MiLB Player of the Day: Colton Ledbetter

Player of the Day: Colton Ledbetter Carries Memphis With Two-Homer Night
The Cardinal Chronicle
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur

On a night when most of the Cardinals’ farm system had a hard time finding the win column, Colton Ledbetter made sure Memphis did not join the crowd.

Ledbetter is the Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day after putting together a perfect night at the plate in the Redbirds’ 7-3 win over Gwinnett.

The final line tells the story:

4-for-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 3 R

That is not just a good night. That is a player taking over a ballgame.

Ledbetter homered twice, reached base every time he came to the plate, drove in three runs and scored three more. On a night when several of the bigger names in the Memphis lineup were quiet, Ledbetter gave the Redbirds exactly what they needed from the lower third of the order.

Memphis finished with 11 hits, but Ledbetter was the difference-maker. He supplied the only two home runs for the Redbirds and helped create separation in a game that stayed competitive into the late innings.

The 24-year-old outfielder has had to grind through the season at Triple-A, but Wednesday was a reminder of the power and athleticism that made him an intriguing piece in the Cardinals’ system. Nights like this matter because they show impact. Not just contact. Not just a decent box score. Impact.

There is a big difference.

Ledbetter entered the night looking for traction, and he left it with one of the best individual offensive performances in the Cardinals’ system this season. His two home runs gave him seven on the year, and his three RBIs pushed him to 30.

That is the kind of night that can help a player reset the tone of his season.

The Redbirds also got help from Ramon Mendoza, who doubled and drove in two runs, and Thomas Saggese, who added two hits and an RBI. But this game belonged to Ledbetter.

Memphis needed somebody to grab the wheel, and Ledbetter did just that.

In a farm system where Wednesday brought plenty of frustration — Springfield lost, Peoria lost, and Palm Beach scored nine runs and still lost — Ledbetter gave the Cardinals a clear bright spot.

Four hits.
Two home runs.
Three RBIs.
Three runs scored.
A road win for Memphis.

That earns the headline.

Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day:
Colton Ledbetter, RF, Memphis Redbirds
Final Line: 4-for-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 3 R

The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports & MiLB Today
Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.

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Photo Credit: Colton Ledbetter, Memphis Redbirds | MLB