# Minor League Baseball Announces June Players and Pitchers of the Month

- Link: https://www.nyrdcast.com/minor-league-baseball-announces-june-players-and-pitchers-of-the-month/
- Published: 2022-07-07T13:56:53-05:00
- Author: Eugene Tierney

_Winners come from 18 organizations; Braves lead with three winners_

**July 6, 2022 —** [Minor League Baseball](http://www.milb.com)™ (MiLB™) today announced
the Player and Pitcher of the Month Award winners for June in each of the 14 leagues
in [Major League Baseball](http://www.mlb.com)’s player development system.

**International League (Triple-A)**
Syracuse Mets infielder/outfielder **[Travis Blankenhorn](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/blanktr01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)**
batted .402/.486/.674 and led the league in total bases (62) and OPS (1.160). He
was second in average (.402), hits (37), doubles (10), RBI (24), on-base percentage(.
486) and slugging percentage (.674) and fifth in runs scored (22). Blankenhorn, 
25, was originally selected by Minnesota in the third round of the 2015 MLB Draft
out of Pottsville Area High School in Pottsville, Pennsylvania.

Gwinnett Stripers (Braves) left-hander **[Kyle Muller](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=mulleky01,muller001kyl&search=Kyle+Muller&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)**
went 2-1 with a 1.87 ERA in five starts. He led the league in innings pitched (33.2)
and strikeouts (43) as he allowed seven earned runs on 20 hits and six walks. He
held opponents to a .171 average. Muller, 24, was selected by Atlanta in the second
round of the 2016 MLB Draft out of Jesuit College Prep High School in Dallas, Texas.

**Pacific Coast League (Triple-A)**
Las Vegas Aviators (Athletics) infielder **[Vimael Machin](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/machivi01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)**
batted .400/.477/.611 and led the league in hits (38), RBI (24) and on-base percentage(.
477). He finished second in average (.400), OPS (1.088) and total bases (58) and
was third in runs (23) and fifth in doubles (eight). Machín, 28, was originally 
selected by Chicago (NL) in the 10^(th) round of the 2015 MLB Draft out of Virginia
Commonwealth University.

Round Rock Express (Rangers) right-hander **[Spencer Howard](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/howarsp01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)**

**Eastern League (Double-A)**
Akron RubberDucks (Guardians) first baseman **[Micah Pries](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=pries-000mic&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)**
batted .312/.394/.688 and led the league in RBI (25), slugging percentage (.688)
and total bases (64). He finished second in home runs (nine), third in OPS (1.082),
fourth in runs scored (19) and sixth in hits (29). Pries, 24, was selected by Cleveland
in the 13^(th) round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of Point Loma Nazarene University
in San Diego, California.

Akron RubberDucks (Guardians) left-hander **[Logan Allen](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=allenlo01,allen-001log,allen-003log,allen-002log&search=Logan+Allen&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)**
went 3-0 with a 1.75 ERA in four starts. He struck out 39 and held opponents to 
a .107 average as he didn’t allow more than three hits in a start and pitched 6.0
or more innings in each outing. Allen struck out a career-high 11 batters in each
of his last two starts before a June 24 promotion to Triple-A Columbus. Allen, 23,
was selected by Cleveland in the second round of the 2020 MLB Draft out of Florida
International University in Miami, Florida.

**Southern League (Double-A)**
Tennessee Smokies (Cubs) infielder **[Jake Slaughter](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=slaugh000jak&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)**
batted .344/.423/.689 and led the league in home runs (nine), slugging percentage(.
689) and OPS (1.112). He was second in average (.344) and total bases (62) and fourth
in hits (31) and RBI (22). Slaughter, 25, was selected by Chicago in the 18^(th)
round of the 2018 MLB Draft out of Louisiana State University.

Rocket City Trash Pandas (Angels) right-hander **[Coleman Crow](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=crow--001col&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)**
went 3-0 with a 1.33 ERA in four starts as he allowed four earned runs over 27.0
innings. He struck out 24 and walked four while holding opponents to a .177 average.
Crow, 21, was selected by Los Angeles in the 28^(th) round of the 2019 MLB Draft
out of Pike County High School in Zebulon, Georgia.

**Texas League (Double-A)**
Springfield Cardinals infielder **[Malcom Nunez](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=nunez-002mal&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)**
batted .381/.454/.726 and led the league in average (.381), hits (32), RBI (27) 
and slugging percentage (.726). He was second in home runs (nine), total bases (
61) and OPS (1.180) and was third in on-base percentage (.454) and fourth in runs
scored (19). Nunez, 21, was signed by St. Louis as an International Free Agent out
of Havana, Cuba, on July 3, 2018.

Arkansas Travelers (Mariners) right-hander **[Taylor Dollard](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=dollar000tay&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)**
went 5-0 with a 0.86 ERA in five starts as he allowed just three earned runs on 
17 hits over 31.1 innings. He struck out 29 and held opponents to a .153 average.
He allowed just one run in his first four starts (24.1 innings). Dollard, 23, was
selected by Seattle in the fifth round of the 2020 MLB Draft out of Cal Poly University
in San Luis Obispo, California.

**Midwest League (High-A)**
Cedar Rapids Kernels (Twins) third baseman **[Christian Encarnacion-Strand](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=encarn000chr&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)**
batted .287/.368/.702 and led the league in home runs (nine), total bases (66), 
slugging percentage (.702) and OPS (1.070). He was second in doubles (12) and third
in RBI (21). Encarnacion-Strand, 22, was selected by Minnesota in the fourth round
of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Oklahoma State University.

Great Lakes Loons (Dodgers) right-hander **[Kyle Hurt](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=hurt--000kyl&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)**
went 1-1 with a 0.47 ERA in five starts as he allowed one earned run over 19.0 innings.
Hurt allowed five hits and struck out 30 and held opponents to a .082 average. He
left three of his five starts (two after 5.0 innings and another after 4.0 innings)
with a no-hitter intact. Hurt was promoted to Double-A Tulsa on July 5. Hurt, 24,
was originally selected by Miami in the fifth round of the 2020 MLB Draft out of
the University of Southern California.

**Northwest League (High-A)**
Eugene Emeralds (Giants) infielder **[Carter Aldrete](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=aldret000car&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)**
batted .326/.381/.568 and led the league in hits (31), RBI (27) and total bases (
54) and was second in home runs (six). He was third in average (.326), fourth in
slugging percentage (.568) and OPS (.949) and fifth in runs scored (17). Aldrete,
24, was selected by San Francisco in the 15^(th) round of the 2019 MLB Draft out
of the Arizona State University.

Everett AquaSox (Mariners) right-hander **[Juan Mercedes](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=merced008jua,merced010jua,merced009jua&search=Juan+Mercedes&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)**
went 1-1 with a 1.73 ERA in five games (four starts) as he allowed 14 hits over 
26.0 innings and struck out 31 while issuing just one walk. Opponents batted .157
against him on the heels of his seven-inning no-hitter on May 31. Mercedes, 22, 
was signed by Seattle as an International Free Agent out of Villa Tapia, Dominican
Republic, on April 21, 2017.

**South Atlantic League (High-A)**
Asheville Tourists (Astros) infielder **[Luis Santana](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=santan002lui,santan005lui,santan006lui&search=Luis+Santana&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)**
batted .417/.451/.595 and led the league in average (.417), while finishing second
in on-base percentage (.451) and OPS (1.046). He was third in hits (35) and RBI (
21) and fifth in doubles (seven). Santana, 22, was originally signed by New York(
NL) as an International Free Agent out of Bani, Dominican Republic, on July 7, 2016.

Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets) left-hander **[Nick Zwack](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=zwack-000nic&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)**
went 2-0 with a 0.36 ERA in five starts as he allowed just one run on 14 hits in
25.0 innings. Zwack finished the month on a 17-inning scoreless streak and held 
opponents to a .163 average. Zwack, 23, was selected by New York in the 17^(th) 
round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio.

**California League (Single-A)**
Fresno Grizzlies (Rockies) catcher **[Hunter Goodman](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=goodma000hun&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)**
batted .330/.439/.660 and led the league in home runs (eight), total bases (62),
slugging percentage (.660) and OPS (1.099) while finishing fifth in runs (22). Goodman,
22, was selected by Colorado in the fourth round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of the
University of Memphis.

Fresno Grizzlies (Rockies) right-hander **[McCade Brown](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=brown-000mcc&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)**
went 1-1 with a 2.39 ERA in five starts as he scattered 19 hits over 26.1 innings.
He led the league with 39 strikeouts and held opponents to a league-best .194 average.
Brown, 21, was selected by Colorado in the third round of the 2021 MLB Draft out
of Indiana University.

**Carolina League (Single-A)**
Salem Red Sox first baseman **[Niko Kavadas](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=kavada000nik&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)**
batted .377/.524/.951 and led the league in home runs (10), on-base percentage (.
524), slugging percentage (.951) and OPS (1.475) despite his June 24 promotion to
High-A Greenville. He finished third in average (.377), RBI (26) and total bases(
58). Kavadas, 23, was selected by Boston in the 11^(th) round of the 2021 MLB Draft
out of the University of Notre Dame.

Augusta GreenJackets (Braves) right-hander **[J.J. Niekro](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=niekro000jj-&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)**
went 4-1 with a 1.76 ERA in five starts as he allowed six runs on 21 hits in 30.2
innings. He held opponents to a .196 average and had a 23-inning scoreless streak.
Niekro, 24, was signed by Atlanta as a free agent on July 23, 2021, out of Florida
Southern College in Lakeland, Florida.

**Florida State League (Single-A)**
Jupiter Hammerheads (Marlins) infielder **[Jose Salas](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=salas-008jos&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)**
batted .333/.433/.560 and led the league in average (.333), on-base percentage (.
433) and OPS (.993). He was second in slugging percentage (.560), third in runs 
scored (18) and fourth in total bases (42). Salas, 19, was born in Kissimmee, Florida,
and was signed by the Marlins as a free agent on July 2, 2019.

Daytona Tortugas (Reds) right-hander **Javi Rivera** went 1-0 with a 0.48 ERA in
five games (four starts) and allowed just one run on eight hits and three walks 
while striking out 24 in 18.2 innings. He finished the month on a 13.2 innings scoreless
streak and held opponents to a .127 average. Rivera, 22, was selected by Cincinnati
in the 20^(th) round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Florida Atlantic University in
Boca Raton, Florida.

**Arizona Complex League (Rookie)**
Brewers Gold outfielder **[Luis Castillo](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=castilu02,castilu01,castil014lui,castil020lui,castil025lui,castil019lui,castil023lui,castil018lui&search=Luis+Castillo&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)**
batted .371/.429/.645 and led the league in hits (23), RBI (16), total bases (40),
slugging percentage (.645) and OPS (1.074). He was second in average (.371) and 
triples (two) and third in doubles (seven) and fourth in on-base percentage (.429).
Castillo, 18, was signed by Milwaukee as an International Free Agent out of Higuey,
Dominican Republic, on January 15, 2021.

Giants Black left-hander **[Joe Kemlage](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=kemlag000joe&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)**
went 3-0 in four games (three starts) without allowing a run over 16.0 innings of
work. He allowed nine hits and two walks while striking out 25. He held opponents
to a .161 average before a June 27 promotion to Single-A San Jose. Kemlage, 23, 
was signed by San Francisco as a free agent on August 21, 2021, out of American 
International College in Springfield, Massachusetts.

**Dominican Summer League (Rookie)**
Dodgers catcher **[Jorge Puerta](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=puerta000jor&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)**
batted .431/.547/.824 and led the league in average (.431), RBI (21), on-base percentage(
547) and OPS (1.371). He finished second in doubles (eight) and slugging percentage(.
824) and fifth in total bases (42) despite playing in 15 games. He was promoted 
to the Arizona Complex League Dodgers on July 1. Puerta, 20, was signed by Los Angeles
as an International Free Agent out of Tolu, Columbia, on July 18, 2019.

Rangers right-hander **[Nyan Hernandez](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=hernan000nya&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)**
went 3-0 with a 1.23 ERA in four starts as he allowed just four hits in 22.0 innings.
He held opponents to a league-best .060 average and was promoted to the Arizona 
Complex League Rangers on June 27. Hernandez, 20, was born in New York, New York,
and was signed by Texas as a free agent on September 6, 2018.

**Florida Complex League (Rookie)**
Marlins infielder **[Javier Sanoja](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=sanoja000jav&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)**
batted .338/.408/.569 and led the league in runs (19) and slugging percentage (.
569). He was second in average (.338), doubles (seven), total bases (37), stolen
bases (nine), on-base percentage (.408) and OPS (.977). He finished third in hits(
22). Sanoja, 19, was signed by Miami as an International Free Agent out of Maracay,
Venezuela, on July 2, 2019.

Braves right-hander **[Jorge Bautista](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=bautis002jor&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)**
pitched to a 1.53 ERA in four games (three starts) as he allowed three runs on seven
hits and four walks in 17.2 innings. He struck out 25 batters and held opponents
to a league-best .117 average. Bautista, 21, was signed by Atlanta as an International
Free Agent out of LaRomana, Dominican Republic, on July 6, 2018.

###

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