When the Cincinnati Reds drafted infielder Cam Collier with the 18th overall pick in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft he was only 17-years-old. Not only did the Reds brass draft him they also gave him a $5 million signing bonus which is well above the $3.6 million slot value for the 18th pick. It’s safe to say that Collier’s pedigree preceded him and that definitely played a role in him receiving such a big bonus.
The son of former MLB player Lou Collier who played eight seasons with five different franchises has been raised around the game. That along with Collier’s unique skill set was enough for the Reds brass to take the risk of drafting him at 17. Thus far that investment is paying off withCollier batting a respectable (.317) with seven home runs and 73 RBI across stints with Single-A Daytona of the Florida State League, and the High-A Dayton Dragons of the Midwest League.
Collier Ready To Continue Climb In 2024
Since the pre-draft process in 2022, Collier has shown a propensity to really have it together when it comes to speaking to the media. The well-spoken now 19-year-old has shown time and time again that he’s definitely a straight shooter. During a recent interview at Daytona Air Ballpark, the talented third baseman answered questions about his talent and of course what he’s hoping to accomplish this season and beyond.
The reporter asked Collier if he considered himself to be a prodigy?
Here’s how Collier answered the question.
“Prodigy? Nah, I’m no prodigy. I’ve just worked really hard to get here and I’m reaping the benefits of that hard work.”
That strong work ethic definitely comes from his dad, the aforementioned Lou Collier who even in retirement has stayed close to the game as a big-league scout, a coach for the U.S. national team and a dedicated coach with various MLB Develops programs. He also started the Lou Collier Association — whose goal is to help and instruct the youth in their baseball journey. That in itself is something Cam has been afforded, and some of the reason why he was such a highly regarded prospect at 17.
Collier Reclassified Himself To 2022 Draft
In an effort to challenge himself as he and his dad have done all his life with him always playing up two years over his age, Collier only spent two years in high school. At the age of 16 he earned his GED and enrolled at Chipola College in Florida. After one season he reclassified and entered the 2022 draft. In the interview Collier mentioned his reasoning for going to college at 16 and then reclassifying to enter the draft a year earlier than expected.
“I just wanted to challenge myself and face older guys. I felt it would get me more prepared for professional baseball instead of continuing to play in high school for two more years.”
The move seems to have been the right one for the 6–foot-2 and 215 third baseman who at his size has flashed a great glove on the hot corner, and a steadily improving bat at the plate. With his expected call up not until 2026, Collier will continue to work on refining his craft, and with a Double-A call up a possibility this season, Cam will continue to strive for greatness.
The MLB has seen a lot of siblings play together throughout the years. It’s always a great experience to play alongside your brother.
In Ohio, two brothers have suited up together for another season.
Naylor brothers back at it again
MLBbros Josh and Bo Naylor are a part of the Cleveland Guardians and the brothers want to help Cleveland get back to the World Series for the first time since 2016.
In the last three seasons, there have been siblings who have played for the same team. Other than the Naylors, there was Andrew and Austine Romine: Cubs (2021) and Taylor and Tyler Rogers: Giants (2023).
Cleveland is at the top of the American League Central standings so far and the Naylors can help their team continue to be one of the best in the division as the season progresses.
“It’s super special,” Bo said in an mlb.com article. “I think it was something we talked about, joked about in the past. Seeing it come to pass is pretty wild to think about.”
“When I hit mine, me and him shared a great moment,” he said. “You just see how excited he was for me. And when he hit his, I was up on the top step waiting for him. It’s a cool moment to share with him.”
Josh setting the tone early at the plate
Josh had a productive 2023 season where he finished hitting .308 with 17 home runs and 97 RBI and could have been named an All-Star. He has wasted no time picking up where he left off.
He started the 2024 season on a five-game hitting streak and through nine games, he’s hitting .303 with five RBI and one home run.
If Josh can continue to be consistent at the plate and drive in runs for his team, he has to be mentioned in the All-Star Game conversation this season.
He has a lot of pop in his bat and can change the momentum of the game with one swing. If he can remain healthy throughout the season, he will make a significant impact for the Guardians.
Bo looking to find his role on the team
Through seven games this season, Bo is hitting .167 with a homer and two RBI. Last season, he saw some significant playing time and is looking to repeat that this year.
During those seven games, Bo has struck out in each game, but that doesn’t take away how good of a hitter he is. Once he gets settled in at the plate and becomes more comfortable, you will start to see his production improve.
If there’s one thing the Naylor’s can do, it is hit the baseball. Hopefully we will get to see these brothers stay on the team throughout the remainder of the season.
The reigning NL champion Arizona Diamondbacks are hoping that top prospect Jordan Lawlar makes a full recovery from the offseason thumb surgery which he had in late March.
Lawlar, who also happens to be the No.11 ranked prospect in the sport according to MLB Pipeline, is hoping for a summer or early fall call up to the Diamondbacks.
Following recovery from what team officials described as a ruptured UCL in his left thumb, the dynamic shortstop will join the Triple-A Reno Aces. Team farm director Shaun Larkin spoke to reporters about a possible timetable to get the rising star back on the diamond.
“We expect full return to baseball activity in eight to ten weeks.”
That’s a welcome sign for team brass who are hoping to have Lawlar join the majors at some point this season. But the oft-injured Lawlar must show he can stay healthy for that to happen.
As a precautionary measure Larkin also told reporters this about Lawlar’s recovery going forward ….
“We’re expecting a full recovery,” Larkin said. “He’ll be ready to go when the time is right and we expect good things from him once he’s back.”
The injury occurred in a late March spring game where Lawlar went to make a play on what looked like a routine grounder.
“It was more of a recovery play,” Larkin said. “He went to pick up the off the ground and his thumb jammed into the ground, bent it back, and that was it.”
It was inauspicious start to Lawlar’s expected big 2024 season where he was set to spend a little time down in Triple-A and then get a quick call up.
What Does Lawlar Bring To Diamondbacks?
Between stints in Double-A Amarillo and Triple-A Reno, Lawlar showcased the all-around skill set that made him the No.6 overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft.
In 417 at-bats he batted a respectable .278 with 20 homers, 67 RBI and 36 stolen bases. His .893 OPS was one of the best in all of the minor leagues. That didn’t translate right away when he was called up to the majors last season with the NL champion Diamondbacks as like most young players he struggled. In 31 at-bats Lawlar batted .129 with no homers, one RBI and a paltry .335 OPS.
He saw some brief action late last season as well and this spring looked MLB ready.
But don’t fret, the belief in and around the Diamondbacks facility is Lawlar, will be one of the best hitters on the roster once he gets healthy and gets into the groove of being an everyday Big Leaguer.
With a loaded roster of steadily rising young talent Lawlar stands out because of his unique skill set; great bat and great glove at shortstop.
He’s hit home runs in back-to-back games, including a grand slam on Sunday off Blue Jays pitcher Bowden Francis on a 2-2 count with two outs in the bottom of the third inning. It was the 405th Bro bomb of his illustrious career and traveled an estimated 417-feet prompting Yankees announcer Michael Kay to say:
“If You Could Possibly Hurt A Baseball…That Ball’s In Pain.”
Giancarlo Stanton Struggled In 2023: Looking To Bounce Back
Stanton has a .219 batting average, with a .242 on-base percentage, and a .531 slugging percentage in eight games played.
The 34-year-old is looking to have a bounce back season after 2023 produced career lows in batting average at .191, on-base percentage at .275, and slugging percentage at .420. He also missed 61 games, mainly due to a strained hamstring.
He has only played in more than 110 games once since 2018, and his lack of availability is starting to become very impatient with fans and members of the team, with Yankees general manager Brian Cashman frustratingly saying that Stanton “is going to wind up getting injured again more likely than not because it seems to be part of his game” when asked about him back in November.
Stanton has even said that this has been a problem, acknowledging that he’s got to “change the narrative,” and he’s certainly trying. He came into spring training leaner than previous year to try and improve his mobility and to see if this could help keep him off the shelf.
With the blockbuster addition of Juan Soto and Trent Grisham in a trade with the Padres, Stanton can play less of the outfield and play more of the DH, a way to help possibly increase his chances of staying off the IL. So far, it’s been all going to plan during this young season, as all eight games Stanton has suited up for has been to play the DH.
Stanton has already had two days off as well, so it’ll be interesting to see if Yankees management have a plan of resting Stanton a bit more to try and keep him as fresh as could be.
While the five-time All-Star is known for his power, he’s also known to strikeout more often than others, as he’s already struck out 15 times, which is second-most in the AL.
He did tell reporters however that during the offseason he also worked on adjusting his hitting mechanics, so while his strikeout rate is high right now, the new mechanics could help bring strikeouts down compared to previous seasons.
This could be a make-or-break year for the 6’6” slugger from Los Angeles, as a healthy season is greatly needed to keep Yankees fans and management happy. If Stanton can be the everyday threat in the lineup that they need him to be, then a bright 2024 season is on the horizon as he continues his journey towards 500 homers.
Although we are only in the second week of the season there are several teams that are impressing MLB fans early on.
One team that is on a four-game winning streak is the Los Angeles Angels, managed by MLBbro Ron Washington. When Washington was hired last November, the Angels were hoping that he could bring his 40+ years of experience to a team that has had many woes over the past few years. The last time he managed a squad he reached consecutive World Series with the Texas Rangers in 2010 and 2011.
The MLBbro also won a World Series as the third-base coach for the Atlanta Braves in 2021.
Ron Washington Changing LA Angels Fans Losing Expectations
Angels’ fans had to feel like they were destined for another losing season when they started 0-2, losing both games in blowout fashion to the Baltimore Orioles.
However, after the second loss, the MLBbro in charge called a team meeting. This seems very premature given how early it is in the season, but the MLBbro manager has witnessed what it takes to have success and it was evident to him that his ballclub was not giving him what was needed.
The Angles would win the next game against the Orioles 4-1, and then go on to sweep the Miami Marlins.
Now winners of four in a row, Ron and the Angels have their home opener tonight against the Boston Red Sox. Winning this series against the Red Sox will go a long way for the team’s confidence and their direction going forward. While there are not high expectations for the Angels this season, the MLBbro manager turns 72 this month, and does not seem like he wants to just have a lame duck year.
With one of the best players in the game in Mike Trout, the hopeful breakout of young MLBbro Jo Adell and a possible resurgence of MLBbro Aaron Hicks, Washington can exceed expectations and compete in a crowded American League West Division. It is very early in the 162-game marathon that is the MLB season, but the MLBbro manager and his coaching staff, seem up for the challenge.
We’re about a week into the 2024 MLB season, and while it’s early the (3-3) St.Louis Cardinals will at some point have to make a decision on it’s No.2 overall prospect Markevian “Tink” Hence, who can bring it in the triple digits.
The club’s top pitching prospect has the stuff that you’d want in an ace of your staff, and with five of the team’s seven rotational pitchers either 32 or older Hence would inject some youth into the rotation.
Tink Hence Coming As Part of St. Louis Cardinals MLBbro Youth Movement
Hence, who spent much of the 2023 season with the Cardinals Double-A affiliate Springfield will also begin the 2024 season there.
Hence is expected to get the call-up to Triple-A sooner than later, and the belief is he could make his way to the Cardinals 26-man active roster by late season.
Until then, Hence will continue to refine his mound skills against some of baseball’s rising talents in the minors. If Hence’s performance in MLB’s inaugural Spring Breakout is any indication, the Cardinals have to be excited.
Hence Had Dominant Outing
In two innings of work, the overpowering right-hander tallied three strikeouts of Miami Marlins hitters.
The three strikeouts came on three different pitchers, showcasing the arsenal that made him the No.63 overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft.
Even more impressive, it took him just 29 total pitches to get through the two innings.
Hence credited his added muscle in the offseason that has him up to 185 pounds and feeling as strong as ever for his play. In the aftermath of his outing he told reporters this.
“I feel it,” Hence said of his physical improvements. “The way I feel getting down the mound, and then with the way the ball is coming out, it’s a little easier. Today I was kind of top of stuff and the fastball had a lot of life like it usually does. So I was really excited about that.”
Hence’s two best pitches are his overpowering fastball (95-96 MPH) with ability to climb to (98 MPH) and top notch curveball. After struggling with his command and control early in his career he’s refined that and those two are his money pitches.
He’s also tossing a change up that has some real potential. Per reports, there’s a cutter in the mix, which would give him four go-to pitches at the major league level, that’s the stuff of an ace.
Hence Hopes To Join Others From Draft Class In Majors
When Hence does finally receive that call, he’ll join a talented trio of MLBbros with the Cardinals in outfielders Jordan Walker and Victor Scott II, plus rising shortstop Masyn Winn.
Four MLBbros in the Cardinals lineup has a nice ring to it.
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