With a drive into the right-center hole, Gunnar Henderson cruised into second base and secured himself a spot in rarefied firm. The 20-year-old Orioles prospect at Triple-A Norfolk hit for the cycle Tuesday evening — and he wanted solely 4 at-bats in six innings to take action.
Henderson’s historic evening started with a single into proper subject. The infielder adopted with a two-run triple within the third inning earlier than his solo house run within the fourth set the stage for the double.
Henderson instructed The Baltimore Sun that the approaching feat crept into his thoughts as he stepped to the plate for his fourth at-bat in the course of the eventual 8-2 win for the Tides towards the Gwinnett Stripers. His first two swings exhibited that.
“Tried to do too much,” Henderson mentioned. “But then the last one, just kind of settled in and just said, ‘You know what? Just try to get your ‘A’ swing off without doing too much. I was, luckily enough, able to get it done.”
The final time a Norfolk Tides participant hit for the cycle, Henderson hadn’t been born. Timo Pérez final achieved the feat on June 9, 2000 — slightly over a 12 months earlier than Henderson was born June 29, 2001. But on the verge of his twenty first birthday, Henderson displayed his skill on the plate.
“This one’s gotta be up there,” mentioned Henderson when requested the place this birthday current ranks.
Henderson ranks because the No. 4 prospect in Baltimore’s farm system, in line with Baseball America. The 2019 second-round draft choose was promoted to Triple-A earlier this month, and in 19 video games at that degree, he hasn’t missed a step. Henderson is hitting .329 with a 1.077 OPS by way of 4 at-bats Tuesday.
He credit his success to time spent on the alternate coaching website in Bowie throughout 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic canceled the minor league season. He’s already seen pitchers who belong within the higher minors. And later, when he arrived at High-A Aberdeen and struggled for his first two weeks in 2021, Henderson discovered the best way to compartmentalize outcomes from his course of on the plate.
Those classes have helped him keep away from any drop-off in manufacturing, at the same time as he climbs the ranks.
“Being able to go through that, going through that one time, and just not making those mistakes again this year,” Henderson mentioned.
In the sixth inning, a homer from outfielder Kyle Stowers introduced Henderson house after his cycle. When they reached the plate, Stowers was the primary to congratulate Henderson — however he wasn’t the final.
“It was pretty awesome for him to take time to say congratulations after that,” Henderson mentioned. “That was pretty cool. Just all the guys in there, they were all really happy for me. I can’t thank them enough. It was really special, and just being able to spend it with them is really awesome.”
Henderson is the second participant within the Orioles’ group within the final two weeks to hit for the cycle, becoming a member of outfielder Austin Hays on June 22. Hays wanted solely six innings and 4 at-bats, too.
“I kind of had an idea of it, but I wasn’t going up there like, ‘Oh my, I’ve gotta get a double right here,’” Henderson mentioned of his fourth at-bat. “I just took it on as a little challenge and was able to get it done, so it was a pretty cool night.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com