With all of the attention going to the dominating big market teams like the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers, it is easy for feel-good stories to fall through the cracks. Then throw in the superstars on those teams like Aaron Judge (Yankees) and Mookie Betts (Dodgers), and the younger players fall even further back from the media news cycle.
Some players have battled their way into the spotlight briefly like Trayce Thompson, who went from a cash considerations injury stop gap for the Dodgers to a justifiable key player on the roster late in the season.
But MLBbro.com has a two-for-one sale for all of the fans of black players who are major contributors to Major League Baseball. It seems the Atlanta Braves still have an eye for young talent that can contribute immediately to the main roster.
David Grubb
Michael Harris II and Vaughn Grissom have made the jump NOT from Triple-A but DOUBLE-A to take MLB by storm as being two of the three youngest players in baseball. At the age of 21, they sandwich Tampa Bay Rays’ prospect Wander Franco. But unlike Franco, these two MLBbros are on a team that is not only in a playoff chase where it matters, but in a battle for the NL East crown, one game behind the New York Mets.
The Braves are well known to promote young talent over the years as seen right here being discussed by these MLB Network analysts…
But what Michael Harris II and Vaughn Grissom have done since being called up can’t be overlooked. Sure players have been brought up from Double-A before over the years, but what these two MLBbros are doing right now is ridiculous. Need some proof?
How about September 2, 2022, when the Atlanta Braves took on the Miami Marlins? Harris II and Grissom both deposited two-run homers into the seats as the Braves put on a five-home run barrage in an 8-1 beat-down.
Vaughn Grissom shared the secret to the early success of the MLBbros…just keep it simple and look at the game the same way as they did in the minors via The Atlanta Journal Constitution.
“They got to throw it over the heart of the plate and you either got to hit it or miss it,” Grissom said. “Just control what you can control. Everybody’s a major leaguer and they all got their stuff, but we’re both here, too. We have what it takes to be here, too.”
MLBbro.com has been covering Michael Harris II’s progress throughout the season, comparing him to all-time great young Braves players in the dynasty years starting in the 1990s.
But while Harris II has been on the roster for a good while, Grissom has been the newcomer as of late being brought up due to the injuries of Ozzie Albies and Orlando Arcia. It didn’t take long to show that the 14 home runs and 67 RBI would transcend over to the big leagues. But as you see Vaughn’s home run here, just look at who was the first player there to congratulate him. Press play!
But with these two players, it’s not just about pounding home runs. They have an attacking mentality on the bases that have complimented the base running styles of Braves leaders, Ronald Acuna Jr. and Ozzie Albies. Last week against the Mets in a huge game for the division title the duo combined on a scoring scenario that impressed Braves manager, Brian Snitker on the base path intelligence of these two MLBbros via The Atlanta Voice last month…
“I think it’s amazing what you know, like the young guys when they come up,” Snitker said. “It’s playing like that with the energy and the hustle and never taking anything for granted. It does rub off on guys, I mean it’s infectious when they do that. And then Michael comes out of the box looking for two and the way he can run and fortunately make a play. It’s really good. It’s really good. I mean, the guys do feed off that.”
This article could go into statistics and advanced stats, but the impact of these MLBBro baby bombers is deeper than that to the Braves and the culture. It’s about two MLBbros who know they belong and have the confidence to succeed at this level. Two Black ballers who can inspire the next generation of Black players.
Akil Baddoo’s rookie season is full of ebbs & flows as the Tigers rookie outfielder rejoins the team following a two-week injury reserve stint caused by a collision with fellow MLBbro Derek Hill.
After the IL designation, Baddoo played four games for the Toledo Mud Hens, where he received 14 at-bats with four walks two hits, two runs, two RBI, one stolen base, one double, and in Baddoo like fashion, one walk-off single in front of a packed house at Fifth Third Field.
While still shaking off the cobwebs this past week, Baddoo played five games where he accumulated two hits. The kid even had time to celebrate with and inspire Michigan’s’ Taylor North Little League World Series Champions ahead of the series opener against the visiting Oakland Athletics.
Coming out of Georgia, the 23-year-old took an unconditional route to the Majors. The Minnesota Twins were so impressed witht he Salem High School graduate that they selected him in the second round of the 2016 Amateurs Draft. Baddoo spent the next four years bouncing from rookie league and Low-A ball before being selected by the Tigers in the MLB 2020 Rule 5 Draft.
On April 4 of the 2021 season, Baddoo planted his flag in the Motor City after teeing off on the first pitch he ever saw as a big leaguer, not to mention, it was Easter Sunday. The feat chiseled his name in stone as the ninth player in Tigers history to have his first professional hit be a home run.
Akil Baddoo hit the ground running with two homers in his first two career starts, including a grand slam on Monday. The unknown prospect has become an overnight sensation for the Detroit Tigers. @carrpediem21 is in the Three Spot today with A Bro You Need To Know. pic.twitter.com/wvxYGkLltT
If some are good, then more is better, as the following day, the young lefty launched a two-out grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning. The four-run moon shot came against the team that drafted him, the Twins, as mentioned earlier.
His meteoric rise matched fellow MLBbro Jazz Chisholm as two of three rookies to reach double digits in home runs and stolen bases. His first step quickness from home to first base is rivalved by few players, Shohei Ohtani being one of them.
After Baddoo’s hot start with the bat pitchers started passing around the book on him. Baddoo combined to hit one home run in May and June. Baddoo was still an asset however, because he leaned on his glove and agility in the outfield while he readjusted to the pitchers.
That readjustement came follwing the All-Star break.
The Midsummer Classic came at the right time for Real Deal Akil as he launched four home runs in the 10 games that followed, putting everyone on notice that his rookie of the year campaign is still in full effect.
Real Deal Akil stopped by MLB Central Monday morning to discuss his rookie season and the organization’s outlook as he is steadily becoming the face of the franchise. Since exploding onto the scene, Baddoo prepared differently to stay on top of his game.
He said, “Now I know what I need in my routine each and every day, so I kind of like implement that while I’m on the field and let my abilities take over.”
He mentioned that all the players have bought into manager A.J. Hinch and his philosophies on how winning each game can turn into winning each series to winning each month.
“Baseball is a game of failure. There’s going to be a lot of ups & downs, so just stay even keel and ride the wave and always have fun and don’t lose sight of that.”
Look for Real Deal Akil and his Detroit Tigers to stay afloat in the American League Central down the stretch as they’ll travel to Cincinnati to take on the Reds inside Great American Ballpark Friday night with first pitch set for 7:07 p.m.
Rookie outfielder Derek Hill has made the most of his opportunities with the Detroit Tigers. And lately Hill has come alive at the plate. Let’s take a second to look at these numbers from the rookie.
In his last seven games, he’s batting .333 with two home runs and three RBI. On the season he is hitting .275 with three home runs, 16 runs scored, six steals and 11 RBI through 37 games.
The Tigers have dealt with injuries to its outfield all season and a lot of shuffling has been made. But Hill has made sure that he capitalizes on his opportunities.
Derek Hill has homered in back-to-back games.
Not sure what Hill he's on, but let's keep rolling down it.
For the first time in his career, Hill homered in consecutive games.
He accomplished this on August 30th and August 31st. Hill saw the ball really well at the plate in both those games.
On August 30th against the Minnesota Twins, he went 2-for-3 at the plate and then the next day against the Oakland Athletics, he went 3-for-5. So in a span of two days this brother went 5-for-8 at the plate with two bombs. That’s how you make some noise right there.
Hill has become a respected player in the Motor City and more and more people are getting a chance to see what all he brings to the team.
Our MLBbro has provided a spark for the Tigers with his bat and glove. He is fearless and has exceptional range in the outfield. If he can avoid injury, a starting job is in his future.
He was reinstated from the injured list on August 21st from a left rib cage contusion after colliding with Akil Baddoo on August 10th. This isn’t the first time that Hill has been injured during the season. Even with the injuries he’s dealt with he still has made a positive impact on the team.
Tigers manager AJ Hinch knows that it’s been a tough ride for Hill this season.
“Each time he’s gotten hurt, he’s been right at the cusp of breaking through and doing some really positive things and playing a lot more regularly than he ever has at this level,” Hinch told the Detroit Free Press. “Getting his energy, getting his outfield defense commanding center field is going to be huge for us.”
“The playing time is going to be on a day-to-day basis,” Hinch said. “We’ll see what lineup I put out there. But when (Hill is) out there, I feel total confidence that center field is going to be patrolled with great success.”
While he might not be an every day starter, he’s putting himself in a good position to make the roster next year when the season starts.
Derek Hill may not have been a player that people were aware of at the start of the season, but now people around the league are starting to get hip to the talents of our fellow MLBbro.
Texas Rangers’ rookie outfielder Jason Martin has been establishing his presence and asserting himself as a true blue Major Leaguer.
Despite his misleading .160 batting average, the 25-year-old’s been improving at the plate as he’s received more playing time. Martin hit a clutch, game-tying three-run bomb on Thursday night against the Mariners.
Malik Wright caught up with the rookie at Global Life Field.
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