The Undercards: Henry Wrigley Notches 2 Hits in Caracas Win

We’ve talked exclusively about the Arizona Fall League this offseason, but let’s check in on Rays first base prospect Henry Wrigley, who is playing for the Leones del Caracas (Caracas Lions) in the Venezuelan Winter League.

Great to see Wrigley break out of his slump with a multi-hit game. (Credit: Nick Martinez, J.C.M. Action Photography)

Leones del Caracas 7, Tigres de Aragua 4

The Leones fell behind 3-1, but 3 runs each in the 4th and 5th completely turned the game around as they came away with a 7-4 win. Nationals prospect Carlos Rivero gave the Leones a 1-0 lead in the first on an RBI single, but Rivero gave that back in then some on a huge error in the 3rd that allowed 2 runs to score and led to another unearned run off of Jose Angel Mejias in the inning. (Mejias actually played in the Rays system from 2008 to 2009.) But the Astros’ Brandon Barnes gave the Leones the lead in the 4th on a 3-run home run to make it 4-3 and then in the 5th, Rays prospect Henry Wrigley had a run-scoring single (the run scored on an error), scored himself on a wild pitch, and then another run scored on a Hernan Perez (Tigers) RBI single as the Leones extended their lead to 7-3. A Luis Maza RBI double brought the Tigres back with 7-4, but that was all they could get as the Leones came away with the win. Twins prospect Oswaldo Arcia, the best prospect in the game for either side, went 2 for 3 with a double and a walk for Aragua, while Barnes, who appeared in the big leagues with the Astros this season, went 1 for 2 with his 3-run blast, 3 walks, and 2 runs scored. Wrigley entered the game 1 for 12 but finally managed to break out of his slump, going 2 for 4 with a run scored. Nice to see him get on track. With strides in his plate discipline in Venezuela, Wrigley could force his way into the big league discussion for the Rays in 2013.

Wrigley and Alex Torres are the two Rays playing Winter Ball overseas. We’ll cover Torres’ start for the Aguilas de Zulia tomorrow morning in addition to Arizona Fall League action.