Phillies' Miller, Cardinals' Mathews headline August Players of the Month
Minor League Baseball announced the Player and Pitcher of the Month Award winners for August in Major League Baseball’s player development system.
Minor League Baseball announced the Player and Pitcher of the Month Award winners for August in Major League Baseball’s player development system.
International League (Triple-A)
Buffalo Bisons (Blue Jays) outfielder Alan Roden batted .354/.411/.594 and led the league in hits (34) and total bases (57), while finishing second in runs scored (21). He was fourth in average (.354), slugging percentage (.594) and OPS (1.005). He began the month with an eight-game hitting streak and recorded 10 multi-hit games. His four hits on Aug. 23 against Omaha tied his career high. Roden, 24, was selected by Toronto in the third round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Creighton University.
Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals) left-hander Noah Cameron went 2-1 with a 1.71 ERA in five starts as he allowed six earned runs on 20 hits over 31 2/3 innings. He struck out 36 while walking eight and held opponents to a .180 average. He allowed one run or fewer in four of his five starts. Cameron, 25, was selected by Kansas City in the seventh round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Central Arkansas University.
Pacific Coast League (Triple-A)
Las Vegas Aviators (Athletics) shortstop Nick Allen batted .385/.477/.659 and led the league in OPS (1.136) while finishing second in average (.385), hits (35), doubles (10) and on-base percentage (.477). He was third in total bases (60) and fourth in slugging percentage (.659) at the time of his promotion to Oakland on Aug. 28. He recorded 10 multi-hit games and separate hitting streaks of eight, six and six games in August. Allen, 25, was selected by Oakland in the third round of the 2017 MLB Draft out of Parker High School in San Diego, California.
Las Vegas left-hander Brady Basso was 2-1 with a 2.84 ERA in five starts as he allowed eight earned runs on 18 hits and four walks over 25 1/3 innings. He struck out 27 and held opponents to a .191 average. His WHIP (0.87) was best in the league among pitchers with at least four starts. Basso, 26, was selected by Oakland in the 16th round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of Oklahoma State University.
Eastern League (Double-A)
Erie SeaWolves (Tigers) third baseman/shortstop Gage Workman batted .308/.368/.577 and led the league in hits (32), home runs (seven) and total bases (60) and was second in runs (17) and RBIs (22), His finished third in slugging percentage (.577). He recorded nine multi-hit games. Workman, 24, was selected by Detroit in the fourth round of the 2020 MLB Draft out of Arizona State University.
Hartford Yard Goats (Rockies) right-hander Chase Dollander went 2-0 with a 0.92 ERA in five starts as he allowed just three earned runs on 17 hits and 10 walks over 29 1/3 innings. He struck out a league-best 41 batters and held opponents to a .163 average. He held opponents scoreless in three of his five starts and struck out 20 of the 34 batters he retired in his last two outings. Dollander, 22, was selected by Colorado in the first round (ninth overall) of the 2023 MLB Draft out of the University of Tennessee.
Southern League (Double-A)
Tennessee Smokies (Cubs) first baseman/third baseman Jonathon Long batted .350/.472/.510 and led the league in runs (28) and on-base percentage (.472) and was second in hits (35), total bases (51), walks (23) and OPS (.982). He finished third in RBIs (18) and slugging percentage (.510) and fifth in average (.350) and home runs (four). He recorded nine multi-hit games and started the month with a six-game hitting streak and finished it with a seven-game hitting streak. Long, 22, was selected by Chicago (NL) in the ninth round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Long Beach State University.
Rocket City Trash Pandas (Angels) right-hander Caden Dana went 3-0 with a 0.57 ERA in five starts as he scattered 19 hits and seven walks over 31 1/3 innings. He held opponents to a .167 average while striking out 32 and did not allow more than one earned run in a start. He was promoted to Los Angeles and won his MLB Debut against Seattle on Sept. 1. Dana, 20, was selected by Los Angeles (AL) in the 11th round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of Don Bosco High School in Ramsey, New Jersey.
Texas League (Double-A)
Springfield Cardinals second baseman/center fielder Bryan Torres batted .418/.491/.538 and led the league in average (.418), hits (38) and on-base percentage (.491) and was second in runs (20), total bases (49) and OPS (1.029). He finished third in doubles (eight) and fourth in slugging percentage (.538). He recorded 13 multi-hit games (including a span of six straight from August 13-20) and set a career-high with five hits on Aug. 14 at Frisco. Torres, 27, was originally signed by Milwaukee as a free agent out of Caguas, Puerto Rico, on July 15, 2015.
Springfield left-hander Quinn Mathews went 2-0 with a 0.70 ERA in four starts as he allowed two earned runs on 11 hits and four walks over 25 2/3 innings, while holding opponents to a .128 average (second-best in the league). His 40 strikeouts were one behind the leader (who pitched eight more innings) and his WHIP (0.58) and strikeouts per nine innings (14.03) led the league. Mathews was promoted to Triple-A Memphis, his fourth level of play this year, on Aug. 28. Mathews, 23, was selected by St. Louis in the fourth round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Stanford University.
Midwest League (High-A)
Quad Cities River Bandits (Royals) outfielder Spencer Nivens batted .352/.427/.806 and led all of Minor League Baseball in runs (29), home runs (13), total bases (87) and slugging percentage (.806). He led the Midwest League in RBIs (26) and OPS (1.233) and was second in hits (38). He recorded 14 multi-hit games and homered in 12 of his 27 games. He ended the month with a 16-game hitting streak, during which he batted .438 (28-for-64) with nine home runs. Nivens, 22, was selected by Kansas City in the fifth round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Missouri State University.
Quad Cities right-hander Ethan Bosacker went 5-0 with a 1.80 ERA in five starts as he allowed six earned runs on 20 hits and five walks over 30 innings, while holding opponents to a .192 average. He set a career-high with 12 strikeouts on Aug. 15 at Beloit and his 13 wins this season are tied for the Minor League Baseball lead. Bosacker, 23, was selected by Kansas City in the 13th round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Xavier University.
Northwest League (High-A)
Eugene Emeralds (Giants) first baseman Bryce Eldridge batted .376/.469/.763 and led the league in home runs (nine), RBIs (24), total bases (71) and slugging percentage (.763) and was second in average (.376), runs (21), hits (35) and OPS (1.232). He finished third in on-base percentage (.469) and fifth in doubles (seven). He recorded 11 multi-hit games and hit safely in nine consecutive games from Aug. 4-15 and ended the month on a seven-game hitting streak. Eldridge, 19, was selected by San Francisco in the first round (16th overall) of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Madison High School in Vienna, Virginia.
Hillsboro Hops (D-backs) right-hander Jose Cabrera went 2-1 with a 1.32 ERA in five starts as he allowed 14 hits and eight walks in 34 innings. He led the league in innings (34), strikeouts (36), ERA (1.32), WHIP (0.65), opponents’ average (.122) and hits allowed per nine innings (3.71). On Aug. 24, against Spokane, he worked 8 2/3 innings and struck out 11 batters, setting career-highs in both categories. Cabrera, 22, was signed by Arizona as an international free agent out of Yaguate, Dominican Republic, on September 24, 2021.
South Atlantic League (High-A)
Jersey Shore BlueClaws (Phillies) shortstop Aidan Miller batted .299/.370/.536 and led the league in runs (19), total bases (52) and triples (three) and finished second in hits (29), slugging percentage (.536) and OPS (.906). He was fourth in RBIs (16) and fifth in doubles (six). He recorded eight multi-hit games and had a nine-game hitting streak from Aug. 14-23. Miller, 20, was selected by Philadelphia in the first round (27th overall) of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Mitchell High School in New Port Richey, Florida.
Bowling Green Hot Rods (Rays) right-hander Jackson Baumeister went 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA in six appearances (four starts) as he allowed three earned runs on 11 hits and four walks over 24 innings. He struck out 35 and held opponents to a .133 average. He led the league in WHIP (0.63) and strikeout to walk ratio (8.75), was second in average against (.133) and third in strikeouts per nine innings (13.13). He struck out a career-high 11 on Aug. 30 against Greenville. Baumeister, 22, was originally selected by Baltimore in Competitive Balance Round B (63rd overall) of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Florida State University. He was traded to Tampa Bay in exchange for RHP Zach Eflin on July 24, 2024.
California League (Single-A)
Lake Elsinore Storm (Padres) outfielder Braedon Karpathios batted .352/.445/.582 and led the league in slugging percentage (.582) and total bases (53) and was second in OPS (1.027). He finished third in average (.352), hits (32) and doubles (nine) and was fourth in on-base percentage (.445). He recorded 12 multi-hit games and hit safely in seven consecutive games from Aug. 6-13. Karpathios, 21, was signed by San Diego as a free agent out of Harford Community College in Bel Air, Maryland, on July 30, 2022.
San Jose Giants right-hander Josh Bostick went 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA in five starts as he allowed eight earned runs on 18 hits and six walks over 24 innings. He struck out 30, held opponents to a .209 average and did not allow an earned run in three of his five starts. He led the league in strikeouts per nine innings (11.25) and WHIP (1.00). Bostick, 22, was selected by San Francisco in the eighth round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Grayson College in Sherman, Texas.
Carolina League (Single-A)
Down East Wood Ducks (Rangers) catcher Julian Brock batted .394/.421/.634 and led the league in average (.394), hits (28), total bases (45), slugging percentage (.634) and OPS (1.055) and was third in on-base percentage (.421). He recorded eight multi-hit games in his 18 contests and set and later tied a career-high with four hits on Aug. 11 and Aug. 17. Brock, 23, was selected by Texas in the eighth round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of the University of Louisiana-Lafayette.
Fredericksburg Nationals right-hander Travis Sykora went 4-0 with a 0.88 ERA in six starts as he allowed three earned runs on 12 hits and four walks over 30 2/3 innings. He led the league in strikeouts (48, 11 more than the next pitcher), WHIP (0.52), average against (.118) and strikeouts per nine innings (14.09). He didn’t allow a hit for 12 2/3 innings over three starts to start the month and didn’t allow an earned run in four of his six starts. Sykora, 20, was selected by Washington in the third round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Round Rock High School in Round Rock, Texas.
Florida State League (Single-A)
Dunedin Blue Jays shortstop Arjun Nimmala batted .296/.330/.541 and led the league in hits (29) and total bases (53) and was second in runs (18) and RBIs (17). He finished third in home runs (five) and slugging percentage (.541) and was fifth in average (.296) and doubles (seven). He posted nine multi-hit games and set a career-high with four hits Aug. 20 at Clearwater. Nimmala, 18, was selected by Toronto in the first round (20th overall) of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Strawberry Crest High School in Dover, Florida.
Palm Beach Cardinals right-hander Chen-Wei Lin went 4-0 with a 0.62 ERA in five starts as he allowed two earned runs on 19 hits and seven walks over 29 innings. He led the league in ERA (0.62), strikeouts (36), WHIP (0.90), and strikeouts per nine innings (11.17) and did not allow more than one run in any of his five starts. Lin, 22, was signed by St. Louis as an international free agent out of Tanei, Taiwan, on July 3, 2023.
Dominican Summer League (Rookie)
Rangers shortstop Daniel Flames batted .500/.617/.659 and led the league in average (.500), hits (22) and OPS (1.276) and was second in on-base percentage (.617). He was third in triples (two) and fifth in slugging (.659) and walked four more times (11) than he struck out (seven). He posted seven multi-hit games in 15 contests, including consecutive games with four and five hits Aug. 8-9 as he went 9-for-10 with a double, two triples, four runs scored and five RBIs. Flames, 17, was signed by Texas as an international free agent out of Barcelona, Venezuela, on Jan. 15, 2024.
Orioles Orange right-hander Adrian Heredia went 1-0 with a 0.64 ERA in three starts as he allowed one earned run on four hits and three walks in 14 innings. His 22 strikeouts were two behind the league leader (who threw five more innings) and he led the league in WHIP (0.50), was second in strikeouts per nine innings (14.14) and was third in opponents’ average (.091) and hits allowed per nine innings (2.57). After allowing a hit to the first batter he faced in August, he did not allow another hit for 11 innings as he retired 30 of the next 33 batters he faced (three walks). Heredia, 19, was signed by Baltimore as an international free agent out of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on Nov. 9, 2023.