On Thursday night the Dominican Winter League got started. All six teams were in action, though one game got a late start due to rain and ran until well after midnight. Several Cincinnati Reds minor leaguers got some game action on opening night.
Hector Rodriguez and Francisco Urbaez were both in the starting lineup for Escogido. Rodriguez was starting in center and hitting second, while Urbaez got the start at second base and was batting seventh.
Rodriguez would go 1-5 with a double at the plate in the 3-1 victory. Urbaez went 0-2 with a walk. He was pinch hit for in the top of the 9th inning.
Rodriguez made a nice defensive play on a shallow liner and turned it into a double play to end the inning with the bases loaded and preserve the tie in the 5th inning.
Que fino se juega en el #DíaInauguralLIDOM ??
¡Jugadón de Héctor Rodríguez del @EscogidoBBClub! ???#LIDOM #CopaBanreservas pic.twitter.com/BF2bosaSiQ
— LIDOM (@LIDOMRD) October 20, 2023
Jose Barrero got the start in center for the Estrellas and was hitting 9th in their lineup. He would finish the game 1-2 with a walk and a run scored.
While baseball got started in the Dominican Republic, it’s been going on in Arizona for a few weeks now. Surprise picked up a 5-0 win over Scottsdale on Thursday night and got some help from two Reds prospects in the win. Michael Trautwein went 1-4 with a double and a run scored. Austin Callahan picked up two hits – including a double – in the game.
Not every team has made public their full roster. That seems a bit strange given that the season started, but I looked to try and find out how many Reds players were on the rosters to begin the season (they change throughout the year just like most other leagues) and could not find all of them.
Draft Day with Sammy Stafura
Perfect Game just released a video that was recorded on draft day with Cincinnati Reds 2nd round pick Sammy Stafura.