photo: Adolis Garcia (Memphis Redbirds)
The St. Louis Cardinals have two minors Players of the Month as well as a Player and Pitcher of the Week, all announced Monday.
Memphis Redbirds press release
Memphis Redbirds outfielder Adolis Garcia has been named Minor League Baseball’s Pacific Coast League Player of the Month for July, the league office announced Monday.
Garcia was a force at the plate in July. In 25 games, Garcia hit .354 (34-for-96), notching eight doubles, one triple, and 10 home runs, while driving in 25 runs, and scoring 21 times. He posted a .374 on-base percentage, a .771 slugging percentage, and an OPS 1.145.
On July 26, Garcia became the seventh player in Redbirds history to hit three home runs in a game, and the second this season. In that game, he also tied the franchise record with eight RBI. He became the first Memphis player to hit a grand slam in a three home run performance.
For his performance in July he was also named the Pacific Coast League Player of the Week for the week of July 23-29 and the Cardinals Minor League Player of the Month for July.
Garcia continued his dominance into August. Before going hitless in yesterday’s game, the slugger had a 14-game hitting streak dating back to July 20. He hit .419 (26-for-62) in that stretch, scoring 18 times, notching eight doubles, one triple, and nine home runs, while driving in 23 runners.
This honor is one of many earned by the Redbirds this season. Earlier this season, Austin Gomber was named the Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Month for April, while Dakota Hudson and Rangel Ravelo were named the Cardinals Minor League Pitcher and Player of the Month for June, and Daniel Poncedeleon was named as the Pitcher of the Month for July.
Peoria Chiefs press release
The Peoria Chiefs, Midwest League and Minor League Baseball have announced that Elehuris Montero has been named MWL Player of the Month for July.
The third baseman hit .359 in 25 games in July while leading the league in doubles (10) and OPS (1.056). He finished second in the MWL in runs (20), extra-base hits (15), total bases (58) and slugging percentage (.630) in the month. In addition Montero was third in the league in home runs (5), RBI (20) and batting average (.359).
The month of July saw Montero put his name in the Chiefs record book as he tied a team and league record with four doubles July 29 in Clinton. During that four game series in Clinton he had 10 hits with six doubles and two homers. Montero had nine multi-hit games in July including three games with three hits and one with four. He started July on a hit streak that reached 13 games before ending on July 11 and overall he hit safely in 19 of his 24 games started in the month.
Another highlight for Montero’s July came in Lansing on July 19 when he homered twice and tallied four RBI as part of a three-hit performance. He collected three hits again the next night as the Chiefs finished a sweep of the Lugnuts. Montero also used the long ball against Wisconsin in consecutive games July 7-8 and he tallied six RBI in three games against Burlington July 1-3.
Montero, 19, begins play on Monday as the Midwest League leader in batting average (.321), slugging percentage (.531), hits (121), extra-base hits (46), total bases (200) and doubles (28). He also ranked third in RBI (69) and fifth in home runs (15). On Sunday he became the 37th player in team history and just third since 2011 to rack up 200 total bases in the season and his 69 RBI are the most by a Chiefs player since Jacob Wilson drove in 72 in 2013. He is now one of 35 players in team history to have at least 15 home runs in a season.
Kruczynski takes Texas League by storm
It is pretty difficult to imagine two better initial outings at a new level than those logged by new Springfield left-hander Evan Kruczynski last week. The result was Texas League Pitcher of the Week honors for July 30 through August 5.
On the 30th, the 23-year old held the Tulsa Drillers at bay with seven shutout frames in his Double-A debut, striking out eight. Kruczynski yielded just two hits and two walks and picked up the win.
Five days later, Kruczynski was locked in a pitchers’ duel with the Northwest Arkansas starter. After five scoreless frames, before the Naturals broke through with a two-out RBI single. Kruczynski capped his night with a 1-2-3 seventh, but the Springfield offense could not get a run home.
Overall, he went 1-1 with a 0.64 ERA. Over his 14 innings, he yielded just the one run on eight hits three walks to go with 14 strikeouts. Kruczynski was St. Louis’ ninth-rounder in the 2017 draft from East Carolina.
Gorman tops in Appy League
Johnson City third baseman Nolan Gorman was named the Appalachian League Player of the Week for the period of July 30 through August 5.
The left-handed hitter went 12-for-23, including three doubles and three home runs. He plated eight and scored seven runs. St. Louis’ first-rounder this June has gone deep in four of his last six games, including on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. His slash line was a robust .522/.560/1.043/1.603.
The 18-year old hasn’t just been hot one week; he is among the 2018 league leaders in a number of categories. Gorman’s .677 slugging percentage is first in the rookie-level circuit, and his 11 long balls, 21 extra-base hits and 40 runs scored are all second-most. He is also third in total bases with 90.
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