Encarnación Powers Chiefs

The Cardinal Chronicle
Encarnación Powers Chiefs, Named MiLB Player of the Day
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur

PEORIA, Ill. — Some nights are about numbers. Others are about impact.

On Tuesday, Anyelo Encarnación delivered both.

The Peoria Chiefs slugger, making his return from the injured list, went 3-for-4 with a grand slam, powering Peoria to a 7-2 victory over Cedar Rapids and earning The Cardinal Chronicle’s Minor League Player of the Day honors.

Encarnación’s biggest moment came in the fourth inning, when he turned a close game into a comfortable one with a towering grand slam that broke things open. It was the kind of swing that doesn’t just add runs—it shifts the entire tone of the game.

And it came in his first game back.

That’s what makes this performance stand out. After time away, there’s usually rust, timing issues, a feeling-out process. Encarnación showed none of that. Instead, he stepped right back into the middle of the lineup and delivered a performance that anchored the Chiefs’ most complete win of the series.

Beyond the home run, his three-hit night set the pace for an offense that produced consistently and supported a strong effort on the mound. The Chiefs, who have been working to find rhythm early in the season, now have back-to-back wins—and a middle-of-the-order bat that looks ready to contribute immediately.

For Encarnación, it was more than a good game.

It was a statement.

The Cardinal Chronicle in association with Gateway Sports