Pictured: Pregame warm-up work at LECOM Park. Photo by Thomas Bender at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

As temperatures continue to rise and July rolls into August, one constant remains on Florida’s Gulf Coast: professional baseball. Yes, the Gulf Coast is home to its very own Major League Baseball team–the incredibly good Tampa Bay Rays–but it is also home to a slurry of Minor League teams, from the Florida Complex League’s Orioles, who play in Sarasota’s Ed Smith Stadium to the Florida State League’s Bradenton Marauders, who play down the road in Bradenton’s storied LECOM Park.

It is here, in this haven of Minor League Baseball, away from the glitz and glamor of the Major Leagues that some of the most interesting stories take place. These are not the stories of multi-million dollar contracts or splashy brand deals, instead they are the stories of new beginnings, of hope, promise and hard work. To follow Minor League Baseball is to know that it is transitory in nature–the teams assembled at these levels are not built to last. Players are meant to progress onto bigger and better teams, with the hopes of eventually reaching their Major League Affiliate.

One such player that has moved onto greener pastures is Pittsburgh Pirates top prospect Termarr Johnson, a 19-year-old second basemen who on August 1 was promoted to the Greensboro Grasshoppers, the Pirates High-A affiliate. Despite a slow start to the year, Johnson has been a star for the Bradenton Marauders all season long, helping propel the team to a 56-40 record on the year. Sporting a slash line of .244/.419/.448 on the year with 44 RBIs and 13 home runs, Johnson’s OPS climbed steadily each month culminating in a whopping 1.013 OPS in July.

While Johnson will be missed in Bradenton, there is already new talent waiting in the wings. On Monday, the Pirates assigned 2023 third-round pick Garrett Forrester to Bradenton. Forrester, a 21-year-old third baseman out of Oregon State, made his debut on Tuesday night, going one for two with three walks. Not bad for a rookie.

LECOM Park, 1611 9th St W, Bradenton.

Pictured: Pregame warm-up work at LECOM Park. Photo by Thomas Bender at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

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