Mississippi Braves Archives - Page 64 of 91

25 Oct

the right stuff

There are players you find yourself rooting against, for whatever reason. It’s hard to find a reason to root against Jason Heyward. He plays hard, and he plays smart. He conducts himself like a professional, which is easy to do when you’re going good, which hasn’t been the case for Heyward here lately. It’s been tough to watch the former Mississippi Braves star scuffle at the plate this postseason. He is 2-for-28 during Chicago’s historic run to the World Series. In the first year of a $184 million contract, Heyward batted .230 with seven homers, 49 RBIs and 11 steals. (His career-highs: .293, 27, 82 and 23.) Yes, he plays a Gold Glove-quality right field, but for the money he’s making, he is expected to hit, too. And he can hit. If you saw him at Trustmark Park back in 2009, you know this first-hand. Arriving on July 4 of that season, as Atlanta’s top-ranked prospect, Heyward batted .352 with seven homers in 47 games for the M-Braves. He was 6 feet 5, cut like an elite athlete and just scary good. He won the right field job in Atlanta the next spring and homered in his first at-bat. A great career surely lay ahead. Yet there was always something odd about Heyward’s swing, and it seems that major league pitchers have gradually learned to exploit the flaws. There have been reports that the Cubs will address those in the off-season. Heyward isn’t in the lineup tonight for Game 1 against Cleveland; ex-Ole Miss star Chris Coghlan, another left-handed hitter, will start in right field. But Heyward will play at some point, and when he does, Cubs fans can rest assured that his head and his heart will be in the right place. “It’s about this team,” Heyward said in a recent interview with CBSChicago.com. “It’s about the team.”

25 Oct

also starring

While so much of the attention was on Kyle Schwarber, former Petal High standout Anthony Alford tried to steal a little thunder in the Arizona Fall League on Monday. Alford — in the Mesa lineup with the World Series-bound Schwarber – went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double and three RBIs in a 7-2 win against Surprise. It was the second homer of the fall for Alford, one of Toronto’s top prospects. “I have some power and I’m starting to tap into that power,” the 6-foot-1, 215-pound outfielder told mlb.com. He has just 16 homers in 224 minor league games but is still developing as a hitter. Alford is batting .290 in eight games in the AFL. … Former Richton High star JaCoby Jones, another Mr. Baseball, boosted his AFL average to .429 with a pair of hits for Salt River on Monday. The Detroit prospect has a homer, seven RBIs and four steals for the Mississippi-flavored Rafters. Dylan Moore, who made a splash with the Mississippi Braves in the Southern League playoffs this season, is batting .467 with two homers in four games for Salt River. Shortstop Moore, acquired in August from Texas, went 4-for-9 in the playoffs for the M-Braves after batting .343 with Class A Carolina. He looks like a strong candidate for the M-Braves’ 2017 roster. Also shining for Salt River are M-Braves alums Dustin Peterson (.364) and Kade Scivicque (.273), Biloxi Shuckers star Jacob Nottingham (.258) and Ole Miss alum Chris Ellis (1-0, 3.00 ERA). Former Southern Miss standout Bradley Roney is on the Rafters’ roster but has yet to pitch. … Ex-Mississippi State star Chris Stratton is 1-0, 1.00 in two starts for Scottsdale; he is expected to work again on Wednesday. P.S. Ole Miss product Chris Coghlan (0-for-4 in the postseason) kept his spot today when Schwarber, coming back from a knee injury suffered in April, was added to the Chicago Cubs’ active roster; pitcher Rob Zastryzny was removed. UM fans also have a rooting interest on the other side in the World Series: Former Rebels pitcher Mickey Callaway is Cleveland’s pitching coach.

12 Oct

boys of fall

In an Arizona Fall League opener on Tuesday that did not involve Tim Tebow, former Richton High star JaCoby Jones went 2-for-3 with two RBIs for Salt River in a 7-7, 11-inning tie against Peoria. Jones got big league time with Detroit this season. Jacob Nottingham, who played for Double-A Biloxi this year, was 1-for-5 with an RBI for Salt River; fellow Shuckers alum Brett Phillips scored twice; and Mississippi Braves pitcher Akeel Morris made a scoreless relief appearance. Salt River’s roster is packed with Mississippi-connected players: Spencer Turnbull (Madison Central), Chris Ellis (Ole Miss), Bradley Roney (Southern Miss), Kade Scivicque (Southwest Mississippi Community College), Dustin Peterson (M-Braves) and Evan Phillips (M-Braves). M-Braves alum Ozzie Albies was originally placed on the Rafters club but was injured in the Southern League playoffs; Travis Demeritte (1-for-6 with a run on Tuesday), who figures to be on the M-Braves’ roster in 2017, took his spot. … Anthony Alford, the former two-sport star from Petal and a top-rated Toronto prospect, went 1-for-3 with an RBI for Mesa. … Mississippi State product Chris Stratton, who made his big league debut with San Francisco this year, is on the Scottsdale roster with Tebow, the former football star who put up an 0-for-3 in his AFL debut. Salt River and Scottsdale meet tonight.

08 Oct

a look (way) ahead

Here’s a way-too-early forecast – some six months before the first game — of what the 2017 Mississippi Braves might look like: One of the “star attractions” could be power-hitting second baseman Travis Demeritte, rated Atlanta’s No. 9 prospect. Demeritte was acquired by the Braves in a trade with Texas in mid-summer. A Ron Gant-type, he hit .266 with 28 homers and 70 RBIs on the year, which he finished at high-A Carolina (the team that will be in Florida next year). With Ozzie Albies ahead of him in the pipeline, Demeritte might be shifted to third base. Outfielder Braxton Davidson didn’t have a great year at Carolina — .224, 10 homers, 63 RBIs, lots of strikeouts – but the No. 24 prospect is still a logical candidate for a job in Pearl. Might as well challenge him in Double-A. It wouldn’t be a big surprise to see Jacob Schrader back at first base, Carlos Franco at third and Connor Lien, Joey Meneses and injury-plagued Sean Godfrey in the outfield. Infielder Johan Camargo played well enough (.267, six triples, 43 RBIs, 46 runs) to rate a promotion, but he’d be a nice fit as the regular shortstop in 2017 after bouncing around the infield this past year. At catcher, pencil in Kade Scivicque, the ex-Southwest Mississippi Community College star, and Joseph Odom. Both came up late in 2016, Scivicque after being picked up in a trade. Other candidates for promotion from the high-A club include infielders Luis Valenzuela and Ryan Gebhardt and outfielder Keith Curcio, who got some ABs with the M-Braves in the playoffs. The pitching staff could be manned by familiar faces like Max Povse, Patrick Weigel and A.J. Minter and Double-A rookies such as Touki Toussaint and Max Fried, all top 30 prospects from the Braves’ abundant stable of quality young arms. The M-Braves, who reached the Southern League Championship Series this season, will take up the next chase for that elusive second pennant on April 6. But take heed, fans: The 2017 season will be Year 13 for the team at Trustmark Park. P.S. Disappointing to see that Roger McDowell, the ex-Jackson Mets standout, won’t be back as Atlanta’s pitching coach in 2017. From all indications, he had done a good job over his 11 seasons in that role. The Braves have lot of questions about their pitching staff heading into next year. Apparently they want someone new to search for the answers.

29 Sep

another wow moment

The numbers are in. MLB’s Statcast numbers, that is, on Hunter Renfroe’s ginormous home run, the one that went where no ball has gone before – the roof of the Western Metal Supply Co. building beyond the left-field wall at San Diego’s Petco Park. Statcast put the distance of Wednesday night’s blast at 434 feet and the exit velocity of the ball off the bat at 109 mph. “I think we all know he’s got a ton of raw power. I wasn’t expecting that,” Padres manager Andy Green told mlb.com. Former Mississippi State star Renfroe, 6 feet 1, 220 pounds, now has four homers in 21 MLB at-bats, with 12 RBIs and six runs. No doubt there are some old Copiah Academy fans who are saying today, “Oh yeah, we saw this coming.” Renfroe hit a Mississippi private school-record 20 bombs for Copiah as a senior just six short years ago. He hit 15 homers his junior year at the Gallman school. He started slowly at State but flexed his muscles as a junior in 2013, belting 16 homers (while batting .345) and earning All-America honors. He also won the Ferriss Trophy that year and was drafted in the first round by the Padres. He hit 77 minor league homers before crashing The Show on Sept. 21. Elsewhere in MLB: Ole Miss product Seth Smith drove in two runs to help Seattle crush Houston 12-4 and hang 2 games out of an American League wild card berth. … Jarrod Dyson, the former Southwest Mississippi Community College star, got two hits, two runs and his 29th steal of the year as Kansas City beat Minnesota 5-2. But Ned Yost’s Royals were eliminated from AL wild card contention just the same. … The fingerprints of former Mississippi Braves were all over Atlanta’s 12-2 win against Philadelphia. The incredible Freddie Freeman extended his hit streak to 30 games; rookie Dansby Swanson – who can play a little, too – went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and three runs; Daniel Castro had three hits and three RBIs; Mallex Smith scored a run; John Gant threw a scoreless inning; and Rio Ruiz got his first big league knock, a triple. … And a blast from another past: John Jaso’s cycle was the first by a Pittsburgh player since former Jackson Generals star Daryle Ward turned the trick in 2004. Ward had five career triples.

24 Sep

isn’t this fun?

Of the 14 games with postseason implications played in the big leagues on Friday, the one deserving the most attention took place in Oakland. Mississippi State product Kendall Graveman threw six perfect innings for the A’s before Texas put together a rally in the seventh and went on to a 3-0 win that clinched the American League West title. Ex-Bulldogs star Mitch Moreland took an 0-for-3 for the Rangers, but we can assume that didn’t put a damper on his celebration. … In Chicago, former Ole Miss standout Chris Coghlan contributed an RBI double for the Cubs as they clinched home-field advantage throughout the National League playoffs by beating wild card contender St. Louis 5-0. … In Pittsburgh, the wild card hopeful Pirates, with State product Adam Frazier driving in two runs, knocked off Washington 6-5 in 11 innings, denying the Nationals in their bid to clinch the NL East. … At Tampa Bay, former Ole Miss star Drew Pomeranz worked five strong innings for Boston as the red-hot Red Sox, closing in on the AL East title, beat the Rays 2-1 for their ninth straight win. Pomeranz is now 3-5 for the BoSox. … In Detroit, Southwest Mississippi Community College alum Jarrod Dyson smacked his seventh triple of the year and picked up two RBIs, but Kansas City was dealt a crushing blow by Detroit in an 8-3 loss. Jackson Mets alum Ned Yost’s defending World Series champs appear to be toast in 2016. The Tigers, meanwhile, remain very much in the playoff hunt. … In Toronto, former JaxMets star John Gibbons watched his Blue Jays pummel the New York Yankees 9-0, and in Baltimore, ex-State standout Buck Showalter and his Orioles got a lift from Mark Trumbo’s walk-off homer in a 3-2 win against Arizona. And in Miami, Brian Snitker’s surging Atlanta Braves won their seventh straight, damaging the Marlins’ NL wild card chances with a 3-2 victory. Former Mississippi Braves closer Mauricio Cabrera got the save, with ex-M-Braves star Mallex Smith making a diving catch in left field to end the game. Snitker, who managed the first M-Braves team in 2005, has done a good job with the last-place Braves and is building a strong case for returning as manager in 2017.

22 Sep

numbers of interest

Hunter Renfroe’s debut with San Diego on Wednesday night – the former Mississippi State star drew an intentional walk in his only at-bat – runs the number of Mississippians (natives or college alums) who have debuted in MLB in 2016 to nine. The others: Chad Girodo, Chris Stratton, Tim Anderson, Cody Reed, Adam Frazier, Mike Mayers, JaCoby Jones and Jonathan Holder. … The number of Mississippians to play in the big leagues this year hit 27 with Renfroe’s arrival. Three other 40-man roster members have been on the disabled list most of the season. … The Magnolia State group has hit a collective 147 home runs, including ex-Meridian Community College star Corey Dickerson’s 22nd on Wednesday. Southern Miss alum Brian Dozier leads the way with 41, and former State standout Mitch Moreland also has 22. The 147 includes the one hit by pitcher Drew Pomeranz, the Ole Miss product, who went deep while with San Diego; he is now in Boston. … Kudos: Former Mississippi Braves star Evan Gattis hit his 100th career homer on Wednesday. He has hit 57 of those with Houston the last two years; the first 43 came in an Atlanta uniform.

21 Sep

he’s got name

There is something about the name that gets your attention: Delvin Zinn. Some clever headlines in that name. Of course, he’s got game, too. The Chicago Cubs certainly seem to think so, having drafted Pontotoc native Zinn twice. The 5-foot-10, 170-pound shortstop, who made his pro debut on July 28 for the Arizona League Cubs, is still in Arizona for the Instructional League season. His numbers in the AZL weren’t much to shout about. In just 11 games, he batted .182 with one extra-base hit. Zinn was chosen in the 23rd round in June out of Itawamba Community College, where he batted .411 as a freshman this past season with 34 RBIs, 41 runs and seven steals. Scouting reports rave about his defense. Drafted by the Cubs in the 28th round in 2015 out of Pontotoc High, Zinn opted to go to Mississippi State, where he took part in fall ball before transferring to ICC, where he was eligible to be drafted again after his freshman season. Zinn, just 19, isn’t yet among the Cubs’ rated prospects, but he is one to watch in an organization that appears to be set up for long-term success. … Also on the Cubs’ IL roster are left-handers Wyatt Short, drafted out of Ole Miss this year, and Justin Steele, a 2014 fifth-rounder from George County. Southaven native Short (see previous post) had a very good debut in the Northwest League. Steele, the highest-drafted prep pitcher from Mississippi since Matt Butler in 1999, went 5-7 with a 5.00 ERA in the Class A Midwest League this season. Scouting reports say the Cubs’ No. 23 prospect is still harnessing command of his three pitches. P.S. Former DeSoto Central All-Stater Austin Riley is on Atlanta’s IL roster; the third baseman is coming off a 20-homer year at low Class A Rome. Outfield prospect Braxton Davidson, who could be with the Mississippi Braves in 2017, also is in Florida, along with pitchers Carlos Salazar and Chad Sobotka, two other likely candidates for Pearl next year.

18 Sep

worth noting

Props to Ned Yost, the onetime Jackson Mets star, for notching his 1,000th win as a big league manager. Kansas City snapped a five-game losing skid on Saturday with a 3-2 win over the Chicago White Sox. The defending world champs remain in the picture in the American League wild card race. Former Southwest Mississippi Community College standout Jarrod Dyson went 2-for-4 with a run for the Royals. … Ex-JaxMets manager Clint Hurdle saw his Pittsburgh Pirates get back to .500 (74-74) with a doubleheader sweep of Cincinnati. The Pirates can’t be counted out in the National League wild card race just yet. … Can’t help but notice what former Mississippi Braves star Jose Peraza has done with the Reds: .326 with two homers, 19 RBIs, 17 runs and 16 steals in 59 games. Injuries to Mississippians Billy Hamilton and Zack Cozart have opened the door for more playing time for Peraza. … Craig Kimbrel, another former M-Braves star playing somewhere other than Atlanta, struck out all four batters he faced on Saturday as Boston beat the New York Yankees for the third straight day at Fenway Park. Kimbrel has 27 saves for the AL East leaders. … Ole Miss alum Drew Pomeranz gets the start tonight for Boston against the Yankees’ CC Sabathia in the ESPN game. Pomeranz is 2-5 with a 4.60 ERA for the Sox; he was 8-7, 2.47 with San Diego. … Atlanta has called up 2015 M-Braves third baseman Rio Ruiz, who becomes the 16th M-Braves alum to make an MLB roster this season. … Ole Miss product Chris Coghlan, trying to secure a spot on the Chicago Cubs’ postseason roster, hit his first homer for the NL Central champs on Saturday – he had five in Oakland – after going 3-for-4 with an RBI on Friday. The lefty-hitting Coghlan played first base on Friday and left field on Saturday; he can also play second and third base. … Former UM standout Seth Smith picked up his 56th RBI – three short of his career-high – in Seattle’s 2-1 loss to Houston in an AL wild card battle. … Hunter Renfroe, the ex-Mississippi State star, drove in two runs to help El Paso beat Oklahoma City 4-3 in 11 innings and claim the Pacific Coast League championship. UM product Auston Bousfield also played for the Chihuahuas. El Paso moves on to the Triple-A championship game.

16 Sep

in other news

There was a celebration at Trustmark Park on Thursday night, but it was the “bad guys” who threw down. The Jackson (Tenn.) Generals claimed the Southern League pennant with an 11-3 win against the Mississippi Braves that completed a 3-0 sweep. So … enough about that. In the Class A South Atlantic League, former DeSoto Central High star Austin Riley hit a home run – his 22nd of the year – to help the Rome Braves move to within a victory of the championship in the low-A loop. Rome beat Lakewood 2-0 on Thursday to take a 2-1 series lead with Game 4 set for tonight in New Jersey. “We’re ready to get after it,” Riley told milb.com. Riley’s star is rising. At age 19, in his first full pro season, he hit .271 with 20 homers and 80 RBIs for Rome, making Baseball America’s All-Low Class A team at third base. The 41st overall pick in 2015, he is currently rated Atlanta’s No. 6 prospect by BA and No. 13 by mlb.com with an ETA in the big leagues of 2019. “Riley has the makings of an impact run-producing hitter,” writes MLBPipeline. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound right-handed hitter could be in Mississippi sometime next summer. That should give M-Braves fans a little lift.