put the game away. Cross reached on an error, Pineda lined a single, and Matthew Lugo drove his 11th home run to center field for a 5-0 lead. Omaha tacked on two more later. Waters singled, Pineda singled to center, and both runners came around when the ball got past the center fielder. Luke Little followed Williams and gave up two hits and two runs with a strikeout. Eli Morgan retired all five batters he faced, striking out one. Justin Topa finished the game, allowing one hit and no runs. The Storm Chasers finished with 10 hits, no errors, and six men left on base. Squires had two hits and a double, Peyton Wilson had two hits, and Pineda had two hits, two runs scored, and an RBI. Lugo added a hit, a walk, and three RBI. Cross scored twice and doubled, and Waters had a hit, an RBI, and a stolen base. Toledo, which committed three errors, pushed across both of its runs in the seventh. Omaha went 3-for-10 with runners in scoring position and improved its record to 55-57 with the win. Player AB R H RBI BB K Abraham Toro 5 0 0 0 0 1 Gavin Cross 5 2 1 0 0 3 Brett Squires 5 1 2 0 0 1 Drew Waters 5 1 1 1 0 0 Jack Pineda 4 2 2 1 0 2 Matthew Lugo 3 1 1 3 1 2 Elih Marrero 4 0 0 0 0 1 Peyton Wilson 4 0 2 0 0 1 Alejo Lopez 4 0 1 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Henry Williams 5 2/3 3 0 0 3 6 0 Luke Little 2/3 2 2 2 0 1 0 Eli Morgan 1 2/3 0 0 0 0 1 0 Justin Topa 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Naturals Collect 12 Hits, Strand 10 In Loss To Wichita The Northwest Arkansas Naturals out-hit the Wichita Wind Surge 12-8 on Saturday and still lost 5-2, leaving 10 men on base. Felix Arronde, the Royals' No. 16 prospect, took the loss, working 4 2/3 innings and allowing six hits, three runs, two walks, and one hit batter while striking out five. Wichita scored twice in the first on a double, a hit batter, a single, and a groundout, then added a run in the second on a double. Northwest Arkansas got on the board when Justin Johnson singled, leadoff man Luke Pelzer walked, a fly ball moved both runners up, and Carson Roccaforte lifted a sacrifice fly into foul territory in right. The next inning was the one that got away from the Naturals. Daniel Vazquez, Javi Vaz, and Colton Becker opened with three straight singles to load the bases with nobody out. Unfortunately, Jorge Alfaro struck out, and Johnson grounded into a force out with the runner cut down at the plate. Vaz did score on a wild pitch before Pelzer struck out with two runners still aboard. Anthony Simonelli followed Arronde and allowed one hit, one walk, and a home run. Frank Mozzicato was the sharpest arm of the night for the Naturals, allowing no hits, walking one, and striking out three. Tyson Guerrero gave up one hit, one walk, and a home run while striking out two. Pelzer, cleanup hitter Spencer Nivens, Vaz, and Becker each had two hits. Nivens doubled twice, Vaz added a double, and Becker drew a walk. Alfaro went hitless in four at-bats and left seven men on base. Northwest Arkansas played errorless defense, but the Naturals could not turn 12 hits and two walks into more than two runs. The Naturals went 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position. They are now 44-61 this season. Player AB R H RBI BB K Luke Pelzer 4 0 2 0 1 2 Sam Kulasingam 5 0 1 0 0 1 Carson Roccaforte 4 0 1 1 0 1 Spencer Nivens 4 0 2 0 0 0 Daniel Vazquez 4 0 1 0 0 2 Javi Vaz 4 1 2 0 0 1 Colton Becker 3 0 2 0 1 1 Jorge Alfaro 4 0 0 0 0 1 Justin Johnson 4 1 1 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Felix Arronde 4 2/3 6 3 3 2 5 0 Anthony Simonelli 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Frank Mozzicato 1 1/3 0 0 0 1 3 0 Tyson Guerrero 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 Chris Brito's Bases-Clearing Double Lifts Quad Cities In Peoria The Quad Cities River Bandits scored four runs in the eighth inning and held on to beat the Peoria Chiefs 7-6 on Saturday, winning a game in which they collected only five hits. Reyes gave Quad Cities five innings, allowing three hits and two runs, walking two, hitting one batter, and striking out seven. Asbel Gonzalez, the Royals' No. 8 prospect, doubled, stole third, and scored on an error to open the scoring. Peoria answered with two runs on a double and a single, and Jose Cerice put the River Bandits back in front with a two-run double that scored No. 4 prospect Blake Mitchell and cleanup hitter Chris Brito. Peoria tied it again on another double. The eighth decided it. Pedro Roque, leadoff man Nolan Sailors, and Gonzalez all walked to load the bases, and Mitchell drew a walk to force in the go-ahead run. Brito followed with a bases-clearing double to center field for a 7-3 lead. Mason Miller worked two innings behind Reyes, allowing two hits, one run, and one hit batter while striking out two, and he earned the win despite a blown save. Tommy Molsky was charged with three runs on two hits, including a three-run homer, while striking out two. Yimi Presinal allowed one hit and one walk with a strikeout to record his fourth save. Gonzalez had two hits, a double, a walk, a stolen base, and two runs scored. Brito had two doubles and three RBI. Cerice had a hit and two RBI. Mitchell walked twice, scored twice, and drove in a run without a hit. Quad Cities went 2-for-6 with runners in scoring position, left three men on base, and played errorless defense. The River Bandits are now 53-50 this season. Player AB R H RBI BB K Nolan Sailors 4 1 0 0 1 3 Asbel Gonzalez 3 2 2 0 1 1 Blake Mitchell 2 2 0 1 2 1 Chris Brito 4 1 2 3 0 1 Jose Cerice 4 0 1 2 0 2 Erick Torres 4 0 0 0 0 1 Tyriq Kemp 4 0 0 0 0 1 Stone Russell 3 0 0 0 0 2 Pedro Roque 3 1 0 0 1 3 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Emmanuel Reyes 5 3 2 2 2 7 0 Mason Miller 2 2 1 1 0 2 0 Tommy Molsky 1 2 3 3 0 2 1 Yimi Presinal 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 Hammond's Four-Hit Night Carries Columbia Past Myrtle Beach The Columbia Fireflies rallied from a three-run deficit and beat the Myrtle Beach Pelicans 10-8 on Saturday, scoring in five different innings. Jose Gutierrez started and was charged with five runs on nine hits over 4 1/3 innings, walking two and striking out five. Columbia jumped ahead when No. 3 prospect Hammond singled, and cleanup hitter Sean Gamble, the Royals' No. 6 prospect, tripled him home. The Fireflies added four more the next inning on a wild pitch, run-scoring singles from leadoff man Henry Ramos and Hammond, and a sacrifice fly from Camden Johnson for a 5-0 lead. Myrtle Beach answered with six runs in the fifth on a wild pitch, three doubles, a throwing error, and a single, then pushed the lead to 8-5 with a home run. The Fireflies came all the way back despite the deficit. Hammond singled home Daniel Lopez, then Lopez singled with two outs and two runs scored as the throws got away, tying the game 8-8. Johnson singled Hammond home for the lead, and Johnson later scored on a wild pitch for the final margin. Jhon Reyes followed Gutierrez and allowed four hits and three runs, two of them earned, including a home run, with one walk, one hit batter, and two strikeouts. Yeri Perez was the difference out of the bullpen for Columbia, throwing three scoreless innings on one hit with four strikeouts and no walks to earn his first win. Hammond had four hits in five at-bats, scored three runs, and drove in two. Ricson Gonzalez had two hits and a double. Lopez had two hits, a walk, two stolen bases, and two runs scored. Johnson had a hit, two RBI, and two stolen bases, and Gamble had a hit, a triple, and an RBI. Columbia finished with 13 hits and made two errors in the field. They went 7-for-16 with runners in scoring position and left eight runners on base. The Fireflies are now 55-50 this season. Player AB R H RBI BB K Henry Ramos 4 1 1 1 1 1 Josh Hammond 5 3 4 2 0 0 Camden Johnson 4 1 1 2 0 1 Sean Gamble 5 0 1 1 0 3 Jhosmmel Zue 4 0 1 0 1 1 JC Vanek 4 1 1 0 1 1 Connor Rasmussen 2 1 0 0 1 1 Ricson Gonzalez 4 1 2 0 0 0 Daniel Lopez 3 2 2 0 1 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jose Gutierrez 4 1/3 9 5 5 2 5 0 Jhon Reyes 1 2/3 4 3 2 1 2 1 Yeri Perez 3 1 0 0 0 4 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: DNP David Shields: DNP Josh Hammond: 4-for-5, 2 RBI, 3 R Blake Mitchell: 0-for-2, 2 BB, RBI, 2 R, K Sean Gamble: 1-for-5, 3B, RBI, 3 K Ramon Ramirez: DNP Zion Rose: DNP Asbel Gonzalez: 2-for-3, 2B, BB, SB, 2 R, K Carson Roccaforte: 1-for-4, RBI, K Taylor Rabe: DNP Yandel Ricardo: DNP Justin Lamkin: DNP Drew Beam: DNP Michael Lombardi: DNP Jack Slightom: DNP Felix Arronde: 4 2/3 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K (L) Angeibel Gomez: 1-for-4, 2 RBI Ben Kudrna: DNP Steven Zobac: DNP Blake Wolters: DNP View the full article

Blue Jays Affiliate Overview (August 6-7) Triple-A Buffalo Bisons Series vs Norfolk Tides (Baltimore Orioles): 2-2 Season Record: 54-58 Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats Series vs Portland Sea Dogs (Boston Red Sox): 2-2 Season Record: 50-54 High-A Vancouver Canadians Series vs Everett AquaSox (Seattle Mariners): 2-2 Season Record: 47-59 Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays Series vs Lakeland Flying Tigers (Detroit Tigers): 2-2 Season Record: 49-54 FCL Blue Jays: Season Complete DSL Blue Jays Blue Week Record: 0-3 Season Record: 18-29 DSL Blue Jays Red Week Record: 2-0 Season Record: 28-17 Triple-A Buffalo Bisons Season Record: 54-58 Series vs Norfolk Tides (Baltimore Orioles) August 6: Thursday was a day filled with excitement in Buffalo for the Bisons game against Norfolk. Spencer Arrighetti took the mound in his first appearance with the Toronto Blue Jays organization. Although he was hoping to face his old team for the big league club, he had to settle for a rehab assignment to Triple-A. Arrighetti struck out one in his first inning of work, on a 93 mph fastball. To start the second inning, Arrighetti was wild, walking the first two batters, with the majority of his pitches not being remotely competitive. He would get a fly out and two ground outs to escape the jam, but most of his pitches were still nowhere near the zone. Arrighetti began the third with continued wildness but did get the first batter to pop up. Following the at-bat, Arrighetti was lifted when he reaggravated his foot injury. At the time, Buffalo had a 2-0 lead, thanks to Charles McAdoo's first-inning two-run home run. Heston Kjerstad tied the game up for Norfolk with a two-run home run of his own in the fourth. Rudy Martin Jr. gave the lead back to Buffalo in the seventh on a sacrifice bunt and throwing error. Later in the inning, McAdoo drove in another run with a single to center. In the eighth, Yohendrick Piñango scored on a passed ball, and Willie MacIver knocked in two with a line drive single to left. The bullpen kept Norfolk in check for the rest of the game, highlighted by Simeon Woods Richardson throwing four scoreless innings. Buffalo won 7-4, in a game marred by disappointment with Arrighetti leaving injured. August 7: It was another exciting game for Blue Jays and Bisons fans on Friday. Newly acquired Josh Stephan was on the mound for Buffalo, facing off against a rehabbing Chris Bassitt. Bassitt had the Bisons' number from the start, and it didn't get much better as the game went on. At the end of the outing, Bassitt had thrown six scoreless innings against the Bisons, only surrendering three hits and walking two. On the flip side, Stephan matched him rather well, considering Stephan has yet to make his major league debut. Stephan threw seven innings, scattered seven hits, walked two, struck out five, and allowed just three runs (two earned). Down 3-0 in the eighth, Buffalo finally broke through and got a big-time, three-run blast from Charles McAdoo to tie the game up. The home run had an exit velocity of 107.1 and went 429 feet to center. With the game tied, it headed into extra innings, where Norfolk scored three in its half of the 10th, and Buffalo was blanked. The Bisons fell 6-3 in a very encouraging game for the future of the Blue Jays. Double-A New Hampshire Season Record: 50-54 Series vs Portland Sea Dogs (Boston Red Sox) August 6: Thursday saw New Hampshire take on Portland, and the Fisher Cats were fueled by the two-headed monster of Nolan Perry and Gage Stanifer. Perry went three innings, didn't allow a hit, didn't surrender a run, only gave up one walk, and struck out four. He was using mostly his fastball and curveball to get hitters out. Stanifer came in as the piggyback starter and was almost as equally unhittable. He went four innings, only gave up one hit, allowed one run to score, but he did issue five walks, which were countered by his five strikeouts. Stanifer just couldn't locate his fastball most of the day. His stuff was unhittable outside of the walks, though. Offensively, Alexis Hernandez started the first inning scoring with an RBI single. In the sixth inning, New Hampshire scored four on the back of a massive three-run home run from Dub Gleed. New Hampshire won this game 5-2. August 7: The Friday contest between New Hampshire and Portland started out as a back-and-forth game. Brooks Brannon launched a home run for Portland in the third inning, which was followed by Alexis Hernandez hitting an RBI single for New Hampshire in their half of the frame. Hedbert Perez also singled home a run in the inning. In the fifth inning, Aaron Parker increased New Hampshire's lead with a two-run home run. Things went south in the seventh inning when Portland scored six runs, the big hit coming on a Miguel Bleis three-run home run. New Hampshire lost this one 7-4. High-A Vancouver Season Record: 47-59 Series vs Everett AquaSox (Seattle Mariners) August 6: Peyton Williams almost won this game himself, as the Iowa Meat Truck hit a homer in the fourth inning to give the Canadians an early lead. Landen Maroudis has looked quite a bit better in his most recent starts, but gave up two homers, one to break the tie in the fourth inning and another to put the Canadians down two in the fifth inning. Over his last four starts, Maroudis has pitched to a 3.00 ERA with a 16.5 K-BB%. Carson Myers replaced Maroudis in the sixth and struck out five batters over two innings, but allowed another run to give the AquaSox a three-run cushion. Williams hit his ninth homer of the year in the ninth inning to bring it within two runs, and the Canadians were able to get runners on second and third with no outs after a Gable Mitchell double. Unfortunately, they could only muster up one more run, as Austin Smith could only get an RBI grounder to second, and they couldn’t complete the comeback, falling 4-3. August 7: Silvano Hechavarria had a much-needed bounce-back start, as he had his first quality start of the season, going six innings, allowing two runs, albeit on two homers given up. Austin Smith had himself a career night, as he not only had his first homer as a Canadian in the third inning to give Vancouver an early one-run lead, but he had a four-hit night, scoring two runs, and driving in two more. Hechavarria’s two homers given up lost the lead for the Canadians in the fifth inning, but in the seventh inning, the Canadians roared back to take the lead. After Peyton Williams was hit by a pitch, the Canadians hit six straight singles to score six runs, making it 7-2. They were able to bat around the order, with Williams coming back up and striking out in the same inning. Reece Fields relieved Hechavarria in the seventh inning and got the three-inning save, striking out five batters, but he did allow a two-run homer in the ninth. However, the Canadians still won this one pretty comfortably, for a 7-4 win. Single-A Dunedin Season Record: 49-54 Series vs Lakeland Flying Tigers (Detroit Tigers) August 6: Postponed August 7, Game 1: Karson Ligon hasn’t looked nearly as sharp since returning from injury, and he was unable to get out of the first inning, giving up two homers and five runs. Bradley Wilson didn’t fare much better after replacing him, as he gave up a triple to allow the inherited runner to score, then allowed two more runs the next inning. Giacomo Taschin couldn’t stop the bleeding as he gave up four more runs, putting the Flying Tigers up 11-0 heading into the seventh inning. Adrian Pinto was able to score a run after Juan Sanchez hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh to prevent a shutout, but it was a thrashing as they lost 11-1. August 7, Game 2: JoJo Parker took over this game, as Jays Centre's No. 1 prospect absolutely crushed the ball, with two doubles and a homer to give the Jays an early lead that they would not relinquish. His first was a 98.6 mph double to right to score the first run of the game, then in the second inning he hit his 13th homer of the season, 95.7 mph to left field, to make it 6-0. His last one of the day was a 105.8 mph scorching liner to right field. The biggest question for Parker now is when he’ll get the call to Vancouver. Carson Messina had his longest outing of the season, making it two straight starts where he hasn’t given up a single run. Reese Bassinger and Landon Waters both chipped in a scoreless inning apiece to complete the shutout for a great 6-0 win. FCL Blue Jays Season Record: 38-20 Season Completed DSL Blue Jays Blue Season Record: 18-29 August 6: BJB out-homered the DSL Rockies team on Thursday, but it wasn't enough for them to take home the win. Isay Veras launched his second home run of the season, with a blast to right field in the top of the third inning. The two-run shot extended an early BJB lead to 3-1. Fabian Gonzalez hit the second BJB home run of the game in the seventh inning, a solo rocket to center. While the offense had plenty of pop on the day, the pitching for BJB imploded in the fourth inning. The DSL Rockies scored ten runs, highlighted by a two-run blast by William Ferrufino. Another notable performance from the game was a two-double day by Michael Mesa. They just couldn't overcome the DSL Rockies' 10-run inning. BJB lost 14-5. August 7: Fabian Gonzalez followed up his homer on Thursday with a double and a run scored on Friday. Frelian Flores knocked in a run on his single to right in the fourth. Eiker Lothar followed that up with a two-run double to left, scoring Flores and Gonzalez. BJB just couldn't handle the baserunning in the game from the DSL Giants Orange team. BJB allowed them to score twice on double steals of second and home. Another time, they scored on a throwing error by the BJB catcher on a stolen base attempt of second, which allowed the runner from third to score. BJB put up another dud, losing this one 8-4. DSL Blue Jays Red Season Record: 28-17 August 6: Alieski Torres continued to be one of the better looking pitchers in the DSL with his start on Thursday. He threw 5.1 scoreless innings, walked two, didn't give up a hit, and struck out two. He dropped his season ERA down to 0.89. Jose Melo pitched in relief and was just as good, throwing 3.2 scoreless innings himself, allowing just one hit, and striking out four. The game was a pitchers' duel throughout, with zeros on the scoreboard all the way until the 10th inning. In the extra frames, the Mets Orange team scored their ghost runner in the top half of the 10th. Then BJR had their turn. Luis Nunez knocked in a run with his single to right. With the bases loaded and the game on the line, Alex Linares stepped to the plate, but never had a chance to swing. He took a pitch off his body for the game-winning, walk-off hit by pitch. BJR won 2-1 in 10 innings. August 7: BJR walked 10 times in the game on Friday, led by Luis Nunez's four walks. They only had four hits in the game, all singles, including Aneudi Severino's RBI single in the first inning. BJR still managed to score despite the lack of hits, they scored twice in the second, thanks to two wild pitches with a runner on third. In the third inning, BJR executed a double steal of second and home by Luis Nunez and Darwin Nuñez. Then they scored three runs in the top of the seventh to pull away from the Mets Blue team. Two passed balls led to two runs, and the third run came across thanks to a wild pitch again. BJR won 8-6 on the backs of bad opposing pitching and receiving by the catcher. View the full article

Box Score SP: Taj Bradley 5 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 7 K (97 pitches, 62 strikes (64%)) Home Runs: N/A Bottom 3 WPA: Jeff Hoffman (-0.23), Brooks Lee (-0.15), Trevor Larnach (-0.12) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Kaelen Culpepper's debut on Friday night sparked the offense out of its duldrums and led to a surprise victory in the lair of the MLB-leading Brewers. Against a lefty no less! Saturday night's game involved facing another lefty starter in Robert Gasser (3-4, 4.48 ERA), while the Twins countered with their young ace, Taj Bradley (9-4, 3.69 ERA). With the Miz lying in wait for Sunday's matinee, Saturday night looked to be the clearest path to a series victory for Minnesota. Could Culpepper's lightning still be in that bottle for game two? Give and Take The Twins got runners onto the corners with two outs to start the game, but Kody Clemens, who was 3-for-25 since his ultimate slam on July 30th, made it 3-for-26 with a fielder's choice ground out to end the inning. Bradley got ahead of leadoff man Brice Turang 0-2 but surrendered a double to start the bottom of the first. Then a walk and a single loaded the bases with nobody out for William Contreras. Contreras took one for the team, and the Brewers took a 1-0 lead. With the bases still loaded, things looked bleak for Bradley, but Garrett Mitchell lined out, Andrew Vaughn struck out, and the immortal Christian Yelich bounced out to Culpepper to escape a dire situation. Luke Keaschall decided to follow the Brewer blueprint to start the second, as he laced a leadoff double. Culpepper wore one, and suddenly the Twins once again had a threat going. Brooks Lee laced a ball to left that Jackson Chourio robbed, and Ryan Kreidler popped out to the infield, and it looked like the Twins were once again going to let a golden opportunity slip. Then Gasser's unusual wildness came to bite the Brewers, as Austin Martin got plunked to load the bases. Ryan Jeffers worked the count full and drew a game-tying walk. This set up the red-hot Royce Lewis for his latest hero moment, and he delivered with a two-run double to make it 3-1. Give Again Bradley cruised through the second and third innings, striking out five in a row at one point. The Twins found baserunners in the third and fourth innings again, but in the third inning Keaschall got greedy in an attempt to steal third, and Martin grounded into a double play in the fourth. It felt like a two-run lead was going to be plenty for Bradley, but all of that unraveled in the bottom of the fourth. After 28 pitches in the inning, Bradley found the bases loaded with two outs, and Turang took the 29th pitch into the right field gap to plate two Brewers for a 3-3 tie. Bully Pens The tie game stayed that way thanks to bending-but-not-breaking bullpen members. The Twins had a depleted list of available arms, but Travis Adams and Kody Funderburk struck out three Brewers each in the sixth and seventh innings respectively. Unfortunately, the Brewers have one of the best pens in baseball, and they kept the Twins from threatening through the sixth, seventh, and eighth. New Twin righty reliever Jeff Hoffman came in to take care of things in the bottom of the eighth, and Contreras blooped one to shallow center. Keaschall elected not to dive, and the ball landed for a single. Brewer baseball took over with a pinch runner, a stolen base, and an opposite field single by Vaughn to retake the lead at 4-3. The only thing crushed the whole inning was the collective heart of Twins Territory, as the missed opportunities of the early innings loomed large as we headed to the ninth. Comeback Magic? If the Twins were going to reach .500 again tonight, it was going to have to come against former Twin Trevor Megill. If anyone got on base, Lewis would get a chance. Trevor Larnach got the first crack, and he lined a loud out to the right field warning track. Alan Roden pinch hit, and weakly popped up in foul territory on the first pitch he saw. Jeffers didn't want to wait either, and he popped up the first pitch he saw to take all potential excitement out of the picture. It was a game the Twins had in their grasp, but back to two games under the .500 mark they went. What’s Next? The Twins look to do what very few have done this season on Sunday afternoon, and that's beat Milwaukee ace Jacob Misiorowski (11-5, 1.63 ERA). Minnesota will send out their young lefty Connor Prielipp (3-5, 4.75 ERA) in hopes of stealing a series victory in this iteration of the Border Battle. First pitch in Milwaukee is scheduled for 1:10pm CDT. Postgame Interviews Coming Soon! Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet TUE WED THU FRI SAT TOT Funderburk 14 0 20 0 21 55 Hoffman 0 11 0 25 15 51 Adams 20 0 0 0 15 35 Nance 0 7 0 24 0 31 Gomez 0 0 18 12 0 30 Morris 0 0 13 13 0 26 Minter 0 12 0 3 0 15 Rogers 14 0 0 0 0 14 View the full article

MIAMI — On Saturday afternoon, Sandy Alcantara unseated Ricky Nolasco to become the Miami Marlins' all-time leader in innings pitched. Alcantara has spent all season rewriting franchise records, but this milestone means more than the rest. Alcantara took over the top spot with after recording one out in the top of the third, surpassing Nolasco's previous mark of 1,225 ⅔ when he struck out Los Angeles Angels outfielder Josh Lowe on a 2-2 cutter. He continued dealing through seven frames, adding eight punchouts to his line in yet another gem and leading the Marlins to a streak-snapping, series-evening 7-0 win. ''Innings pitched, strikeout, quality starts, I don't know how many more records they have,” joked Alcantara postgame. “I’m very happy about the opportunity that this organization gives me, to play the game out there with my teammates and amazing coaches that I've had for the past couple years.” "The burden he's shouldered this season and how much that's meant to us, what he's been doing since he's been a Marlin, I know this will be a special one for him when he looks back at all the things that he'll end up accomplishing in this in his career," said Marlins skipper Clayton McCullough pregame. Contrary to the club's much-maligned handling of his career strikeout record in June, the crew at loanDepot park was quick to announce the moment and flash a graphic on the scoreboard. A one-minute stoppage consisting of a standing ovation from the 16,045 in attendance and cap tips from Alcantara to each side of the ballpark was a more than well-deserved spectacle. For Alcantara, it means that much more considering his family was able to witness it themselves. "I'm glad that they're here. I'm glad that my son is here. He's getting old—he's 12. Hopefully he remembers this moment. I don't know how many more moments he will remember in 10, 20 years, but I'm very happy about the family. They've watched all the success that I have. I know my mom is not here, but I know that she's very happy about the way that we take care of my family and my job." Zooming out, Alcantara has been reminiscent of his 2022 Cy Young self recently. In seven starts since July 1, his 1.88 ERA stands fifth-lowest in the National League amongst starters with 25 innings pitched. In his past three outings, it's been even better—20 innings of shutout, 18-strikeout ball has provided some stability for a squad enduring a tough stretch. "I don't think today could have gone any better for him," added McCullough postgame. "To pass Ricky Nolasco, set the innings record in a game that I think so many people have seen him in the past do, where you're seven innings in and you know your team's winning when he's done." Backing Alcantara at the plate and inevitably turning the contest into a rout was Miami's offense, highlighted by familiar faces Xavier Edwards and Otto Lopez. The middle-infield duo collected two RBI each five pitches apart during the bottom of the third, with Edwards collecting another on in the fifth. As a team, the Fish went 5-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Back sitting square at .500, Miami can take the series over a struggling Angels squad on Sunday. McCullough will hand the ball to Ryan Gusto, succeeding an impressive start at Truist Park earlier in the week. Gusto goes opposite former top prospect Grayson Rodriguez at 1:40. View the full article

July is an incredibly important month for minor leaguers and their value. With the trade deadline looming, a poor performance can sink trade value while a great performance can boost a players' stock. Which hitters helped the Chicago Cubs, and themselves, most in July? Spoiler alert, the top two players on this list are no longer with the organization. Ranking Cubs' Best Minor League Hitters In July Honorable Mention: Jose Escobar - UTIL - South Bend Jose Escobar has put together a really nice season this year, albeit largely under the radar. Promoted to South Bend at the end of May, Escobar slashed .343/.420/.614 in June and followed that up with a .367/.420./520 line in July to land in last month’s edition. Escobar put up that stat line along with just a 14.6% strikeout rate while being a tad young for the level. The diminutive 21-year-old has mostly played left field but has starts at 2B and in RF as well in South Bend. With a strong finish to his solid season, Escobar has likely earned the chance to start his age-22 season at Double-A Knoxville. Third Place: Josiah Hartshorn - OF - South Bend The year of Hartshorn continued in July. The reason he takes home the bronze and not in one of the top two spots this month is a slight drop off in production compared to previous months, but Hartshorn still managed a .256/.393/.453 slash line with an 18.8% strikeout rate and a 16.9% walk rate. His slugging percentage dipped from June but he paired that with a dip in k-rate and an increased walk rate. The switch-hitting teenager also played more on the dirt this month, starting 12 games at 1B and only 8 in RF, the first time this year he has started more games in the infield than the outfield. If you were looking for signs that Hartshorn is hitting a wall in his first professional season, you won’t find any in July. Runner-Up: Brett Bateman - OF - Iowa Bateman wins the runner-up in July largely on the back of a 18-game stretch from July 2 to July 28. He hit safely in 17 of the 18 games, including a 14-game hitting streak. Bateman recorded multiple hits 11 times, scored 22 runs, and hit .416 with just 10 strikeouts and 12 extra-base hits. He entered July slashing .284/.427/.355, which is passable, but then slashed .358/.430/.547 over the month. In his fourth professional season, Bateman has steadily moved up the ladder due to solid strikeout and walk rates and a solid defense/speed combo in the outfield. The Blue Jays clearly bought into the hype, acquiring him (alongside Ty Southisene) in the Kevin Gausman trade. Winner: Jonathon Long - 1B - Iowa Through June, I think the only way to sum up Jonathan Long’s 2026 season was as a disappointment. He was coming off a solid season in Iowa in 2025 and expected to make a bit of a push for the majors, even if he was blocked by Michael Busch. Long followed up an .883 OPS in AAA last year with an .738 OPS entering July. Long proceeded to hit .371/.446/.652 last month, good for a 1.097 OPS with a walk rate of nearly 11%. He had 17 doubles and 7 home runs over the first three months, and 13 doubles and 4 homers in July. He was weighed down by a really poor May, but got fully back on track just in time for the trade deadline. Like Bateman, Long's boosted stock proved useful on the trade block, as he got shipped to Miami (with Jace Beck) in exchange for Braxton Garrett. View the full article

July is an incredibly important month for minor leaguers and their value. With the trade deadline looming, a poor performance can sink trade value while a great performance can boost a players' stock. Which hitters helped the Chicago Cubs, and themselves, most in July? Spoiler alert, the top two players on this list are no longer with the organization. Ranking Cubs' Best Minor League Hitters In July Honorable Mention: Jose Escobar - UTIL - South Bend Jose Escobar has put together a really nice season this year, albeit largely under the radar. Promoted to South Bend at the end of May, Escobar slashed .343/.420/.614 in June and followed that up with a .367/.420./520 line in July to land in last month’s edition. Escobar put up that stat line along with just a 14.6% strikeout rate while being a tad young for the level. The diminutive 21-year-old has mostly played left field but has starts at 2B and in RF as well in South Bend. With a strong finish to his solid season, Escobar has likely earned the chance to start his age-22 season at Double-A Knoxville. Third Place: Josiah Hartshorn - OF - South Bend The year of Hartshorn continued in July. The reason he takes home the bronze and not in one of the top two spots this month is a slight drop off in production compared to previous months, but Hartshorn still managed a .256/.393/.453 slash line with an 18.8% strikeout rate and a 16.9% walk rate. His slugging percentage dipped from June but he paired that with a dip in k-rate and an increased walk rate. The switch-hitting teenager also played more on the dirt this month, starting 12 games at 1B and only 8 in RF, the first time this year he has started more games in the infield than the outfield. If you were looking for signs that Hartshorn is hitting a wall in his first professional season, you won’t find any in July. Runner-Up: Brett Bateman - OF - Iowa Bateman wins the runner-up in July largely on the back of a 18-game stretch from July 2 to July 28. He hit safely in 17 of the 18 games, including a 14-game hitting streak. Bateman recorded multiple hits 11 times, scored 22 runs, and hit .416 with just 10 strikeouts and 12 extra-base hits. He entered July slashing .284/.427/.355, which is passable, but then slashed .358/.430/.547 over the month. In his fourth professional season, Bateman has steadily moved up the ladder due to solid strikeout and walk rates and a solid defense/speed combo in the outfield. The Blue Jays clearly bought into the hype, acquiring him (alongside Ty Southisene) in the Kevin Gausman trade. Winner: Jonathon Long - 1B - Iowa Through June, I think the only way to sum up Jonathan Long’s 2026 season was as a disappointment. He was coming off a solid season in Iowa in 2025 and expected to make a bit of a push for the majors, even if he was blocked by Michael Busch. Long followed up an .883 OPS in AAA last year with an .738 OPS entering July. Long proceeded to hit .371/.446/.652 last month, good for a 1.097 OPS with a walk rate of nearly 11%. He had 17 doubles and 7 home runs over the first three months, and 13 doubles and 4 homers in July. He was weighed down by a really poor May, but got fully back on track just in time for the trade deadline. Like Bateman, Long's boosted stock proved useful on the trade block, as he got shipped to Miami (with Jace Beck) in exchange for Braxton Garrett. View the full article