ZEBULON, N.C. - The Carolina Mudcats, the Class-A Advanced affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, are thrilled to announce today that starting pitcher Noah Zavolas has been named the Carolina League's Pitcher of the Week for the week ending on August 4. Zavolas, who was also a mid-season Carolina League All-Star,
ZEBULON, N.C. - The Carolina Mudcats, the Class-A Advanced affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, are thrilled to announce today that starting pitcher Noah Zavolas has been named the Carolina League's Pitcher of the Week for the week ending on August 4. Zavolas, who was also a mid-season Carolina League All-Star, is now a two-time Carolina League Pitcher of the Week honoree having earned the same award for the week ending on June 23 earlier this season.
Zavolas pitched through six scoreless innings and totaled eight strikeouts on August 1 versus the Down East Wood Ducks in what his lone start during the last week of games running from July 29 through August 4. Zavolas also walked one and scattered three hits while combining with relievers Robbie Hitt and Anthony Bender on a five-hit shutout of the Wood Ducks and while leading Carolina to a 7-0 victory at Five County Stadium.
The right-hander began his outing with a strikeout off lead-off man Bubba Thompson before then allowing a double to Sam Huff in the second at bat of the game. Zavolas then went on to retire 11 straight thereafter before giving up his second hit of the game to his first batter faced in the fifth. He also issued his lone walk two batters later, but went on to strand two men on in the fifth before allowing one more hit while working a scoreless sixth.
The 23-year-old Zavolas reached 97 pitches (63 strikes) in his award winning outing while also lowering his overall season earned run average to a paltry 2.93; placing him second in the Carolina League behind Down East pitcher Sal Mendez. Zavolas has additionally pitched to a 2.00 ERA (9 BB, 45 SO, 0.84 WHIP) over eight starts and 54.0 innings pitched since the All-Star break. The outing also resulted in his 11th quality start of the season and his 14th start where he had pitched through 6.0 innings or more. Zavolas currently leads the Carolina League in innings pitched (129.0), WHIP (1.11), BB/9 (1.47) and FIP (3.12).
The Harvard product was acquired by the Brewers on December 21, 2018 as part of a trade with the Seattle Mariners that included OF Domingo Santana going to the Mariners and OF Ben Gamel and Zavolas going to Milwaukee. The Mariners originally selected Zavolas in the 18th round of the 2018 Draft, making the current season just the second of his professional career. The 2019 season is both his first full season as a pro and his first as a starter as he spent his first professional season in 2018 as a reliever with rookie level Everett and High-A Modesto in the Seattle farm system. Zavolas combined to go 5-2 with a 3.03 ERA with 11 walks and 41 strikeouts over 19 games between both levels last season.
Zavolas is now a two-time Pitcher of the Week honoree and is one of three Mudcats player to the earn the weekly honor this season. Zavolas is joined by RHP Dylan File who also earned Pitcher of the Week honors earlier this season for the week ending on April 28 and C Mario Feliciano who was the league's Player of the Week for the week ending on June 9.
The Carolina Mudcats are the proud Carolina League, Class-A Advanced affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. First established in 1991, the two-time Southern League Champion Mudcats are entering their 29th consecutive season of baseball at Five County Stadium in Zebulon, N.C. The Mudcats are owned and operated by the Milwaukee Brewers.
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