FOLLOW HAYDEN
You can visit HobbsDailyReport.com for updates when Hayden Deal pitches throughout this baseball season.
By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
DEAL
Hayden Deal’s fifth pro season is underway, and he is back in Double A and pitching for the Mississippi Braves for the second straight season.
Deal, a 6-foot-4 left-hander who starred at Bandys High and in college at Presbyterian. has pitched in one of the Braves’ first three games.
Mississippi fell at home 5-1 to Montgomery (Ala.) to open the season on Friday and Deal, in relief, worked 2 2/3 innings. He allowed no hits, on runs. walked three and struck out four, throwing strikes on 28 of his 49 pitches and facing 10 batters.
He did not pitch in a 5-4 loss to Montgomery on Saturday or in the Braves’ 8-2 victory on Sunday.
The Braves (1-2) start a series at Biloxi (Miss.) on Tuesday night and play there through Sunday.
Deal has 88 career appearances — 44 of them starts — and is expected to be used primarily as a reliever this year. He s 20-15 as a pro with an ERA of 3.10 with five saves and 319 2/3 innings pitched with 284 strikeouts.
Deal’s with the Braves organization for the sixth year — there was no minor league season because of COVID in 2020 — and he was signed after a workout before a Braves scout at Bandys High.
After watching Deal pitch, the scout called the Braves and Deal was offered a contract.
CURRENT DOUBLE-A SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTH STANDINGS: https://www.milb.com/standings/southern/
HAYDEN DEAL’S PRO CAREER STATS: https://www.milb.com/player/hayden-deal-677421
OPENING DAY ROSTER: https://www.milb.com/mississippi/roster
MISSISSIPPI BRAVES SCHEDULE: https://www.milb.com/mississippi/schedule/2022-04