MiLB announces September Players of the Month

Minor League Baseball has announced the Player and Pitcher of the Month Award winners for September in each of the 14 leagues in Major League Baseball’s player development system.

Triple-A East

Buffalo Bisons (Blue Jays) outfielder Gregory Polanco led the league in home runs (nine) and total bases (68) and was second in average (.374), RBI (24), slugging percentage (.747) and OPS (1.183). He was third in hits (34). Polanco, 30, was originally signed by Pittsburgh as an International Free Agent out of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on May 29, 2009.

Durham Bulls (Rays) right-hander Tommy Romero went 5-0 with a 0.31 ERA in five starts as he allowed one earned run in 29 1/3 innings. He struck out 36 and walked six while holding opponents to a .112 average. Romero, 24, was originally selected by Seattle in the 15th round of the 2017 MLB Draft out of Eastern Florida State College in Cocoa, Florida.

Triple-A West

Reno Aces (D-backs) outfielder Cooper Hummel led the league in average (.463), runs (28), on-base percentage (.515) and OPS (1.315) and was second in RBI (26) and slugging percentage (.800). He finished third in hits (37) and doubles (eight) and was fifth in total bases (64). Hummel, 26, was originally selected by Milwaukee in the 18th round of the 2016 MLB Draft out of the University of Portland.

Oklahoma City Dodgers right-hander Aaron Wilkerson went 2-0 and did not allow an earned run over 21 innings (five appearances, three starts). He scattered 12 hits and struck out 25 while walking one and holding opponents to a .169 average. Wilkerson, 32, was originally signed by Boston as a free agent on July 8, 2014, out of Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee.

Double-A Central

Tulsa Drillers (Dodgers) second baseman Devin Mann batted .323 and led the league in home runs (eight), total bases (49) and slugging percentage (.790). He was second in RBI (17) and third in OPS (1.176). Mann, 24, was selected by Los Angeles (NL) in the fifth round of the 2018 MLB Draft out of the University of Louisville.

Corpus Christi Hooks (Astros) right-hander Angel Macuare went 3-0 with a 1.13 ERA in three starts. He scattered six hits and two earned runs as he held opponents to a .125 average. Macuare, 21, was originally signed by Houston as an International Free Agent out of Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela, on July 2, 2016.

Double-A Northeast

Portland Sea Dogs (Red Sox) first baseman Triston Casas led the league in home runs (six), on-base percentage (.519), slugging percentage (.878) and OPS (1.397). He was second in average (.366), runs (13), RBI (15) and fourth in total bases (36). He walked more times (13) than he struck out (nine). Casas, 21, helped Team USA to a silver medal this summer in the Tokyo Olympics. He was selected by Boston in the first round (26th overall) of the 2018 MLB Draft out of American Heritage High school in Plantation, Florida.

Somerset Patriots (Yankees) right-hander Hayden Wesneski was 3-0 with a 1.35 ERA in three starts. He scattered eight hits and two walks over 20 innings, allowing just three earned runs while striking out 30. Opponents batted .118 against him and, on September 11, he threw a seven-inning complete game against Hartford. Wesneski, 23, was selected by New York (AL) in the sixth round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas.

Double-A South

Biloxi Shuckers (Brewers) outfielder Mitch Longo led the league in total bases (40), triples (two), slugging percentage (.889) and OPS (1.302). He was second in average (.400), home runs (five), RBI (12), stolen bases (five) and was fourth in hits (14) and runs (11). Longo, 26, was originally selected by Cleveland in the 14th round of the 2016 MLB Draft out of Ohio University.

Chattanooga Lookouts (Reds) right-hander Randy Wynne went 3-0 with a 0.50 ERA in three starts as he scattered 11 hits and a walk over 18 innings. Wynne struck out 12 as opponents batted .172 against him. Wynne, 28, was signed by the Reds as a free agent on June 18, 2019.

High-A Central

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Brewers) outfielder Joey Wiemer batted .311 and led the league in total bases (42), home runs (seven) and RBI (19) and was second in slugging percentage (.689) and OPS (1.117). Wiemer, 22, was selected by Milwaukee in the fourth round of the 2020 MLB Draft out of the University of Cincinnati.

Dayton Dragons (Reds) right-hander James Marinan went 1-0 and did not allow a run over two starts (12 innings). He allowed four hits and held opponents to a .105 average while striking out 17 batters. Marinan, 22, was originally selected by Los Angeles (NL) in the fourth round of the 2017 MLB Draft out of Park Vista Community High School in Lake Worth, Florida.

High-A East

Asheville Tourists (Astros) catcher Yainer Diaz led the league in hits (23), runs (18) and RBI (20) and was second in average (.377), total bases (44) and OPS (1.146). He finished fourth in slugging percentage (.721) and fifth in on-base percentage (.424). Diaz, 23, was originally signed by Cleveland as an International Free Agent out of Azua, Dominican Republic, on December 7, 2016.

Wilmington Blue Rocks (Nationals) right-hander Cole Henry went 1-0 with a 0.60 ERA in three starts. He scattered seven hits and allowed one earned run over 15 innings as he held opponents to a .137 average. He struck out 22 while walking just two. Henry, 22, was selected by Washington in the second round (55th overall) of the 2020 MLB Draft out of Louisiana State University.

High-A West

Spokane Indians (Rockies) second baseman Isaac Collins led the league in runs (14) and slugging percentage (.686) and was second in hits (18), total bases (35), home runs (four), RBI (14) and OPS (1.110). He finished third in average (.353). Collins, 24, was selected by Colorado in the ninth round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of Creighton University.

Spokane Indians (Rockies) right-hander Dugan Darnell went 1-0 with five saves and did not allow a run in six relief appearances spanning eight innings. He struck out nine and did not walk a batter as he held opponents to a .080 average. Darnell, 24, was signed by the Rockies as a free agent on February 6, 2021, out of Adrian College in Adrian, Michigan.

Low-A East

Carolina Mudcats (Brewers) third baseman Alex Binelas batted .338 and led the league in hits (24), doubles (seven), home runs (six), and total bases (49) and finished fourth in runs (17). Binelas, 21, was selected by Milwaukee in the third round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of the University of Louisville.

Augusta GreenJackets (Braves) right-hander Andrew Hoffmann went 2-1 with a 1.08 ERA in three starts as he allowed two earned runs over 16 2/3 innings. Hoffmann held opponents to a .109 average as he scattered six hits. Hoffmann, 21, was selected by Atlanta in the 12th round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of the University of Illinois.

Low-A Southeast

Daytona Tortugas (Reds) shortstop Jose Torres finished second in the league in average (.404), hits (23), total bases (39), and slugging percentage (.684) and was third in RBI (14), on-base percentage (.446) and OPS (1.130). Torres, 22, was selected by Cincinnati in the third round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of North Carolina State University.

Lakeland Flying Tigers (Tigers) right-hander Wilmer Flores went 2-1 with a 0.54 ERA in three starts as he allowed one earned run on eight hits over 16 2/3 innings. He held opponents to a .148 average and struck out 22 while walking six batters. Flores, 20, was signed by Detroit as an International Free Agent out of Valencia, Venezuela, on July 10, 2020.

Low-A West

Rancho Cucamonga (Dodgers) outfielder Jose Ramos batted .356 and led the league in RBI (19), while finishing second in slugging percentage (.678) and OPS (1.102) and third in hits (21) and home runs (four). Ramos, 20, was signed by Los Angeles (NL) as an International Free Agent out of Chepi, Panama, on July 3, 2018.

San Jose Giants right-hander Randy Rodriguez went 2-0 and did not allow a run in five relief appearances covering 12 2/3 innings. He scattered five hits and struck out 23 without walking a batter as he held opponents to a .116 average. Rodriguez did not allow a run in his last 12 outings (since July 30) and claimed the same award in August. Rodriguez, 21, was signed by San Francisco as an International Free Agent out of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on July 2, 2017.

Arizona Complex League

Cubs infielder James Triantos batted .391 and led the league in total bases (36), home runs (four), RBI (11), hits (18), runs (15), slugging percentage (.783) and OPS (1.199). He finished fourth in doubles (four). Triantos, 18, was selected by Chicago (NL) in the second round (56th overall) of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Madison High school in Vienna, Virginia.

Dodgers left-hander Benony Robles went 1-0 in two starts without allowing an earned run. He scattered three hits and one walk over nine innings, struck out 13 and held opponents to a .094 batting average. Robles, 21, was signed by Los Angeles (NL) as an International Free Agent out of San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic, on July 3, 2017.

Dominican Republic Complex League

Padres outfielder Daniel Montesino led the league in hits (32) and finished third in average (.386) and RBI (20). Montesino, 17, was signed as an International Free Agent out of San Juan de los Morros, Venezuela, on January 15, 2021.

Phillies Red right-hander Manuel Urias pitched to a 0.69 ERA in six starts, while allowing just two earned runs over 26 innings. He struck out 30 and held opponents to a .189 average. Urias, 20, was signed by Philadelphia as an International Free Agent out of Ahome, Sinaloa, Mexico, on March 7, 2018.

Florida Complex League

Tigers East shortstop Manuel Sequera batted .333 and led the league in total bases (24) and was second in home runs (three), third in slugging percentage (.727), fourth in RBI (12) and OPS (1.142) and fifth in doubles (four). Sequera, 19, was signed by Detroit as an International Free Agent out of Barquisimeto, Venezuela, on July 2, 2019.

Blue Jays left-hander Kendry Rojas allowed one earned run over nine innings in three outings (one start). He held opponents to three hits and one walk while striking out 18. Opponents batted just .103 against him in September. Rojas, 18, was signed by Toronto as an International Free Agent out of Ciego de Avila, Cuba, on October 14, 2020.