ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Minor League Baseball today announced the Player of the Month Award winners for each of the 10 full season leagues for the month of April. Each winner will receive an award from Minor League Baseball in recognition of the honor.Indianapolis Indians (Pirates) third baseman/outfielder José Osuna
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Minor League Baseball today announced the Player of the Month Award winners for each of the 10 full season leagues for the month of April. Each winner will receive an award from Minor League Baseball in recognition of the honor.
Indianapolis Indians (Pirates) third baseman/outfielder José Osuna led the International League in extra-base hits (12) and slugging percentage (.656), was tied for second in RBI (16), doubles (nine) and total bases (40) and fourth in average (.361) and home runs (three). Osuna's three home runs accounted for half of Indianapolis' team total in April and he hit safely in 16 of his 17 games. Osuna, 25, was signed by Pittsburgh out of Trujillo, Venezuela, on May 13, 2010.
Salt Lake Bees (Angels) outfielder Jabari Blash led the Pacific Coast League in total bases (61), extra-base hits (17), slugging percentage (.884), OPS (1.347) and tied for the league lead in home runs (nine). Blash was second in the PCL in on-base percentage (.463) and was third in RBI (22). Blash is the only player in professional baseball to post an OPS over 1.300 in April and his nine home runs in April were tied for second-most in pro ball, one behind New York Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius . Blash, 28, was originally selected by Seattle in the eighth round of the 2010 draft out of Miami Dade South Community College
Binghamton Rumble Ponies (Mets) first baseman Peter Alonso led the Eastern League in average (.408), hits (31), extra-base hits (14), total bases (59), home runs (seven), on-base percentage (.505), slugging percentage (.776) and OPS (1.282). He finished second in runs (18) and RBI (19) while walking as many times as he struck out (15). Alonso, 23, was selected by New York (NL) in the second round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Florida.
Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (Marlins) outfielder Austin Dean led the Southern League in average (.420), hits (34), total bases (53), slugging percentage (.654) and OPS (1.120). He finished third in on-base percentage (.466) and extra-base hits (12). Dean started the season with an 11-game hitting streak during which he went 22-for-40 (.550). Dean, 24, was selected by Miami in the fourth round of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft out of Klein Collins High School in Spring, Texas.
San Antonio Missions (Padres) catcher Austin Allen led the Texas League in doubles (12), home runs (eight), extra-base hits (20), total bases (68), slugging percentage (.773) and OPS (1.195). He finished second in hits (32), third in runs scored (18) and his .364 average was good for fifth in the league. Allen, 24, was selected by San Diego in the fourth round of the 2015 First-Year Player Draft out of the Florida Institute of Technology.
Lake Elsinore Storm (Padres) outfielder Buddy Reed led the California League in total bases (55), stolen bases (13) and tied for the league lead in hits (34), while his .366 average was good for second in the league. Reed finished third in the league in home runs (five), slugging percentage (.591) and OPS (.977), while he was fourth in the league in runs scored (18) and extra-base hits (11). Reed, 24, was selected by San Diego in the second round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Florida.
Winston-Salem Dash (White Sox) outfielder Micker Adolfo led the Carolina League with 21 RBI and tied for the league lead with five home runs in April. He finished second in the league with 50 total bases and a .549 slugging percentage. His 28 hits and 12 extra-base hits were good for third in the league, while his seven doubles and .918 OPS ranked fourth. Adolfo, 21, was signed by Chicago (AL) out of San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic on July 2, 2013.
Charlotte Stone Crabs (Rays) first baseman Nate Lowe led the Florida State League in average (.393), hits (35), total bases (57), on-base percentage (.460), slugging percentage (.640) and OPS (1.100). Lowe finished second in the league in RBI (24), doubles (seven), and extra-base hits (12) and his five home runs ranked fourth in the league. Lowe, 22, was selected by Tampa Bay in the 13th round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of Mississippi State University.
Lansing Lugnuts (Blue Jays) right-hander Yennsy Diaz dominated the Midwest League in April, going 3-0 with a 0.31 ERA in five starts (one earned run in 28.2 innings) as he allowed only six hits (four singles, a double and a home run). Diaz did not allow more than two hits in any of his five starts and has not allowed an extra-base hit in his last three starts. Only two runners have reached third base in his last 15 innings pitched (both were stranded there). Diaz, 21, was signed by Toronto out of Azua, Dominican Republic, on May 29, 2015.
Despite an April 23 promotion to Class-A Advanced Potomac, Hagerstown Suns (Nationals) outfielder Juan Soto led the South Atlantic League in average (.373), RBI (24), on-base percentage (.486), slugging percentage (.814) and OPS (1.300). Soto, who walked more times (14) than he struck out (13), finished second in the league in extra-base hits (13) and fourth in total bases (48). Soto, 19, was signed by Washington out of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on July 2, 2015.
