Welcome to Crooked Numbers, a monthly column dedicated to Minor League Baseball on-field oddities and absurdities. The edition, rounding up the month of July, features intra-organizational no-nos, wild romps, unexpected mound dominance and, of course, much more. Keeping track of this type of thing is a team effort, so get

Brandon Sproat has flashed the potential that made him a Day 1 2023 Draft pick all season long. Friday's start was perhaps his most dominant yet. The Mets' No. 5 prospect struck out a career-high 13 batters -- including 11 in a row, something that's never been done in MLB

Welcome to Promo Preview, a monthly roundup of Minor League Baseball promotions to look forward to. This month’s highlights include former presidents, sitcom shenanigans, steamed crustaceans, and of course, much more. Have a gander.

Each week, MiLB.com profiles prospects by chronicling the steps they’ve taken toward achieving their Major League dream. For more stories about players on The Road to The Show, click here. The 2024 Trade Deadline is upon us, and with it comes a slew of deals that are sure to shake

More than 85 years have passed since Lou Gehrig issued his famous farewell speech to baseball. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS and perhaps more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, continues to mystify medical experts. The Mayo Clinic defines it as “a nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in

Each week, MiLB.com profiles an elite prospect by chronicling the steps he's taken toward achieving his Major League dream. Here's a look at sixth-ranked Mets prospect Brandon Sproat. For more stories about players on The Road to The Show, click here. There are few players in the Minor Leagues who

Forty-nine of MLB’s top prospects will compete at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday in the All-Star Futures Game. This year’s iteration, which marks the 25th anniversary of the contest, will feature the first-ever Futures Skills Showcase, a three-challenge event that will test participants’ precision and power at

Welcome to Crooked Numbers, a monthly column dedicated to Minor League Baseball on-field oddities and absurdities. The June edition features a doubles deluge, oppositional surnames, way too many walks and, of course, much more. Keeping track of this type of thing is a team effort, so get in touch if

Ryan Clifford's introduction to Double-A in mid-June began with a 1-for-20 slump. But ever since the calendar flipped to July, MLB’s No. 71 prospect has been hard to keep off the bases. That was the case in Double-A Binghamton’s 8-5 win over New Hampshire on Wednesday night at Delta Dental

As Sterlin Thompson rounded the bases after smacking a seventh-inning homer off Brandon Sproat, the highly touted right-hander gave his former Gators teammate a little nod. Sproat and Thompson played together at the University of Florida from 2021-22 before the Rockies selected Thompson 31st overall in the 2022 Draft and

It’s Pop Girl Summer! Are you ready for it? Teams from across the Minors are celebrating pop stars, friendship bracelets and mascots reclaiming ownership of their work. And some teams are in their ERA era. Fans of all levels can enjoy these specialty games, whether they're a Swiftie or have

Because there's no better way to celebrate the Fourth of July than getting out to a ballgame, earlier in the week we presented a breakdown of must-catch Minor League games with Independence Day celebrations, with one entry for each farm system. But let's say you're not satisfied with one Independence

Welcome to Crooked Numbers, a monthly column dedicated to Minor League Baseball on-field oddities and absurdities. This edition, covering the month of May, features reptile cameos, offensive explosions, oppositional surnames and, of course, much more. Keeping track of this type of thing is a team effort, so get in touch

Joshua Cornielly knew he was in good hands with an old buddy. Pitching to former teammate and rehabbing Major Leaguer Francisco Alvarez, the right-handed Mets prospect nailed down the last nine outs to complete High-A Brooklyn's first nine-inning no-hitter in a 3-0 win over visiting Aberdeen at Maimonides Park. Righty

Welcome to Promo Preview, a monthly round-up of Minor League Baseball promotions to look forward to. June highlights include iconic socks, bipedal cows, regional food battles and, of course, much more. Dive in.

The sixth inning became more than just a contest between Triple-A Buffalo and Syracuse on Thursday night at NBT Bank Stadium. It became a battle of brothers on the mound. Cole and Beau Sulser only played together for one year at Dartmouth College in 2013 as Beau entered his freshman

On his latest stop of a quick ascent through the Minor Leagues, Brandon Sproat continues to go right at hitters. The Mets’ No. 13 prospect piled up a career-best 10 strikeouts over seven innings en route to Double-A Binghamton's 3-2 extra-inning win over Harrisburg at Mirabito Stadium. Sproat allowed just

In an era that places a premium on platoon advantages, switch-hitters can be the most versatile members of a lineup -- even if they've become increasingly hard to find. Over the past four seasons, the number of switch-hitting batters in the Majors has slowly ticked down from 10.7 percent in

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

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

A franchise known for developing some of the game's best pitchers over the past half-century hasn't uncovered many gems -- hidden or otherwise -- in recent years. But that might be starting to change. While we might not see comparisons drawn to the likes of homegrown aces Tom Seaver, Dwight

This is an excerpt from the latest edition of the Ben's Biz Beat Newsletter, bringing Minor League Baseball business and culture news to your inbox each and every Thursday. Check out the full newsletter HERE. On Monday, April 8, a total solar eclipse makes its way across the country, moving

Ninety Minor League Baseball teams open up Friday, joining the 30 Triple-A squads that kicked off the 2024 campaign on March 29. And with every Minor League season comes Minor League promotions, the vast array of theme nights and giveaways taking place on a nightly basis as supplements to the

The future is bright in Flushing largely because the Mets’ farm system is deeper and more robust than it’s been in a long time. And once the 2024 Triple-A season opened Friday, two of their top prospects didn’t waste any time proving that point. The future was plain to see

This is an excerpt from the latest edition of the Ben's Biz Beat Newsletter, bringing Minor League Baseball business and culture news to your inbox each and every Thursday. Check out the full newsletter HERE. Last week, I provided a rollicking round-up of notable 2024 Triple-A promotions. Today, we’ll gingerly