21 Aug

homeboys

Now that Taylorsville’s Billy Hamilton is officially in the books as an Atlanta Brave – he went 0-for-2 after entering Tuesday’s game vs. Miami in a double-switch – it seems like a good time to ponder the question, How many Mississippians have played for the Braves during their 54 seasons in the ATL? Some intrepid research (old media guide and internet) turns up 11 names, including Hamilton and DeSoto Central High product Austin Riley, who also debuted this year. Hattiesburg native Bob Didier was the first, playing four seasons as a catcher starting in 1969, the year of the team’s first National League West title. Laurel’s Rod Gilbreath had the longest tenure, the second baseman spending parts of seven seasons (1972-78) in an Atlanta uniform. Currently working as a Braves scout, he occasionally turns up at Trustmark Park in Pearl. Jackson State alumnus Marvin Freeman put in four years and was a pitcher on the World Series clubs of 1991 and ’92. Others on the list are Ocean Springs’ Howard Battle (1999), Mississippi State alum and Greenwood native Paul Maholm (2012-13), Laurel native Jack Pierce (1973-74), ex-State star and Meridian native Jay Powell (2005), Vicksburg native John Thomson (2004-06) and Jackson’s Donnie Veal (2015).

27 Sep

southern exposure

Baseball America liked the 2017 Mississippi Braves. They really liked them. Five M-Braves are in the top 10 in the magazine’s ranking of the Top 20 prospects in the Southern League. A sixth made the list, which was released today. The M-Braves’ record on the field wasn’t so great, but the talent Atlanta appears to be developing is impressive. Ronald Acuna, BA’s minor league player of the year, was rated No. 1 in the SL. Look for him in the outfield at SunTrust Park next season. Young pitchers Mike Soroka (ranked No. 4), Luiz Gohara (5), Kolby Allard (10) and Max Fried (19) could be key pieces in the Atlanta rotation in the not-so-distant future. Gohara and Fried already have big league wins on their resumes. Austin Riley, the former DeSoto Central High star, was ranked No. 6 by BA’s editors, who raved about his raw power. He hit eight homers in 178 at-bats as a 20-year-old in Double-A. He’ll challenge for Atlanta’s third-base job soon enough. … Two Biloxi Shuckers made the Top 20: right-handers Corbin Burnes (No. 8) and Luis Ortiz (11). Burnes was Milwaukee’s pick as its minor league pitcher of the year after going 3-3 with a 2.10 ERA for Biloxi and 5-0, 1.05 in A-ball.