Yasiel Puig, the former outfielder for the Dodgers, was involved in a fight in Venezuela, and things didn’t work out well for him. It appeared to be a rather forceful blow to the face.
Puig has been a member of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League’s Tiburones de La Guaira team. He’s always been a player, willing to get involved in almost anything.
He received a three-game suspension in 2019 for his involvement in a brawl that broke out during a Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates game.
For some time now, the former Dodgers outfielder has been attempting to return to the major leagues, but no offers have materialised. Nonetheless, there were rumours earlier in the summer suggesting that certain teams were considering signing him.
Puig last participated in major league baseball in 2019 while he was a member of Cleveland. After being dealt from the Reds to Cleveland, he produced strong results.
His slash line was.297/.377/.423, with 109 OPS+ and a.800 OPS. However, over 49 games for Cleveland, he only managed two home runs, a significant decline in his power.
Puig ought to have returned to the league by now, based alone on these stats. But there have been some lingering off-field questions regarding his situation.
He admitted to one count of obstructing justice and was linked to an accused sports gambling organisation. Although he quickly dropped the accusation, it has made him avoid the major leagues. He has since moved around other international leagues in the hopes of getting another opportunity.
A contract to play for the Atlanta Braves in 2020 was in place, but it was cancelled when he tested positive for COVID-19.
At MLB Pipeline, ranking season is upon us. The 2024 Top 10 by position rankings are already being made public, and the new Top 100 Prospects list is almost here. This makes it the ideal time of year for entertaining discussions and brainteasers on baseball’s top young stars.
Prospecting experts Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo put on their drafting caps for a special exercise in the most recent episode of the Pipeline Podcast. The objective is to assemble a fictitious 10-player roster of prospects who are among the top 10 at their position. Seems simple enough?
Callis: Texan Wyatt Langford (3rd on the Top 10 OF)
One of my criteria was [to focus on] the person who comes in last but has the potential to be a phenomenally talented athlete. That, in my opinion, is Langford, the third-ranked outfielder.
Walker Jenkins, MIN, Mayo (5th on the Top 10 OF)
I first became interested in value at this point. On the outfield list, I moved down a little bit. He’s a talent of the calibre of the No. 1 [selection]. He made an extremely strong professional start, and I believe he has a little bit more speed than people may have thought.
Callis: No. 8 on the Top 10 2B list, Juan Brito, CLE
I would be putting money aside for these picks to cover my slot for my next men if this were an amateur draft. Very exciting.
Robby Snelling, SD, Mayo (ranked third on the Top 10 LHP)
Now is the time to select the players we want and determine their positions. At the age of 19, Snelling successfully advanced to Double-A ball after demonstrating three above-average-to-plus pitches along with above-average control. This year, I believe he will reach a new level.
Mayo: No. 7 on Top 10 2B, Connor Norby, BAL
gifted man. He has a great deal of pop in his hitting. He has experience at the highest levels and is currently searching for a big league opportunity.
Marcelo Mayer, BOS (No. 5 on the Top 10 SS) is the callis.
I believe that the shoulder injury he sustained the previous year hindered him; up until then, he was playing well. I believe he will recover.
