Medina’s blast the farthest & hardest for Brooklyn in 2018

With one home run already in his pocket Wednesday, Jose Medina stepped into his at-bat in the eighth inning with good vibes. The, he turned on a fastball from Luis De Paula of Tri-City, and crushed it onto the left-center field berm.

The majestic homer traveled 404 feet, according to TrackMan, and leapt off the barrel at 106 mph. It’s the longest home run and the hardest exit velocity for a Cyclones player this season.

Medina has had an even better year than 2017, when he stole 29 bases and hit .252 across three levels. He spent the majority of his season, 63 games, with Brooklyn.

Returning to the club this season may have been a surprise, but the Mets may be even more surprised, and certainly are delighted, with his progress as a power bat. Just 26 games into this repeat season at this level, he’s hit three home runs and mashed 10 doubles, slashing .283/.358/.481. It took him 63 games last year to collect one homer and nine doubles with the Cyclones.

That’s big-time progress.

Sure, it may not be tomorrow for Medina to earn a promotion, but he’s close. Columbia, the next step up the wrung at full-season, Class A ball, has Quinn Brodey and Matt Winaker as the two main cogs in the outfield machine for the Fireflies. In Columbia’s most recent game this week, Zach Rheams, newly drafted out of Texas Tech (27th round), played outfield with Brodey and Winaker.

Medina can play every outfield position, too, meaning that there might be a spot soon for him. Especially if this newly-found power becomes part of the everyday game for the fifth-year minor leaguer.

— @KeithRaad

Tonight’s Game: Brooklyn at Tri-City, 7 p.m.
Joseph L. Bruno Stadium — Troy, NY
LHP Kevin Smith (3–0, 0.75) vs. RHP Cody Deason (0–0, 1.80)
Audio: BrooklynCyclones.com/listen