By R.L. Bynum
In a battle of former fellow Carolina outfielders in Kinston on Thursday, Vance Honeycutt reached base three times in an outstanding minor-league debut and got his first professional hit.
The Baltimore Orioles’ first-round draft pick and 22nd overall selection, Honeycutt was the designated hitter for their low-Class A team, the Delmarva Shorebirds of the Carolina League. The Shorebirds’ 3–1 victory at Grainger Stadium came over the Texas Rangers affiliate, the Down East Wood Ducks, featuring Casey Cook, who went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts leading off and playing second base.
Honeycutt, who went 1 for 3 with a strikeout, walked in the first inning and eighth innings and singled in the fifth inning. After the eighth-inning walk, he stole second base and third base before scoring on a throwing error.
In 10 games with Down East, Cook, the 103rd overall pick in the MLB draft, has seven hits in 36 at-bats with an RBI and a steal.
You can watch Honeycutt and Cook this weekend as that series continues in Kinston with a 7 p.m. game Friday, a 5 p.m. game Saturday and a 1 p.m. game Sunday.
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Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics
