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Boston Globe
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Once the Red Sox top pitching prospect, Bryan Mata remains motivated for the chance to become a big leaguer
'That's crazy,' Mata said about his status. 'When I heard about that, that I was the [longest-tenured] one in the [organization], I felt good. Obviously, [Worcester] is not the place I want to be, but at the end of the day I'm still here, and just still grinding.' For years, Mata was the top-ranked pitching prospect in the Red Sox organization. As a teenager, he showed an electric arsenal with a mid- to upper-90s sinker that featured all kinds of movement, a groundball-eliciting pitch with arm-side run that paired well with a slider to get swings and misses. He also had a curveball, changeup, and four-seamer. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up At an early age, that combination presented the raw materials of a big league starter. In 2018, he was named to the All-Star Futures Game as a 20-year-old. It seemed like a future in the Sox rotation was close at hand. Advertisement 'It really made me understand that I'm not that far away from the big leagues and I'm one of the best prospects in the minor leagues,' said Mata. 'But during the years, a lot of things happened to me. . . . It's been a long road.' Advertisement Bryan Mata, who signed with the Red Sox in 2016 and pitched in the 2018 Futures Game, is the longest-tenured Red Sox, but has not made his major league a strong 2019 campaign in High A and Double A, and after being placed on the big league 40-man roster, Mata stalled. With COVID-19 resulting in the cancellation of the 2020 minor league season, he showed outrageous stuff at the alt site but wasn't ready for the big leagues. In 2021, when potentially ticketed for Triple A, he blew out, requiring Tommy John surgery that sidelined him until late 2022. Injuries limited Mata to 27 minor league innings in 2023 (his final option year) and 22⅔ minor league innings in 2024, when he spent the entire season on the injured list of the big league team but never made his debut. He spent weeks rehabbing at Fenway yet unable to finally get a long-awaited big league opportunity in a game. The proximity was painful. 'It was really hard, man,' said Mata. 'Nobody knows what we go through as a player, being there with the big guys, when you can't even play or help.' In the offseason, the Red Sox designated Mata for assignment to open a 40-man roster spot. After nine years he seemed like a change-of-scenery candidate. But Mata quickly signed a minor league deal, partly out of appreciation for the organization — 'I'm thankful for the years I've been here; [the Sox] helped me to develop as a player and as a human being' — and also because his agent suggested he'd do well to sign with a team that knew and valued him coming off years of health woes. This year, Mata has been healthier than at any point since his Tommy John surgery while working exclusively out of the bullpen for the first time in his career. There have been outings where he's looked overpowering, evident by a 30 percent strikeout rate (in the top 20 in Triple A among pitchers with at least 30 innings) and 57 percent groundball rate (fourth). In the big leagues, longtime teammate and friend Brayan Bello has taken notice. Advertisement 'I keep in touch with him often. I try to always give him some support. I know for a fact that he feels great this year, that he's just waiting for the opportunity. Hopefully that opportunity comes,' Bello said via translator. 'I have a lot of respect for him because I know how hard he's worked for this. . . . If I would see him here tomorrow, I would be as happy as he would be.' Bryan Mata was very good for the WooSox today. 2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO. — Jamie Gatlin (@JamieGatlin17) So what's keeping Mata from the big leagues? First, he's not on the 40-man roster, creating a roster obstacle to a callup. But his 13 percent walk rate remains too high, and his command and control are rarely locked in across a string of outings. 'The reality is, a guy like Bryan can go up to the big leagues and get outs,' said Sox farm director Brian Abraham. 'Any night, he can be as good of a pitcher as a lot of guys we have and a lot of guys on a major league team. 'But the best arms, the guys who are in the big leagues a long time, are consistent,' he continued. 'Bryan's taken a little bit of a longer time to get there. But I do think he's made a ton of progress over the years and is light years ahead of where he was when he got hurt.' Advertisement Mata is working to earn that trust. At 26, he's not old — and his velocity and stuff suggest there's plenty in his arm — but he also knows that few players are given 10 years to prove themselves with an organization. 'I'm not a kid anymore. . . . [But] I feel like the closest I've been to the big leagues is this year, because I'm healthy,' said Mata. 'If I get the opportunity one day, I just want to try to do my best, try to show people why they've been waiting for so many years. I still feel like one of those days, I'm gonna be there, helping the team to win, and doing good things. I'm ready. I'm ready. . . . But I just come here, do my work every day, and focus where my feet are.' Still, surely he daydreams about the long-awaited moment in which the home bullpen door swings open and he jogs to the mound at Fenway. Doesn't he? 'I don't like to dream too much,' he said. A player who started anticipating his big league debut seven years ago knows better than to look beyond his immediate circumstance. Three up ⋅ Infielder Vaughn Grissom has been on a torrid run for Triple A Worcester, hitting .476/.500/.810 with a homer and four doubles in his last six games. Yard work with Vaughn — Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) ⋅ After missing a month with a blister, hard-throwing lefthander Brandon Clarke has returned to the mound for High A Greenville, striking out seven and allowing one hit over 4 2/3 innings spanning two outings. ⋅ In the DSL, 17-year-old Hector Ramos is hitting .280/.413/.453 with eight extra-base hits in 22 games while flashing explosive bat speed. Advertisement 107.7 mph off the bat on this Hector Ramos home run for DSL Red Sox Blue! — Red Sox Player Development (@RedSoxPlayerDev) Three down ⋅ Though he's doing a good job of laying off pitches outside the strike zone, Kristian Campbell is still working to re-establish the timing of his swing with the WooSox. He's hitting .226/.455/.355 with 15 strikeouts in 44 plate appearances (34 percent). ⋅ After a dominant beginning (12⅓ scoreless innings) to his return from Tommy John surgery, righthanded multi-innings reliever Noah Song has struggled recently with Double A Portland, walking eight (20 percent rate) and striking out just five (13 percent rate) and allowing two homers over his last 9⅔ innings for the Sea Dogs. ⋅ Yoeilin Cespedes , 19, is 1 for 19 with eight strikeouts in his last five games for Single A Salem, dropping his season line to .231/.282/.380. While Cespedes looked like a potential fast-track candidate last year after moving up early in the FCL season, his struggles this year — especially against righties (.204/.267/.314) — suggest otherwise. Alex Speier can be reached at
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Former Texas A&M star outfielder named to the MLB All-Star Futures game
It seems like just yesterday that former Texas A&M outfielder Braden Montgomery burst onto the scene, hitting a home run in his first Aggie at-bat and instantly becoming a fan favorite for the 2024 season. Despite a late-season ankle injury that effectively ended his college career, he was still selected with the 12th overall pick in the first round of the 2024 MLB Draft. Before even taking a swing, Montgomery was traded to the Chicago White Sox. He began his professional career in Single-A with Kannapolis, and after just 18 games, he was promoted to the High-A Winston-Salem Dash, where he has been a solid contributor for the past two months. Montgomery currently sports a slash line of .263/.336/.459, with seven home runs and 30 RBIs. To continue climbing the ranks, he'll need to make further progress and reduce his strikeouts (48), but he's trending in the right direction, and his efforts haven't gone unnoticed. He was recently selected to play in the All-Star Futures Game. Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1.
Boston Globe
3 days ago
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Five high school sports takeaways, including the final Gatorade award winner, coaching moves, new commitments, and more
'I feel that Abby is at a level seldom seen and may be the best girl that I have seen in my 36 years in Massachusetts,' said Newton South coach Steve McChesney in a statement. 'I get excited to see her race each time out.' Related : Hennessy, who volunteers with City Reach and through her church youth group, enters her senior year with a 4.19 GPA. Advertisement With every announcement made the 2024-25 Gatorade winners are: Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up (boys' basketball), 1. White back in Futures game Former Phillips Andover ace Thomas White , from Rowley, is back in the All-Star Futures Game. Advertisement The 6-foot-5 lefty was promoted earlier this month to the Pensacola Blue Wahoos in the Double A Southern League. Related : The 20-year-old, who was drafted 35th overall by the Florida Marlins in 2023, is 2-2 with a 2.53 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 42⅔ innings over 11 starts this season, and 2-0 with a 1.17 ERA since being promoted. Our Futures Game duo just dropped 🔥 Joe Mack and Thomas White are repping the Fish in ATL! — Miami Marlins (@Marlins) 2. Drafting delights Several area prep stars were Carter Amico , a Westbrook, Maine, native who played two seasons at Mount St. Charles in Rhode Island. He was taken 38th overall by the Philadelphia Flyers. Conrad Fondrk , who played alongside Amico at Mount St. Charles, was taken 50th overall by the New Jersey Devils. Congratulations to ASFL athlete Grayden Robertson-Palmer on being selected in the 2025 NHL Draft by the Detroit Red Wings! — A Shot For Life™ (@ASFL_Shoot4Cure) Teddy Mutryn , a Norwell native who played three seasons at St. Sebastian's, was picked 95th overall by the San Jose Sharks. Everett Baldwin , a Rumford, R.I. resident who played at St. George's, was plucked by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the fifth round, Grayden Robertson-Palmer played two seasons at Phillips Andover and went in the seventh round to the Detroit Red Wings, and Concord's Richard Gallant , who played two years at St. Mark's, was picked in the seventh round to the Sharks. Congratulations to ASFL athlete Richard Gallant on being selected in the 2025 NHL Draft by the San Jose Sharks! — A Shot For Life™ (@ASFL_Shoot4Cure) 3. Commitment central ▪ Ahead of her senior year, Bishop Feehan's Mollie Mullen has committed to play women's basketball at Stonehill. A state champion as a sophomore, she helped lead the Shamrocks back to the state title game and scored a team-high 14 points in a nail-biting 55-54 loss to Wachusett last winter. A Advertisement 'I am beyond excited and honored to announce my commitment to continue my academic and athletic journey playing Division 1 basketball at Stonehill,' she wrote on social media. 'Thank you to everyone who has supported me and helped me chase this dream.' — Mollie Mullen (@molliemull4) ▪ Speedy Lawrence senior outfielder Chris Berroa , who scored 19 runs and stole seven bases this season, has committed to play at Roxbury Community College. 🚨Committment🚨 Chris Berroa OF Lawrence HS Excited to get to work Chris! — RCC Baseball (@RoxburyBaseball) ▪ Foxborough senior Kailey Sullivan will spend a post-graduate year at New Hampton School in New Hampshire. Sullivan scored 1,895 points while making 96 straight starts for the Warriors, earning Hockomock MVP honors as a senior with 26 points, 4 assists, and 3 steals per game. So excited to announce that i'll be doing a post graduate year at New Hampton School! 💚🤍 — Kailey Sullivan (@kaileysull24) ▪ Northeastern guard Yirsy Queliz , a former St. Mary's standout, is representing the Dominican Republic in the FIBA Women's AmeriCup, currently taking place in Chile. The AmeriCup is held every two years and serves as the qualifying tournament for the Women's World Cup and the Olympics. Through two games, Queliz is averaging 5.0 points in 14.1 minutes for a Dominican team that defeated El Salvador, 61-59, then fell to Argentina, 67-51. Former — Trevor Hass (@TrevorHass) 4. Coaching carousel ▪ Medford High announced Samantha Kenney has been hired as its new girls' volleyball coach. She takes over a Mustangs program that last enjoyed a winning season in 2022. Kenney, who works for the Essex County Sherriff's Department, won a Division 2 North title while playing at Arlington Catholic before graduating from Saint Anselm. 'She is committed to fostering a positive team culture where athletes can push themselves to reach their full potential while enjoying the game they love,' Medford AD Robert Maloney said. Advertisement New Story: Congratulations Samantha Kenney - New Medford High School Girls Volleyball Coach! — MHS Athletics (@mhsathletics2) ▪ Walpole announced alumnus John McKeon will take over as wrestling coach. McKeon, who teaches seventh and eighth grade social studies at Trinity Catholic Academy in Brockton, has served as an assistant coach at Walpole since 2014 and previously was an assistant football coach at Westwood. After wrestling at Walpole (Class of '09), he was a member of the UMass wrestling club, graduating with a degree in sport management. We are happy to announce that John McKeon will be our new Wrestling coach. John is an alumni of Walpole High School, a teacher in our community and has great coaching experience. He is the perfect person to get the wrestling program back on track. We are so excited to have him. — Walpole High School Athletics (@WalpolehighADSM) ▪ Andover High announced that former Saint Anselm star Mark Colantino will be coaching its defensive backs this fall. Colantino, who was Athlete of the Year at Londonderry High (N.H.) was a four-year starter and two-year captain at Saint Anselm, snagging eight career interceptions and making 178 tackles. Introducing Andover High School's Defensive Backs Coach Mark Colantonio. Former DTN!!! — Andover High School Varsity Football (@CoachFielding) ▪ Taking over as athletic director at Newburyport is Anna DeVitto , previously the AD at Fontbonne and cross-country coach at Curry College. The Stonehill graduate, who got her master's at Northeastern, has also worked at Harvard and New England Law. 5. Odds and ends ▪ Vassar tennis star Erin McCusker , who is from Norton and attended LaSalle Academy in Providence, was named USTA Rhode Island's College Tennis Player of the Year. McCusker was named the Liberty League Player of the Year, finishing the spring with a 10-6 record playing out of the top singles flight and a 15-6 overall mark, including doubles with Sofie Shen . McCusker was the third-ranked singles player in NCAA Region 2. Related : ▪ The 10th annual Merrimack Valley Conference football clinic will be held July 14-17 from 5-8 p.m. at Nicholson Stadium in Methuen. It is open to any players entering grades 7-10 and costs $150. Save your spot for the MVC Football Clinic!! It runs July 14-17 @ Nicholson Stadium in Methuen for anyone entering grades 7-10. See the website to register — Methuen High School Football (@DuganMethuen) Brendan Kurie can be reached at
New York Post
4 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Yankees' Fernando Cruz lands on IL again after suffering injury with medicine ball: ‘Pretty painful'
TORONTO — For the second time this season, Fernando Cruz is back on the injured list. Access the Yankees beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees. Try it free The first stint only cost him the minimum 15 days, but the Yankees were left holding their breath Monday on the result of Cruz's MRI exam to determine how severe his oblique strain is and how long it will cost him. Advertisement 'It was pretty painful for him [Sunday],' manager Aaron Boone said Monday at Rogers Centre. 'Hurt it warming up in the weight room, his start-of-the-day warming up and stretching.' Boone indicated Cruz was going through his pregame routine with a medicine ball when he felt something in his oblique, a body part that can be tricky and often cost players lengthy stretches because of the risk for reinjury if they come back too soon. Fernando Cruz of the New York Yankees reacts on the mound in the eighth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, Friday, June 13, 2025, in Boston, MA. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST Advertisement The good news is that this injury does not involve Cruz's right shoulder, where inflammation cost him two weeks earlier this season. But it will take a high-leverage weapon and strikeout artist away from Boone's late-game bullpen for the time being. 'Part of it,' Boone said. 'Everyone's going to deal with some attrition and bumps along the way from an injury standpoint. You've got to be able to navigate that. We have a lot of capable people that hopefully will be able to step up in different situations. Hopefully Cruz, it's not too long and we get him back and he's just a little fresher for the rest of the way.' The Yankees called up Geoff Hartlieb from Triple-A to take Cruz's spot in the bullpen. The right-hander, who impressed the Yankees in spring training, had a 3.34 ERA in 24 games at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and can pitch multiple innings. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post Advertisement The latest stop on George Lombard's rise to becoming one of the game's top prospects? The All-Star Futures Game in Atlanta. Lombard will be the Yankees representative at the annual showcase of prospects that kicks off All-Star Game festivities on July 12 at Truist Park. Advertisement The 20-year-old shortstop, who has also played some second and third base, is already one of the youngest players at Double-A after earning a promotion there last month. He began the year batting .329 with a .983 OPS and 11 steals in 24 games at High-A Hudson Valley before being bumped up to Somerset, where he is batting .209 with a .659 OPS and 14 steals in 48 games. 'Super excited about George,' Boone said. 'I think he's going to be a really good player in this league. Two-way player, outstanding defender, runs well, the bat keeps coming. He keeps getting better and better. You really notice the physicality of him. You see the year-to-year development. I think he's going to be a really good big leaguer and as good a makeup as you can have. CHECK OUT THE LATEST MLB STANDINGS AND YANKEES STATS 'Loves the game, works incredibly hard at it, plays hard. He's one of those guys you want driving your culture. He's that kind of special makeup kid. Excited about his development. Obviously got off to a good start, earned his way to Double-A and now gets a taste of the Futures Game, which I think will be great for his development as well.' Lombard, the Yankees' first-round pick in 2023, is ranked as the Yankees' No. 1 prospect by most publications while Baseball America has him ranked No. 20 in all of baseball. Luis Gil will throw a live batting practice session on Tuesday, then either throw one more on Sunday or begin a rehab assignment.
Boston Globe
4 days ago
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Alex Bregman eager to return, says ultrasound shows he's ‘healing exceptionally well'
He said an ultrasound on Sunday showed he's 'healing exceptionally well,' and backed that with an aggressive day of straight-line running on Monday. He's resumed hitting, fielding, and throwing. Though Bregman said he'd defer to the team for a timetable on the next steps, he also suggested that his recovery continues to significantly outpace what he experienced in 2021, when he missed 10 weeks because of a comparable left quad strain. 'This is a lot of weeks ahead of what we predicted,' said Bregman. 'We're kind of taking it day-by-day when it comes to that, because obviously you don't want to rush it too much, but we're very far ahead of where we thought we'd be at this point.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Bregman wasn't sure whether a rehab assignment is within reach — or if he'll need one. The third baseman, who was hitting .299/.385/.553 with 11 homers, said it's possible he could get activated and build his workload in the big leagues, a sort of midyear version of spring training. Advertisement 'I think all options are on the table, really, whether it's going on a rehab assignment or not going on one, and just going straight to playing up here and maybe kind of easing the way back in at this level,' said Bregman, who didn't rule out the idea of coming off the injured list before the All-Star break. 'It's honestly whatever they want me to do.' Advertisement Manager Alex Cora suggested Bregman's self-assessment should come with a proverbial grain of salt given his desperation to return to the field. Still, Bregman is close enough that he believes he may soon go from spectating to contributing. 'We have a great chance to win here. We have guys that are very capable of winning at this level and winning for a long time at this level. We've just got to play better. It's that simple,' he said. 'I'm looking forward to getting back and doing my part.' Garcia recognized Outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia , the No. 6 Red Sox prospect by Baseball America, will represent the organization at the All-Star Futures Game in Atlanta. The 22-year-old is hitting .275/.359/.486 with 12 homers, including .292/.363/.569 with nine homers in 33 games since being promoted to Triple A Worcester. He's also shown stylish glovework in the outfield. 'Everything is smooth — suave,' said lefthander Chris Murphy , who'd been playing with Garcia in Worcester in recent weeks. 'He's making Willie Mays catches. I gave up one the other day and was like, 'That might be a double, the way he's jogging to it. Is he playing it off the wall?' Then he [caught it] over his shoulder.' Offensively? 'Bat-to-ball is there and the power is there, too,' said Murphy. 'Good ballplayer.' 'Garcia is a complete player,' added Cora. 'We're very proud of him.' Yoshida joins Worcester Masataka Yoshida will start a rehab assignment on Tuesday for the WooSox. Cora said Yoshida is expected to DH for two games and then play the outfield on Thursday. With the WooSox hitting the road on the Fourth of July, Yoshida is likely to continue his rehab over the weekend with Double A Portland. Advertisement Buehler baffled Though Walker Buehler has a 10.38 ERA in his last six starts, Cora reiterated that the righthander is on track to make his next start Saturday in Washington. The manager talked with the pitcher on Sunday evening — afterallowing four runs in four innings — and the two eventually agreed that his stuff has been more promising but a lack of execution and command has led to awful results. 'We are close. We see glimpses,' said Cora, who cited an inability to close out batters in two-strike counts as a key shortcoming. 'We'll keep working. We're not giving up. This guy means a lot to us. We made a huge commitment in the offseason. He bet on himself. Right now, it doesn't look like [he's pitching to expectations] but I truly believe it will.' … Righthander Jordan Hicks was activated from the injured list. The hard-throwing reliever will be deployed late in games. 'He's been there, done that. We'll use him in the back end,' said Cora. To make room for Hicks, the Sox optioned righthander Zack Kelly (5.56 ERA, 24 percent strikeout rate) to Triple A … Marcelo Mayer , who was away from the team over the weekend, returned from the bereavement list. Nick Sogard was returned to Triple A … Righthander Hunter Dobbins threw a bullpen session on Monday, a possible prelude to a rehab assignment … Prior to Monday's game against the Sox, the Reds placed righthander Ian Gibaut on the IL with a right shoulder impingement and recalled righty Joe La Sorsa from Triple A. Advertisement Alex Speier can be reached at
