The Delmarva Shorebirds continued to struggle as a unit, as they dropped their latest series against the Carolina Mudcats.
Delmarva put together a .639 OPS as a team on the offensive side and compiled an ERA of 5.76 for the series. The offense was strong on the base paths, putting together a total of 21 stolen bases, while tallying 41 hits, 13 for extra bases.
Overall, three players really carried this team as a whole.
MATTHEW ETZEL – OF
Matthew Etzel was just drafted back in July and fell all the way to the 10th round, and he is showing that every team that didn’t take him made a mistake. Etzel had maybe one of the best starts to a minor league career that I have ever seen.
Etzel played in five games and slashed .364/.391/.682 with a 1.073 OPS, totaling eight hits, two home runs and driving in an impeccable nine batters in the series. He also stole six bases in seven total attempts.
ENRIQUE BRADFIELD JR. – OF
Enrique Bradfield Jr. was the 17th overall pick in the 2023 draft, and he is someone who will be a problem for teams in the future. Bradfield Jr. was an absolute speedster in college, and we can already see that his speed and his incredible eye were the reasons he was drafted in the first round.
EBJ played in four games and constructed a .619 on base percentage. He only had two hits in the series, but he walked nine times and was a thief on the bases, going 8-for-8 in stolen base attempts. The Vandy product is someone to be on the lookout for, as he works his way through the O’s farm system.
DEIVY CRUZ – RHP
Deivy Cruz has been going under the radar as a young pitcher that shows true potential with the correct coaching. This series was big for Cruz, as he put on a big performance during a time when his name needs to be thrown into the mix of pitchers for the future.
Cruz grabbed the win while throwing five innings of scoreless baseball in his one appearance, giving up two hits, walking two batters and striking out three. The 19-year-old now has an 8-2 record with a 3.36 ERA in 80 innings pitched for Delmarva this season.
The Shorebirds start a new series against Salem starting Tuesday, August 15, at 7:05 p.m. EST from Arthur W. Perdue Stadium. This week consists of many different giveaways, including an Adley Rutschman jersey on Thursday and a Jackson Holliday bobblehead on Friday.
Delmarva is now 17-24 in the second half and is currently 9.5 games back of first place and a playoff spot.
Who stood out to you for Delmarva this week? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, Twitter and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
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