The Columbus Clippers took an early lead, almost gave up the lead in the eighth inning, then got some insurance runs to come away with a 6-3 win against the Toledo Mud Huns in the series finale at Huntington Park Sunday. Our three takeaways today involve three players who are making an impact in Columbus right now:

1.   Columbus starter Austin Peterson had a solid outing in just his second appearance of the season. The 6’6 right-hander went four innings and allowed just one run on two hits. He struck out two and now has an ERA of 1.29. The 26-year-old looked to be preparing for the next level when he suffered a right tricep strain in spring training. If his two starts with the Clippers are any indication, he is very close.

2.   Kody Huff has been a go-to guy for a couple of important reasons. He’s batting at a consistent .280 clip, but the timeliness of his hits is even more important. On Sunday, he knocked in a couple of runs in the late innings with two doubles. Oh, yeah, and he can catch. His knowledge of the game allows him to handle a developing pitching staff and to win most of his ABS challenges. Not surprising for a Stanford guy.

3.   Reliever Codi Heuer came to Columbus this season when the Guardians signed him to a free agent contract. Another tall (6’5) right-hander, Heuer has 89 Major League games under his belt going back to 2020. Most of those were with the White Sox, who drafted him out of Wichita State. He had Tommy John surgery in 2023, causing him to miss most of that season and all of the next. So far with the Clippers, he has appeared in 11 games and has a win and three saves, with an ERA of 1.64. He threw a hitless ninth inning Sunday to grab save number three.