Late August is traditionally referred to as the dog days of the baseball season. If Saturday night’s Columbus Clingstones game was any indication, the best way to get a rejuvenated pep is to play for a worthy cause, all while wearing a whimsical ice cream-themed jersey. And if you’re Eric Hartman, the cherry on top is your first Double-A homer.
All the components of that recipe came together in the Clingstones’ 14-2 win over the Montgomery Biscuits at Synovus Park as the team held their annual CURE Childhood Cancer Night.
Each player and coach was paired with a local pediatric cancer patient. The kids took the field pregame alongside their “buddy,” but they also had an unique opportunity to be a part of the action. In place of their own last name, the Clingstones represented their pregame partners.
Hartman, the Braves’ top prospect, was paired with Joseph, who happened to share a lot of the same interests. Their conversation before the game served as a mental reset.
“He helped me remind myself that it’s a game and to have some fun,” Hartman said.
After 16 homerless contests at Double-A, MLB’s No. 42 prospect needed just two pitches to get the proverbial monkey off his back. He lofted an 0-1 pitch from right-hander TJ Nichols (TB No. 27 prospect) far beyond the right-field fence onto the clubhouse roof. It marked Hartman's second extra-base hit since his Aug. 4 promotion, before he added his third in the eighth inning with a double, finishing the game 3-for-5, his first three-hit game for Columbus.
“I’ve been trying not to press for it as these weeks have gone by," Hartman said. "But I’ve been working hard in the cages with some coaches and putting work in, getting the swing back and getting the confidence back as well."
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It has been a breakout year for the Alberta native, who was a 20th-round selection of the Braves in the 2024 Draft. He got off to a torrid start to 2026 with High-A Rome, crushing 24 home runs and stealing 38 bases in 94 games. Since his promotion, he has struggled “not trying to make an adjustment,” which may sound counterintuitive.
“Competition is always going to get better," he said. "But at the end of the day, I’ve got to do what works for me and works for my strengths and not play to any other people’s strengths."
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As the homer drought would suggest, there have been some bumps in the road along the way. Hartman is slashing .239/.354/.313 across 17 games, but he has found other ways to impact the game, including remaining a problem on the basepaths. His has swiped 10 Double-A bags, which is tied for the most in the Southern League in August. He's one of just two Minor Leaguers to total 20+ homers and 40+ steals this season, including becoming the second-fastest player to a 20-HR/30-SB campaign across the Minors in the past two decades.
But in a month sprinkled with successes and failures, the night’s larger purpose helped put things into perspective.
“It was really eye-opening for everyone involved,” Hartman said of meeting the pediatric cancer patients. “You look at them, and you see yourself in them always. They’re a lot stronger than we are.”