There must be something in the minor league water that has Major League Baseball prospects going long.
Last week, Arizona Diamondbacks Double-A prospect Jon Griffin hit four home runs in one game (and five in a row spanning two games). Over the weekend, New York Yankees minor leaguer Mike Ford accomplished the same feat, according to CBSSports.com.
Ford went yard four times for the Single-A Charleston RiverDogs on Sunday in his team’s 17-10 win over the Hickory Crawdads.
“It’s a great feeling to do that in a game, to help my team win — to get a much-needed win. I’ve come close to it, but this is just the greatest feeling,” Ford said, via Kelsie Heneghan of MiLB.com. “I hit a changeup and a slider out tonight and a couple fastballs. When you’re looking for your fourth home run, that’s the pitch you want.”
It is the first time since 2007 that two minor league players have recorded four homers in a game in the same season, according to Society for American Baseball Research.
Ford, 21, signed with the Yankees as an undrafted free agent out of Princeton University last summer, where he was Ivy League Player and Pitcher of the Year.
In 44 games this season, Ford is hitting .318/.416/.522 with eight home runs and has more walks (25) than strikeouts (24).
Photo via Twitter/@MatthewStucko
