ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Minor League Baseball today announced its August Player of the Month Award winners for all leagues. Each winner will receive an award from Minor League Baseball in recognition of the honor.
Gwinnett Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. led the International League in hits (47) and runs scored (24), and was second in average (.364) and total bases (69). Acuna posted 16 multi-hit games, a 14-game hitting streak and a nine-game hitting streak in 30 August games. Acuna, 19, was signed by Atlanta as a non-drafted free agent out of La Guaira, Venezuela in 2015.
Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals) right-hander Jack Flaherty went 4-1 with a 1.97 ERA in five starts to claim Pacific Coast League Player of the Month honors. Over 32.0 innings of work, Flaherty struck out 29 while walking seven. The honor is Flaherty's second Player of the Month Award of 2017, as he was named the Texas League' top performer in April with Springfield. Flaherty, 21, was selected by St. Louis in the first round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft out of Harvard-Westlake High School in Studio City, California.
Hartford Yard Goats (Rockies) third baseman Josh Fuentes tied for the Eastern League lead in hits (38) and was second in doubles (10) despite playing in just 19 games. While he fell one plate appearance shy of qualifying, Fuentes would have led the league in batting average (.487), slugging (.731), on-base percentage (.500) and OPS (1.231). He recorded 15 multi-hit games in August and raised his batting average for the season by 40 points during the month (.266 to .306). Fuentes, 24, was signed by the Rockies as a non-drafted free agent in 2014 after his junior year at Missouri Baptist University.
Montgomery Biscuits (Rays) outfielder Justin Williams led the Southern League in home runs (eight), RBI (28) and slugging (.677) and finished second in runs (20), extra-base hits (16), total bases (63) and OPS (1.089). Williams recorded 10 multi-hit games during the month and homered three times on Aug. 30 against Mobile. Williams, 22, was originally selected by Arizona in the second round of the 2013 First-Year Player Draft out of Terrebone High School in Houma, Louisiana.
• July 2017 Players of the Month »
Springfield Cardinals (Cardinals) left-hander Austin Gomber was 5-0 with a 0.91 ERA in six August starts. Gomber led the Texas league in WHIP (0.76), batting average against (.134) and ERA, while finishing second in strikeouts (44). He did not allow more than two runs in any of his six starts. Gomber, 23, was selected by St. Louis in the fourth round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft out of Florida Atlantic University.
Stockton Ports (Athletics) right fielder Seth Brown batted .349 in August and led the California League in total bases (80), home runs (12), RBI (38), slugging (.755) and OPS (1.177). He was second in extra-base hits (18) and on-base percentage (.423), while finishing third in hits (37) and runs (24). His 38 RBI in August led the league by 13 and were the most in any month this year in professional baseball, topping Miami's Giancarlo Stanton's August total by one. Brown, 25, was selected by Oakland in the 19th round of the 2015 First-Year Player Draft out of Lewis-Clark State College.
Lynchburg Hillcats (Indians) right-hander Aaron Civale led the Carolina League in wins (six), innings pitched (42.0) and WHIP (0.81). He walked one batter and struck out 31 while holding opponents to a .216 average. Civale, 22, was selected by Cleveland in the third round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of Northeastern University.
Dunedin Blue Jays third baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. led the Florida State League in on-base percentage (.483), OPS (1.129) and walks (19), while finishing second in average (.385), runs (20), total bases (62) and slugging (.646). He finished third in hits (37), extra-base hits (12) and RBI (23). He recorded 12 multi-hit games and walked six more times than he struck out (19-13). Guerrero, 18, was signed by Toronto as a non-drafted free agent out of Nizao, Dominican Republic, in 2015.
Fort Wayne TinCaps (Padres) third baseman Hudson Potts batted .346 in August and led the Midwest League in total bases (71), extra-base hits (18) and home runs (eight), while finishing second in slugging (.664) and OPS (1.060). He was third in doubles (10), hits (37) and RBI (23) and posted 12 multi-hit games in August. Potts, 18, was selected by San Diego in the first round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of Carroll High School in Southlake, Texas.
Asheville Tourists (Rockies) first baseman Tyler Nevin led the South Atlantic League in hits (44), total bases (63) and on-base percentage (.430), while finishing second in average (.379), runs (23), doubles (10) and extra-base hits (14). He was third in RBI (23) and OPS (.973), recorded 12 multi-hit games and had a nine-game hitting streak Aug. 22-30. Nevin, 20, was selected by Colorado in Competitive Balance Round A of the 2015 First-Year Player Draft out of Poway (California) High School.
Lowell Spinners (Red Sox) right-hander Denyi Reyes led the New York-Penn League in wins (six), ERA (0.53) and WHIP (0.68). Reyes held opponents to a .180 batting average and walked just one batter while striking out 32 in 33.2 innings of work. Reyes, 20, was signed by Boston as a non-drafted free agent out of San Cristobal, Dominican Republic, in 2014.
Hillsboro Hops (Diamondbacks) right-hander Kevin McCanna led Northwest League pitchers in wins (five), ERA (0.27), innings pitched (33.1) strikeouts (43), WHIP (0.66) and batting average against (.111). He did not allow an earned run in his first four starts of the month. McCanna, 23, was originally selected by Houston in the 13th round of the 2015 First-Year Player Draft out of Rice University.
Elizabethton Twins center fielder Akil Baddoo led the Appalachian League in hitting (.389), hits (35), doubles (13), on-base percentage (.504), slugging (.622), and OPS (1.127). He finished second in the league in runs (28) and third in extra-base hits (16) and total bases (56). Baddoo, 19, was selected by Minnesota in Competitive Balance Round B of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of Salem High School in Conyers, Georgia.
Great Falls Voyagers (White Sox) designated hitter Justin Yurchak led the Pioneer Baseball League in average (.449), on-base percentage (.546) and OPS (1.290) while finishing second in hits (35), doubles (nine) and slugging (744). Yurchak drew 18 walks while striking out nine times and posted 10 multi-hit games in 22 August contests. Yurchak, 20, was selected by Chicago in the 12th round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft out of SUNY-Binghamton.
Gulf Coast Blue Jays right-hander Maverik Buffo led the Gulf Coast League in ERA (0.42) and tied for the league lead in wins (three), while finishing second in WHIP (0.83). Buffo walked one batter in 21.1 innings while striking out 21. Buffo, 21, was selected by Toronto in the 34th round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft out of Brigham Young University.
Arizona League Giants infielder Jacob Gonzalez was named Arizona League Player of the Month after batting .322 in 23 games. Gonzalez, 19, was selected by San Francisco in the second round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft out of Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, Arizona.
