Brent Honeywell Jr., the guy who was absolutely electric as an unofficial NLCS MVP back in 2024, just stepped onto a mound in the Dominican Winter League and threw a clean, scoreless sixth inning. Remember that absolute “dawg” from the 2024 postseason? He’s back, and his return to action on Wednesday for Gigantes del Cibao is seriously something to watch.
Arizona Fall League Action Stalls
While Honeywell was busy dealing, the Glendale Desert Dogs, an affiliate, hit a snag. They got completely shut out 3-0 by the Peoria Javelinas in a game shortened to just six innings by rain. The offense just wasn’t there, managing only four hits the entire game, and all of them were singles. Second baseman Charles Davalan snagged one of those base knocks, but it wasn’t enough to get the Desert Dogs rolling. Sometimes you just run into a wall, you know?
The Young Gun: Emil Morales
Over in the Dominican Winter League, the future is looking bright with shortstop Emil Morales on the roster for Gigantes del Cibao. This dude is a serious talent, ranked as the No. 22 prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline and checking in at 29th on Baseball America. Morales, who just turned 20 in September, didn’t play Wednesday, but he’s already made an impact in two of five games for Gigantes. In just seven plate appearances, he’s already racked up a single, a double, and drawn two walks. He’s actually the second-youngest player on the entire Gigantes squad, with only Rockies prospect Ronny Brito being a few months younger. That’s some serious early talent on display!
Honeywell’s Comeback Story
The biggest story of the night, though, has to be the return of Brent Honeywell Jr. This right-hander, now 31, was a key figure back in 2024, that unofficial NLCS MVP, but injuries sidelined him for most of the last two seasons. His first game action since Game 4 of the 2024 World Series was just this past August 29, when he pitched for Triple-A El Paso, a Padres affiliate. He threw in seven games there, just getting his rhythm back. Now, he’s taking the mound in a winter league for the second time in his career, having also pitched seven games and 28 innings for Escogido during the 2022-23 season. To see him come out and pitch a scoreless sixth inning for Gigantes del Cibao in their 14-9 victory over Leones del Escogido? That’s pure grit, and you can’t help but root for that kind of comeback.
Keep an eye on these guys! The Gigantes del Cibao are back at it Thursday, taking on Toros del Este at 4 p.m. PT on MLB.tv, and the Glendale Desert Dogs are heading to Mesa to face the Solar Sox at 6:30 p.m. PT. You know we’ll be watching to see how Honeywell’s comeback continues and how Morales keeps developing into a force!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by True Blue LA.
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