Pitcher and position player honored at six affiliates
HOUSTON, TX - The Houston Astros Player Development Department has named June's Minor League Pitchers and Players of the Month at each of their four in-season minor league affiliates and two Dominican Summer League affiliates. These awards are chosen every month by the field staff of each team.
At Triple A Fresno, IF Matt Duffy was named the June Player of the Month after hitting .298 (31x104) with four doubles, three homers, 24 RBI and a .369 on-base percentage in 27 games. Duffy is hitting .277 (76x274) with nine homers on the season, while ranking sixth in the Pacific Coast League and second on the Grizzlies in RBI (57). RHP Brady Rodgers earned Fresno's June Pitcher of the Month award after recording his best month of the season. The Astros third round pick in the 2012 draft went 4-1 with a 3.07 ERA (10ER/29.1IP), five walks and 18 strikeouts in five June starts.
OF Jon Kemmer was named Corpus Christi's June Player of the Month after leading the Double A level with a .403 (29x72) batting average in June. The left-handed hitter added three doubles, four homers, 14 RBI and a 1.062 OPS (.451 OBP/.611 SLG) in 21 games during the month, and is hitting .321 (54x168) with a .929 OPS on the season. Corpus Christi's June Pitcher of the Month honors went to RHP Aaron West, who posted a 2-1 record with a 1.29 ERA (2ER/14IP), one walk and 13 strikeouts in 7 June outings. West has posted a 2.54 ERA (14ER/49.2IP) in 15 outings (4 starts) at Corpus Christi this season.
At Class A Advanced Lancaster, IF A.J. Reed was named the Player of the Month and RHP Edison Frias was named the Pitcher of the Month for June. Last year's second round pick by the Astros, Reed led the minors in RBI (30) in June, while also hitting six homers and leading the Class A Advanced level in batting average (.434, 43x99) and OPS (1.206) during the month. Reed currently leads all of minor league baseball in RBI (72) and OPS (1.036) this season while ranking second in home runs (20). Frias went 2-0 with a 3.57 ERA (9ER/22.2IP) and 17 strikeouts in four games (three starts) in June. The Dominican-native leads the JetHawks in innings pitched (65.1) this season and has a 3.73 ERA (21ER/50.2IP) since the beginning of May.
OF Jason Martin took home Quad Cities June Player of the Month honors after hitting .294 (25x85) with three doubles, three homers and a .384 on-base percentage. Martin has hit .287 (54x188) in 50 games for the River Bandits this season. RHP Joshua James earned the River Bandits Pitcher of the Month award for June, as he went 1-0 with a 2.14 ERA (5ER/21IP), 18 strikeouts and a .186 opponents' batting average during the month. James has been one of the rotation leaders for Quad Cities this year, ranking second on the club in innings pitched (63.1) while posting a 2.70 ERA (19ER/63.1IP) in 14 games (nine starts).
For the DSL Astros Blue squad, IF Reiny Beltre was named Player of the Month and RHP Hector Perez was named Pitcher of the Month for June. Beltre, who was recently promoted to the GCL Astros, hit .338 (25x74) with four doubles, three homers, 19 RBI and a .938 OPS (.398 OBP/.541 SLG) in 18 games in the DSL. Perez gave up just three earned runs in 17.0 innings in June for a 1.59 ERA, striking out 18 with four walks in his four starts.
The DSL Astros Orange Player of the Month award went to IF Miguelangel Sierra, who hit .256 (23x90) with nine extra-base hits (seven doubles, two homers) and a .364 on-base percentage in 24 games in June. Sierra currently leads all DSL shortstops in double plays (18) and ranks second in assists (82) and total chances (124). RHP Juan Robles earned June Pitcher of the Month honors for the DSL Astros Orange after posting a 0.87 ERA (2ER/20.2IP) with 21 strikeouts and a .173 opponents' average in five June starts. Robles currently ranks fourth in the DSL in ERA (0.70, 2ER/25.2IP).
