First things first, the Florida State League had a scheduled day off Friday. However, the bigger news is that Jim and I finally welcome the start of short season leagues to daily reporting. Last night, Short Season New York-Penn League (NYPL), the Northwest League (NWL) and Pioneer Leagues (PIO) kicked off their season(s) and this marks an exciting time of the season for sites like ours. Jim and I have declared since we began our UTR quest back in 2009 that the beginning of these leagues (as well as the Appalachian/APPY, Gulf Coast League/GCL and Arizona League/AZL) is the part of our season where true under-the-radar gems are (and can be) found. Today marks Day 71 of our in-season work, so readers should have a handle on kids we’ve promoted and/or highlighted thus far. The short season leagues will be full of fresh faces, high draft picks, mid-level kids and even late rounders who’ll be trying to prove that being a late round pick was a mistake. This is the beauty of what we do. Stick with us and we’re positive you’ll find a kid no one else is chirping about. After all, catcher Mike Piazza was drafted as a favor from Dodger’s manager Tommy Lasorda to Piazza’s father back in 1988. And I think the former 62nd round draft pick had an Ok career don’t you think? 

National League – Top Hitter of the Day: 

• Robbie Podorsky, LF – LoA Fort Wayne TinCaps (SD) – Midwest League
  • 5-5, 3B, 3R, 2RBi, 2 SB (11,12) 
  • My hope was that a NYPL, NWL, or PIO hitter would capture the THOD distinction today, but we can’t have it all. We have to go where the numbers take us, and you simply can’t ignore that Podorksy, a 2017 – 25th round pick out of McNeese State,  recorded his first ever 5-hit game. But, the former Cowboy is no stranger to multi-hit games. He registered four hits June 2 vs. Great Lakes; and dating back to last season as a member of the Tri-City Dust Devils (NWL), the 5’7″ – 170 lb. righty rapped out six hits July 15 vs. the Boise Hawks. 

American League – Top Hitter of the Day: 

• Freddvil Chevez, 1B – DSL Rays2 (TB) – Dominican Summer League
  • Hit for cycle
  • 4-5, HR (1), 3B, 2B, R, 3RBi
  • It’s somewhat rare to see a hitter bat for the cycle, let alone reporting two in one week; against the same team. On June 13, DSL Dodgers Guerrero third baseman Jesus Valdez hit for cycle vs. the Cubs1, posting his own 4-for-5 performance.  This time, it’s the hulking 6’4″- 200 lb. 18-year-old Chevez, who hit for the cycle yesterday vs. the same DSL Cubs1 squad. He got the most difficult hit out of the way first with a two-out RBi triple in the bottom of the 1st inning. Chevez then lined an RBi double to left in the 3rd, then hit an infield single in the 5th; and capped off the cycle with a lead-off homer in the 7th. 

National League:

• Asmin Bautista, LF – DSL Braves (ATL) – Dominican Summer League
  • 2-2, 3B, 2R, 2RBi, 2BB, SB (1)
• Quincy Nieporte, 1B – LoA Lakewood BlueClaws (PHI) – Sally League
  • 3-3, HR (5), R, 2RBi, BB
• Jared Young, 1B – LoA South Bend SilverHawks (CHC) – Midwest League
  • 2-5, HR (8), R, 3RBi
• Mariel Bautista, CF – Rookie Billings Mustangs (CIN) – Pioneer League
  • 2-3, 3B, 2R, RBi, BB, SB (1)
• Pabel Manzanero, DH – Rookie Billings Mustangs (CIN) – Pioneer League
  • 2-4, HR (1), R, 3RBi, K
• Gabriel Garcia, 3B – LoA Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (MIL) – Midwest League
  • 2-4, HR (3), 2R, RBi, K
• Jay Feliciano, RF – LoA Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (MIL) – Midwest League
  • 1-3, HR (3), R, 2RBi, BB, 2K
• Pablo Abreu, CF – Rookie Helena Brewers (MIL) – Pioneer League/North
  • 1-3, HR (1), 2R, 2RBi, BB, SB (1)
• Jesus Chirinos, C – DSL Brewers (MIL) – Dominican Summer League
  • 4-5, 3 2B, 2R, RBi, K
• Alwinson Valdez, RF – DSL Brewers (MIL) – Dominican Summer League
  • 2-3, 2B, 2R, 2RBi, BB, 2 SB (2,3)
• Pedro Castillo, PH/DH – DSL Pirates2 (PIT) – Dominican Summer League
  • 2-4, HR (2), R, 4RBi, K
• Scott Hurst, CF – LoA Peoria Chiefs (STL) – Midwest League
  • 1-4, HR (3), 2R, RBi, BB, K
• Dominic Miroglio, C – HiA Visalia Rawhide (ARI) – Cal League
  • 3-5, 2 2B, R, 2RBi
• Yoel Yanqui, 1B – LoA Kane County Cougars (ARI) – Midwest League
  • 3-5, HR (2), 2R, 2RBi
• Ryan Grotjohn, LF – LoA Kane County Cougars (ARI) – Midwest League
  • 3-4, 3B, 2 2B, R, RBi
• Tim Susnara, C – LoA Kane County Cougars (ARI) – Midwest League
  • 2-4, HR (2), R, 3RBi, K
• Joey Rose, 3B – SS Hillsboro Hops (ARI) Northwest League/South
  • 2-5, HR (1), 2B, 2R, RBi, K
• Brandon Montgomery, DH – LoA Great Lakes Loons (LAD) – Midwest League
  • 2-4, HR (5), R, RBi, BB
• Yunior Garcia, DH – DSL Dodgers Guerrero (LAD) – Dominican Summer League
  • 2-4, HR (1), R, 3RBi, 2K, SB (2)
• Sean Bouchard, LF – LoA Asheville Tourists (COL) – Sally League
  • 3-5, 3 2B, 2R, 2K
• Daniel Jipping, 1B – SS Boise Hawks (COL) – Northwest League/South
  • 2-3, 3B, 2B, R, RBi, SB (1)
• Reese Berberet, 3B – Rookie Grand Junction Rockies (COL) – Pioneer League
  • 3-4, HR (1), R, 2RBi, K
• Javier Guevara, DH – Rookie Grand Junction Rockies (COL) – Pioneer League
  • 2-4, HR (1), R, 3RBi
• Robinson Medrano, 1B – SS Salem-Keizer Volcanoes (SF) – Northwest League
  • 2-3, HR (1), R, RBi, BB

American League:

• Ryan McKenna, CF – HiA Frederick Keys (BAL) – Carolina League
  • 2-4, HR (8), R, RBi, K
  • Today marks the 14th appearance on the Hitter of the Day list for McKenna; and rightfully so, as the 2018 pre-season unranked prospect (in several major publications) continues to lead the Carolina League in hits (95), batting (.375) runs scored (59), doubles (18), total bases (141), on-base % (.466), slugging % (.557) and OPS (1.024); and would absolutely run away with Carolina League MVP honors if the season ended today. 
• Michael Osinski, 1B – LoA Greenville Drive (BOS) – Sally League
  • 3-4, 2B, R, 2RBi, BB
• Ronny Rojas, 2B – DSL Yankees (NYY) – Dominican Summer League
  • 2-4, 2 3B, 2R, 2RBi, K 
• Kevin Vicuna, SS – LoA Lansing Lugnuts (TOR) – Midwest League
  • 4-5, 3B, 2B, R, 3RBi 
• Trenton Brooks, DH – HiA Lynchburg Hillcats (CLE) – Carolina League
  • 2-3, 2 2B, 2R, RBi, BB
• Nolan Jones, 3B – LoA Lake County Captains (CLE) – Midwest League
  • 2-4, HR (7), 2B, R, RBi, K 
• Henry Pujols, 3B – SS Mahoning Valley Scrappers (CLE) – New York-Penn League
  • 4-4, 2B, 2R, RBi, K 
• Royce Lewis, SS – LoA Cedar Rapids Kernels (MIN) – Midwest League
  • 3-5, HR (6), 2R, 4RBi, K 
• Jose Miranda, 3B – LoA Cedar Rapids Kernels (MIN) – Midwest League
  • 2-4, HR (6), R, 3RBi
• Trey Cabbage, LF – LoA Cedar Rapids Kernels (MIN) – Midwest League
  • 2-3, 2B, 2R, 3RBi, BB, K 
• Seth Beer, LF – SS Tri-City Valley Cats (HOU) – New York-Penn League
  • Is there a better name in all of minor league baseball than this??
  • 2-4, HR (1), 2B, 3R, 2RBi, BB
• Luis Encarnacion, 1B – SS Tri-City Valley Cats (HOU) – New York-Penn League
  • 2-4, HR (1), 2B, 2R, 5RBi, BB, K 
• Austin Beck, CF – LoA Beloit Snappers (OAK) – Midwest League
  • 4-5, 2B, 3R, 2RBi
• JaVon Shelby, RF – LoA Beloit Snappers (OAK) – Midwest League
  • 2-4, HR (1), R, 2RBi
• Danny Bautista, CF – DSL Athletics (OAK) – Dominican Summer League
  • 2-3, HR (1), 2B, 2R, 2RBi, BB, 2 SB (5,6) 

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