FORT WAYNE, Ind. (ADAMS) – Henry Baez of the TinCaps has won the High-A Midwest League’s Pitcher of the Week Award for July 8-14, Minor League Baseball announced Monday.
Baez, a 6-foot-3 21-year-old right-hander from the Dominican Republic, threw seven no-hit innings on Friday night on the road against the Great Lakes Loons (Los Angeles Dodgers affiliate), as Fort Wayne won, 9-1, at Dow Diamond in Midland, Mich.
Will Geerdes and José Geraldo followed Baez, each throwing a perfect inning of relief, to complete only the fourth no-hitter in Fort Wayne’s 30-plus-season franchise history. Catcher Colton Bender was behind the plate.
Following Friday’s game, Baez said, “I dedicate this performance to my family and to all TinCaps fans.”
Ranked by MLB.com as a top-30 San Diego Padres prospect, Baez threw 79 pitches, 48 for strikes, as he utilized a mid-90s fastball, a curveball, and a splitter. He struck out four while inducing 10 groundouts and two flyouts. Baez was perfect through six innings before a walk in the seventh. An error committed in that frame as well led to an unearned run scoring.
But for Baez, Friday was just his latest impressive performance. He ranks third in the Midwest League in ERA (2.88) on the season. The league has a mere .201 batting average against him, second lowest in the circuit. His 1.07 WHIP is fourth best. Digging deeper, Baez ranks third in strikeouts per nine innings (9.5), while sporting the seventh lowest rate of walks per nine (3.0). He also has the fourth highest ground-ball rate in the league (44%).
This marks the first Midwest League Pitcher or Player of the Week Award for a TinCap in 2024.
Led by Baez, the TinCaps won four of six games in that road series. Now during Major League Baseball’s All-Star break, the ’Caps are off through Thursday. The team is set to return to action at home this coming Friday, Saturday, and Sunday against the Cleveland Guardians-affiliated Lake County Captains. Tickets start at $7 and are available at TinCaps.com, by calling 260-482-6400, and at the Parkview Field Ticket Office.
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