Cincinnati Reds prospect Blake Butler plays all nine positions
As the minor league season comes to a close for many today, Cincinnati Reds minor leaguer Blake Butler provided a final highlight on Sunday.
Monday is the final regular season day around the minor leagues before playoffs begin for those leagues that have not already begun. Many leagues are already set while some are going to the last day to determine their playoff participants. While Cincinnati Reds affiliate Daytona is out of the playoffs, they provided their fans with excitement on Sunday when Blake Butler played all nine positions in their game against the Florida Fire Frogs of the Atlanta Braves organization.
Who is Blake Butler
Butler was drafted out of the College of Charleston in the 15th round of the 2015 draft by the Reds. He played in both the Reds’ rookie league clubs in 2015, hitting .309/.342/.448 with 2 home runs and 4 stolen bases. That first season, Butler played around the infield, playing second, third, and short.
Butler has played the last two seasons with Daytona, hitting .222/.271/.306 in 2016 over 87 games then following up with .212/.278/.281 in 94 games this season. In 2016, he primarily played second, third, and short, but this season, Butler played those three positions, but also added in 18 games at first base along with 35 games primarily in the corner outfield positions.
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
Sunday’s game
Butler opened the game at first base. He closed out the first inning defensively receiving the throw on a ground ball to second base. Butler led off the game on offense with a walk and worked his way around to score on a sacrifice fly for the first run of the game, which ended up being the “winning” run of the game.
Butler moved to second base in the second inning. He made one play in the inning, getting a force out at second base on a ground ball for the second out of the inning. In the third inning, he moved to shortstop. He also made one play, catching a pop up for the third out of the inning.
In the fourth inning, Butler moved to third base. The ball again found him, as he caught a Justin Ellison pop up in foul territory. Butler moved to left field in the 5th inning and did not have a chance in left.
To open the sixth inning, Butler moved to center field. He recorded the first out of the inning on a fly ball. A move to right field for the 7th inning produced no chances.
The final two innings were interesting, to say the least. In the 8th inning, Butler put on the tools of ignorance, catching heavy sinkerballer Aaron Quillen. He had a number of balls get past him, but Quillen kept all hitters off base in a 1-2-3 inning, so he wasn’t credited with any passed balls in the inning.
Butler closed out the game on the mound. He got a fly out from the first hitter, then proceeded to give up two singles. The fourth hitter of the inning then grounded into an inning-ending double play, and he recorded a save in the game, throwing 12 pitches, 8 of them strikes.
Next: Arizona Fall League Roster Breakdown
The last player in the Florida State League who had played all nine positions in a single game was Brevard County’s Nate Orf in 2014, also done in the final week of that season.
There have been four who have accomplished the feat in the major leagues, including two in the 2000 season, the last of which was the most recent occurrence in the major leagues on October 1st, 2000 by Shane Halter of the Detroit Tigers.