J.D. Davis named PCL Player of the Week
ROUND ROCK, Texas - Fresno Grizzlies infielder/outfielder J.D. Davis and Omaha Storm Chasers right-hander Arnaldo Hernandez have been selected as the Pacific Coast League's Player and Pitcher of the Week for the period of August 13-19, 2018, the League office announced.Davis' run production was the difference in edging out New Orleans Baby Cakes
ROUND ROCK, Texas - Fresno Grizzlies infielder/outfielder
Davis' run production was the difference in edging out New Orleans Baby Cakes outfielder Peter O'Brien. Davis drove in a Minor League Baseball-best 15 runs, while also pacing the Minors with six home runs and 31 total bases. In seven games, Davis hit .462 (12-for-26) with seven runs scored and placed among the PCL's weekly leaders in extra-base hits (7, t-3rd), slugging percentage (1.192, 2nd) and OPS (1.726, 2nd).
The California native hit his six homers over a four-game span, from August 14-17. In the first of those games, against the Las Vegas 51s, Davis hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning and finished the contest with two hits, a walk and four RBI in the 6-3 win. The following night, also against Las Vegas, he hit a two-run homer. On August 16 and 17, both against Tacoma, Davis had consecutive two-homer games. He hit a pair of two-run home runs in the first of those games and added a three-run home run and a solo shot the next game. In all, Davis had hits in the final six games of the week, five of which were multi-hit contests.
The product of Cal State Fullerton has split the season between Fresno and Houston. In 73 games for the first-place Grizzlies, Davis has batted .348 (100-for-287), amassing 15 home runs, 71 RBI and a 1.009 OPS. He made the Astros Opening Day roster and has since been recalled to Houston twice, where he has 15 hits in 30 games. Davis, the third-round pick of Houston's in 2014, is in his second year with Fresno. In five professional seasons, Davis has hit .285 (612-for-2150). This is his eighth career Player of the Week honor, including being awarded four times in 2016 with the Double-A Texas League's Corpus Christi Hooks.
Hernandez tossed a nine-inning complete game on August 15 against first-place Oklahoma City, allowing only one run on five hits (four singles, one double). The righty needed only 97 pitches to finish the game, 80 of which were strikes. Hernandez didn't walk a batter and struck out six. He retired 22 of the final 24 hitters that came to the plate.
The 22-year-old has appeared in 24 games this year (21 starts) across three Kansas City affiliates. Hernandez began the campaign with Single-A Wilmington, where he worked to a 4.22 ERA in 64.0 innings in 14 appearances (12 starts). He then made three starts for Double-A Northwest Arkansas, totaling 16.1 innings, before getting promoted to Triple-A, where he has been ever since. In seven games (six starts) for Omaha, Hernandez has a 3.48 ERA (41.1 IP, 16 ER) with 11 walks and 28 strikeouts. Over his last two outings, the Venezuela native has allowed just one run on seven hits in 16 innings. In his five seasons in the Royals organization, Hernandez has gone 28-13 with a 3.86 ERA (359.1 IP, 154 ER). This is the first Player of the Week award of his career.