#HIGHFIVE | These MLBbros Ended The 2023 MLB Regular Season With A Bang

#HIGHFIVE | These MLBbros Ended The 2023 MLB Regular Season With A Bang

Aaron Judge brought back his record-breaking Mojo from 2022 this week and put on a power display for the ages. He became the first Yankee ever with multiple three home runs games in the same season after hitting three in last Friday’s contest against Arizona to earn himself the top spot on our final #HighFive list of 2023.

 

1. Aaron Judge

This season left us thinking what could have been if Aaron Judge did not injure his toe by running into the outfield wall one Saturday afternoon in Los Angeles against the Dodgers.

Judge had his Yankees in prime position to make the playoffs and was on track to outdo his 2022 MVP campaign before going down.

Over his last seven games he slashed .478/.600/1.261 with 12 RBI, seven walks and five homers including the three versus Arizona with the other two coming in the same game Wednesday night against the Blue Jays.

 

Aaron Judge Is Top 5 In American League Homers Despite Missing 50 Games 😳

 

Judge has 37 home runs which right now would be the second most ever for someone who played in 110 fewer games.  Mark McGuire hit 39 in 104 games in the 1995 season.

He will look to make history during their final series against the Kansas City Royals over the weekend.

 

2. Jordan “Sky” Walker

 

The fourth youngest current player in the Majors put a nice bow on his rookie campaign with strong showing over his last seven games. We have to give a shoutout to Walker for raising his level of play on the defensive side of the ball.

 

 

He was a career third baseman in the Minors, but as the season has progressed, he’s gotten better and better at roaming the outfield. At the plate, Walker has a 13-game hitting streak and has hit safely in 22 of 24 games in September.

 

3. Marcus Semien

Marcus Semien refuses to fade away during the most important time of the year with his Rangers just days away from clinching their first American League West title since 2016.


Both of Semien’s hits in the team’s most recent series came this past Sunday when he launched two home runs in the same game, including his franchise-record 10th leadoff bomb of the year.

In the following series, they would take two of three over the Angels. Semien went a combined 4-for-12 with four runs scored, two RBI, a double and two home runs.


That now puts him at 29 home runs and 99 RBI on the year. If he is able to get to 100, Semien will join Mookie Betts, Ronald Acuna Jr, Charlie Blackmon and Darin Erstad as the only leadoff hitters in MLB history with 100 RBI in a season.

 

4. Josiah “Sway” Gray

All-Star Josiah Gray set the tone for what looks to be a promising 2024 season with a great ending to 2023. Gray shut down the American League East champions and playoff bound Baltimore Orioles in his final start of the year Tuesday night.

 

He took home the loss in what ended up being a 1-0 contest after giving up one earned run in six innings while striking out seven and allowing five hits and walking two. After a tough month of August Gray finished off the year strong posting a 2.95 ERA in September with a .241 BA against and 23 strikeouts in 21.1 innings pitched.

Gray ends his first ever All-Star season with a 3.91 ERA and 22 homers allowed. Last season he had a 5.02 ERA and gave up a league-high 38 homers.

 

5. Devin “The Airbender” Williams

Devin Willams has been the most unhittable pitchers in the Majors this season and anchors the best pitching staff in the Majors. In his first year as the Brewers full-time closer Willams set the bar high for himself with 36 saves, five coming in his last seven appearances.

 

 

Over that span, Williams has given up only one run on two hits while striking out 10 in seven innings. He has not given up a run since September 2nd and has a 1.56 ERA this season. The Brewers have a legitimate chance to make some noise in the playoffs with solid pitching and a loaded bullpen.

 

If they can get the ball in “The Airbenders” hands, especially with a lead late, Milwaukee has a fighter’s chance to capture the National League pennant.

 

“I’m Ready To Go Out Here And Show…” | Arizona Diamondbacks Prospect Jordan Lawlar Is A Bro Ballin’

“I’m Ready To Go Out Here And Show…” | Arizona Diamondbacks Prospect Jordan Lawlar Is A Bro Ballin’

When the Arizona Diamondbacks made Jordan Lawlar the No.6 overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, they did so with the belief he’d be their shortstop of the future.

In his rookie season, the dynamic Lawlar has shown exactly why he was highly sought after coming out of Dallas Jesuit High School. In eight games this season with the Visalia Rawhide, an affiliate of the D-Backs since 2007, Lawlar has shined.

 The 6-foot-2 and 190 pounder is batting an insane .405 with 13 hits, three home runs, seven RBI and six stolen bases. He gets on base at a .511 clip and slugs .703.

 It’s still early in his development as the Rawhide is the first stop for Arizona Diamondbacks prospects once drafted.

But it’s also an early indication of the type of talent Lawlar possesses and gives the D-Back an extremely bright outlook of his future. He seems to be the goods.

 

 

Here’s what Lawler had to say prior to beginning the season earlier this month…

 “I got drafted last summer so I’m finally excited to put the jersey on and start putting up some numbers in front of these fans. Coming out of Dallas, Texas I played some pretty good high school baseball down there.

 Texas is definitely one of the top states for that, I’m proud to say it. And, yeah, just growing up around those coaches, those players, I was definitely in that winning environment and playing baseball every day, every summer, everything. I’m ready to get out there and show what that has done for my life, and my career.”

Lawlar Looks To Follow Nick Ahmed: He’s The Future

 The Diamondbacks joined MLB as an expansion franchise in 1998 and haven’t had a ton of success outside of their magical 2001 World Series win over the New York Yankees.

That team was led by K-Kings Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling, along with sluggers Matt Williams and Luis Gonzalez. While they’ve had some really good players in their organization at many different positions including shortstop (Tony Womack, Craig Counsell, and Stephen Drew) Nick Ahmed is the probably the franchise’s greatest shortstop, but he’s 32.

Meaning, Lawlar was drafted to eventually replace him. Sort of like Barry Larkin, being drafted to replaced Dave Concepcion in Cincinnati. No we’re not saying either Ahmed or Lawlar are on that level, but the example fits what the D-Backs have in mind.

 Lawlar Turned Down Vanderbilt: D-Backs Showed Him The Money

Upon finishing high school Lawlar was slated to attend baseball powerhouse Vanderbilt, a team that has played in the last two College World Series, led by the arms of Jack Leiter (No.2 overall pick by the Rangers) and Kumar Rocker (No.10 overall pick by the Mets).

They were two of seven players from that team drafted. So Lawlar, really had the best of both worlds at his disposal, but at the end of the day money talks.

 His $6.7M bonus was the third-highest given to any position player in the 2021 draft. Plus the opportunity to go against other future big leaguers daily had to weigh in the decision to sign with the D-Backs right away and not go to school. 

 Lawlar has all the tools, and says he models his game after Yankees Hall of Famer Derek Jeter.

The wiry, strong, high-impact player also mentioned Twins shortstop Carlos Correa and defensive wiz in the hole Andrelton Simmons of the Cubs. For flare, style and pop he said he loves Fernando Tatis Jr., the do-it-all star of the San Diego Padres.

Keep an eye out for Lawler, he’s an MLBbro that is quickly rising through the minors and on a collision course with The Show.