IronPigs' Irvin named IL Pitcher of the Week

Lefty tossed 14 innings of one-run ball and picked up two victories last week

By Lehigh Valley IronPigs

May 14, 2018

IronPigs' pitcher Cole Irvin has been named the International League Pitcher of the Week, as announced by league officials today. Irvin becomes the first IronPigs pitcher selected since Ben Lively on September 5, 2016.

He is the second IronPig to earn weekly honors this season after Joey Meneseswas named Batter of the Week last week.
For the week of May 7-13, Irvin made two starts, pitching 14 innings and allowing just seven hits while striking out 13, walking three and giving up one earned run. The 24-year-old boasts a 3-1 record and a 3.21 ERA in his first season of Triple-A baseball while ranking 10th in the International League with 37 strikeouts.
Irvin made his first start of the week May 7 vs. the Pawtucket Red Sox. He took a shutout into the seventh inning en route to his second victory of 2018. Irvin allowed just one run (a solo home run) on five hits in seven innings of work while striking out five. The Pigs won the contest 3-1 to move within a half game of the IL North Division lead.
His next start came on May 12 against the Buffalo Bisons. Irvin was even better in this contest, allowing just two hits (none after the third inning) and no runs in the Pigs' 1-0 victory. He again went seven innings, this time with just two hits, eight strikeouts and no runs allowed.
Irvin has now gone six-or-more innings in each of his last five starts. His 37 strikeouts rank him 10th in the International League.
Drafted in the fifth round of the 2016 draft, the former Oregon Duck has quickly climbed the ranks in the Phillies farm system. In 2016, he made 10 starts for Class-A Williamsport before splitting his 2017 campaign between High-A Clearwarter and Double-A Reading.
All-time, there have been 15 other Pigs to receive this honor: Justin Lehr (2x: 4/19/09, 5/10/09), Nelson Figueroa (6/14/10), Brian Gordon (5/16/11), Tyler Cloyd (4/9/12), Scott Elarton (5/7/12), Adam Morgan (2x: 4/15/13, 8/7/16), Ethan Martin (7/1/13), Greg Smith (2x: 7/22/13, 4/20/14), Brad Lincoln (6/8/14), Jesse Biddle (7/19/15), Jerad Eickhoff (8/9/15), Zach Eflin (4/17/16), Ben Lively (2x: 6/12/16, 9/5/16), David Buchanan (7/24/16), and Phil Klein (8/14/16).
The 2018 IronPigs baseball season is presented by Capital BlueCross.