While homering in the big leagues is undoubtedly more impressive than homering in the minors, and doing it twice in a single game (and three times in a single series) is even more impressive, it’s still fun when a huge long list of Chicago Cubs prospects homer in the same day.
Among the Cubs homers in the farm system: Kris Bryant, Manny Ramirez (OK, not a prospect, but it’s fun), Kyle Schwarber, Dan Vogelbach, Rock Shoulders, and Mark Zagunis (who is hitting .308/.439/.444 in his 35 games at Boise with 28 strikeouts and 27(!) walks).
Manny’s homer was a laser to straightaway center field, and it got out before the center fielder could even get to the wall. That’s hard to do:
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The center fielder just sits down. He’s thinking, “Aw, hamburgers.”
Bryant’s homer was very Bryant-like, with an easy swing, and a ball that just keeps carrying and carrying to right field:
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It looks like it might just barely get out, but then it’s way out. Over the very high wall and the 365 foot sign. The opposite way. So. Much. Power.
That homer was Bryant’s 37th on the year, and 15th at AAA Iowa. He has played 47 games at Iowa, and he is now 20th in the league in home runs. He also plays in one of the least-friendly homer parks in the league, and doesn’t play in an offensive environment like half of the PCL. Truly, this guy is special.
Unfortunately, there is no video of the other guys’ homers, but Schwarber’s was apparently yanked down the line, and Vogelbach’s went to the opposite field (which I feel like he’s done on a lot of his homers this year). Schwarber’s High-A numbers have come down from his lower-level offerings, but he’s walked as many times as he’s struck out, and his OBP is still over .400. Most of the drop in his numbers have come on the power side, but that league (and that park) sap everyone’s power. Know how many players have a slugging over .500 in the Florida State League this year? One. And Josh Bell is at just .502. Schwarber’s “down” .423 slugging would be 14th best in the league if he had been there long enough to qualify. Javier Baez barely slugged over .500 in his time with Daytona, and Jorge Soler was at .467.
Bonus, since there are no other prospect homer videos … you can watch Starlin Castro’s rocket bomb from yesterday here. No, Castro isn’t a prospect. But he’s younger than half the roster at AAA Iowa, so we’ll count it.