FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. Kevin Kopps’ magical season shows no signs of slowing down.
The Razorback pitcher was one of 25 student-athletes named as a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award, which is presented by USA Baseball to the best amateur player in the country. Of the award’s previous 42 winners, only one outfielder Andrew Benintendi in 2015 has played at Arkansas.
Kopps, the SEC Pitcher of the Year and National Player of the Year by Collegiate Baseball, has put together one of the most dominant seasons ever. The redshirt senior has racked up unfathomable numbers while pitching strictly out of the bullpen during the 2021 campaign, owning a perfect 12-0 record on the year with 11 saves and a jaw-dropping 0.68 ERA in 79.2 innings pitched (31 appearances).
Photo by Adam Glanzman/MLB Photos via Getty Images
Plenty of standout performances stood out on Tuesday in the Dodgers minors.
Player of the day
Rancho Cucamonga second baseman
Jorbit Vivas had a six-hit game, including a grand slam in the Quakes’ road romp in Lake Elsinore. Batting second in the lineup on Tuesday, Vivas singled in the first, did the same to lead off the third, then in the fifth both singled and scored
and hit a grand slam as part of a 10-run frame. Vivas added singles in the seventh and ninth innings.
The six hits matched a franchise record, matching Mike Darr in 1997 when Rancho Cucamonga was a Padres affiliate, per Quakes play-by-play broadcaster Mike Lindskog.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts will have his close friend, Rockies manager Bud Black, on his National League coaching staff for the 2021 MLB All-Star Game at Coors Field in Denver.
TWitM: Edward Olivares still on fire
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Minda Haas Kuhlmann
‘This Week in the Minors’ is our weekly look at notable performances from all over the system, from big-name prospects and less heralded guys alike. The mission is to answer this simple question: “Who had a good week?”
Today, we’ll cover results from Tuesday, May 18 through Sunday, May 23.
AAA Omaha Storm Chasers (10-7)
The Chasers played at Iowa this week, with one game washed out by rain. Regardless of the weather, outfielder
Edward Olivares hit like a man on a mission, going 11-for-21 with three walks and just one strikeout. He also stole two bases and hit a pair of dingers.