Cleveland Guardians pitching prospect Aidan Major was struck in the head by a line drive during a minor league baseball game on Tuesday, forcing him to leave the contest early.
Incident Details
Major was pitching for the Guardians' Single-A affiliate, the Hill City Howlers, at their home stadium in Lynchburg, Virginia, against the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, the Single-A affiliate of the Houston Astros. In the top of the first inning, Major faced Astros third-base prospect Xavier Neyens. On a 2-0 pitch, Neyens hit a line drive back at Major, giving the pitcher no time to react. The ball struck Major in the cheek, causing him to collapse to the grass in pain.
Medical Response
Training staff rushed to Major's aid, providing first aid before he was able to get up and onto a cart. He reportedly flashed a thumbs-up to the crowd as he left the stadium for further evaluation at a hospital. In a statement on X late Tuesday night, Major's father, Chad, said his son was "doing well considering the scary event." He added, "Currently still in the hospital awaiting results from scans. He wanted to get back to the stadium to cheer on his teammates."
Season Performance
Major, who pitched in college for West Virginia, has performed well to start the season, posting a 3.10 ERA over 29 innings pitched. Despite his early exit, the Howlers managed to secure a tight 5-4 victory in his absence.
