Winn, Busch headline Players of the Month

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

International League (Triple-A)

Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals) infielder Masyn Winn batted .359/.427/.750 and led the league in runs (26) and total bases (69, which is 11 more than the next player). He was second in RBIs (26) and slugging percentage (.750) and third in home runs (eight) and triples (two), while finishing fourth in hits (33). He posted 10 multi-hit games and hit in 11 consecutive games from July 8-25. Winn, 21, was selected by St. Louis in the second round of the 2020 MLB Draft out of Kingwood High School in Kingwood, Texas.

St. Paul Saints (Twins) left-hander Dallas Keuchel went 1-0 with a 0.96 ERA in five starts as he allowed three earned runs in 28 innings. The 2015 National League Cy Young Award winner did not allow a run in three of his five starts and worked six innings in three of his five outings. He struck out 24 and held opponents to a .229 average. Keuchel, 35, was originally selected by Houston in the seventh round of the 2009 MLB Draft out of the University of Arkansas.

Pacific Coast League (Triple-A)

Oklahoma City Dodgers infielder Michael Busch batted .324/.434/.696 and led the league in home runs (11) and total bases (71) and was second in hits (33), RBIs (26) and slugging percentage (.696). He was third in runs (21) and OPS (1.130) and fifth in walks (17). He recorded 10 multi-hit games and ended the month on a seven-game hitting streak during which he was 15-for-33 (.455). Busch, 25, was selected by Los Angeles in the first round (31st overall) of the 2019 MLB Draft out of the University of North Carolina.

Oklahoma City Dodgers left-hander Mike Montgomery was 2-0 with a 1.21 ERA in five games (three starts) as he scattered 10 hits and allowed three earned runs over 22 1/3 innings. He held opponents to a .132 average in July, the lowest mark of any pitcher in the league that threw at least 11 innings. Montgomery, 34, was originally selected by Kansas City in Compensation Round A (36th overall) of the 2008 MLB Draft out of Hart High School in Newhall, California.

Eastern League (Double-A)

Somerset Patriots (Yankees) third baseman Tyler Hardman batted .237/.352/.645 and led the league in home runs (10), RBIs (20), runs (19) and total bases (49). He was second in slugging percentage (.645) and third in OPS (.997). He posted three multi-homer games, including a three-homer effort on July 1 at Bowie. Hardman, 24, was selected by New York (AL) in the fifth round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of the University of Oklahoma.

Reading Fightin Phils (Phillies) right-hander Griff McGarry went 1-1 with a 2.01 ERA in four starts. He allowed just five earned runs on 10 hits over 22 1/3 innings and finished second in the league with 32 strikeouts. He held opponents to a .135 average. McGarry, 24, was selected by Philadelphia in the fifth round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of the University of Virginia.

Southern League (Double-A)

Chattanooga Lookouts (Reds) outfielder Blake Dunn batted .446/.528/.699 and led the league in average (.446), runs (25), hits (37), stolen bases (17) and on-base percentage (.528). He finished second in RBIs (24), total bases (58) and OPS (1.227) and was third in triples (two) and fifth in slugging percentage (.699). He recorded 10 multi-hit games, including a five-hit effort July 23 at Birmingham. Dunn, 24, was selected by Cincinnati in the 15th round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Western Michigan University.

Biloxi Shuckers (Brewers) right-hander Carlos F. Rodriguez went 2-1 with a 0.98 ERA in four starts as he allowed two earned runs on 10 hits and seven walks in 20 innings. He held opponents to a .152 average and posted a 10 1/3 inning scoreless streak. Rodriguez, 21, was selected by Milwaukee in the sixth round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Florida Southwestern State Junior College in Fort Myers, Florida.

Texas League (Double-A)

Wichita Wind Surge (Twins) infielder Yunior Severino batted .342/.432/.750 and led the league in home runs (nine), slugging percentage (.750), OPS (1.182) and total bases (57). He was fifth in average (.342) and on-base percentage (.432) and was sixth in RBIs (19). Severino recorded eight multi-hit games and hit safely in 17 of 20 games in July. Severino, 23, was originally signed by Atlanta as an international free agent out of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on July 2, 2016, but was declared a free agent on November 21, 2017 and signed with Minnesota on December 8, 2017.

Corpus Christi Hooks (Astros) right-hander Rhett Kouba went 3-1 with a 1.61 ERA in five starts. He held opponents to a .156 average as he scattered 15 hits and six walks while striking out 20 over 28 innings. He allowed one earned run in three of his starts and shut out Midland for seven innings in another. Kouba, 23, was selected by Houston in the 12th round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Dallas Baptist University.

Midwest League (High-A)

Lake County Captains (Guardians) infielder Milan Tolentino batted .376/.398/.570 and led the league in runs (20), hits (35), total bases (53) and sacrifice flies (four). He was second in average (.376), fourth in slugging percentage (.570) and sixth in RBIs (16). He recorded 12 multi-hit games and posted separate hitting streaks of seven and 10 games. Tolentino, 21, was selected by Cleveland in the fourth round of the 2020 MLB Draft out of Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Mission Viejo, California.

Great Lakes Loons (Dodgers) right-hander Kendall Williams pitched to a 1.90 ERA in five starts as he held opponents to five earned runs on 13 hits over 23 2/3 innings. He struck out 23 batters and held opponents to a .155 average. He allowed one earned run over a three-start span covering 13 2/3 innings. Williams, 22, was originally selected by Toronto in the second round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

Northwest League (High-A)

Tri-Cities Dust Devils (Angels) catcher/outfielder Gustavo Campero batted .407/.493/.833 and led the league in average (.407), RBIs (18), triples (two), on-base percentage (.493), slugging percentage (.833) and OPS (1.326). He was third in doubles (seven), fourth in total bases (45) and sixth in home runs (four). He recorded seven multi-hit games in 17 July contests. Campero, 25, was originally signed by New York (AL) as an international free agent out of Lorica, Colombia, on July 12, 2016.

Hillsboro Hops (Diamondbacks) right-hander Dylan Ray went 4-0 with a 0.72 ERA in four starts. He allowed two earned runs over 25 innings on 13 hits and five walks. He held opponents to a .155 average and struck out 26 batters as he began the month with a 14-inning scoreless streak. Ray, 22, was selected by Arizona in the fourth round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of the University of Alabama.

South Atlantic League (High-A)

Hudson Valley Renegades (Yankees) catcher Agustin Ramirez batted .415/.467/.756 and led the league in average (.415), hits (34), doubles (10), total bases (62), slugging percentage (.756) and OPS (1.223). He was third in home runs (six) and fourth in on-base percentage (.467). He recorded 11 multi-hit games and posted an eight-game hit streak before ending the month on a six-game hitting streak. Ramirez, 21, was originally signed by New York (AL) as an international free agent out of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on July 12, 2018.

Greenville Drive (Red Sox) right-hander Angel Bastardo went 2-1 with a 2.89 ERA in five starts and led Minor League Baseball with 42 strikeouts over 28 innings. On July 15, he shut out Hickory in a six inning, rain-shortened win, and on July 21, he fanned a career-high 14 in a three-hit, seven-inning shutout of Asheville. Bastardo, 21, was signed by Boston as an international free agent out of Moron, Venezuela, on July 2, 2018.

California League (Single-A)

Lake Elsinore Storm (Padres) catcher Ethan Salas batted .366/.416/.720 and finished the month second in the league in average (.366), hits (30), home runs (seven), triples (two) and slugging percentage (.720). He was third in OPS (1.136) and runs (19) and was fourth in RBIs (21). He recorded 10 multi-hit games. Salas, 17, was signed by San Diego as an international free agent on October 31, 2022. He was born in Kissimmee, Florida,

Modesto Nuts (Mariners) right-hander Tyler Cleveland went 5-0 with a 2.10 ERA in five starts to lead Minor League Baseball in wins. He allowed seven earned runs in a league-best 30 innings and held opponents to a .231 average. He had a stretch of 18 2/3 innings across four starts from July 9-30 where he allowed just one run. Cleveland, 23, was selected by Seattle in the 14th round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of the University of Central Arkansas.

Carolina League (Single-A)

Carolina Mudcats (Brewers) first baseman Jesus Chirinos batted .429/.580/.653 and led the league in average (.429), on-base percentage (.580), slugging percentage (.653) and OPS (1.233). He was third in walks (18) and hit safely in 16 of his 17 games, posting separate hitting streaks of seven and nine games. In the game he didn’t hit safely, he walked three times. Chirinos, 22, was signed by Milwaukee as an international free agent out of Bachaquero, Venezuela, on July 31, 2017.

Charleston RiverDogs (Rays) right-hander Yoniel Curet went 2-0 with a 1.25 ERA in five games (four starts) as he allowed three earned runs over 21 2/3 innings as he scattered just five hits over the five appearances. Curet led Minor League Baseball in average against (.074) and was the only pitcher in the minors to pitch more than 21 innings and allow fewer than 10 hits. His 37 strikeouts led the league, and in his final start of the month (July 28), he set a career-high striking out 11 of the 13 batters he retired against Augusta. Curet, 20, was originally signed by Tampa Bay as an international free agent out of San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic, on July 2, 2019.

Florida State League (Single-A)

Bradenton Marauders (Pirates) first baseman Josiah Sightler batted .536/.583/.964 and led the league in average (.536), total bases (54), on-base percentage (.583), slugging percentage (.964) and OPS (1.547) before a July 24 promotion to High-A Greensboro. Despite leaving the league with a week left in games, he finished second in hits (30) and RBIs (24) and was third in home runs (six). He walked as many times (nine) as he struck out and had separate hitting streaks of six and seven games. Sightler, 23, was selected by Pittsburgh in the 15th round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of the University of South Carolina.

Bradenton Marauders (Pirates) right-hander Wilber Dotel went 2-0 with a 0.35 ERA in five appearances (four starts) as he allowed one earned run in a league-best 25 2/3 innings. He began the month on a 13-inning scoreless streak and held St. Lucie scoreless over five innings in his final start of the month on July 30. Dotel, 20, was signed by Pittsburgh as an international free agent out of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on October 13, 2020.

Arizona Complex League (Rookie)

ACL Rangers infielder Echedry Vargas batted .405/.473/.671 and led the league in hits (32), doubles (nine) and total bases (53) and was second in stolen bases (10). He finished third in runs (22), was fourth in slugging percentage (.671) and OPS (1.144), fifth in RBIs (21) and his average (.406) was good for sixth. Vargas, 18, was signed by Texas as an international free agent out of Azua, Dominican Republic, on January 15, 2022.

ACL Giants Black (Giants) right-hander Ubert Mejias went 3-1 with a 2.08 ERA in five appearances (four starts) as he allowed 14 hits and five earned runs in 21 2/3 innings. His WHIP (0.88) and average against (.179) were the best in the league among pitchers with at least 14 innings pitched. Mejias, 22, was signed by San Francisco as an international free agent out of La Habana, Cuba, on April 17, 2023.

Dominican Summer League (Rookie)

DSL Mets Orange (Mets) outfielder Jeffry Rosa batted .333/.414/.813 and led the league in home runs (nine), doubles (nine), RBIs (24), slugging percentage (.813), OPS (1.227) and total bases (61, which is 13 more than any other player). Rosa, 18, was signed by New York (NL) as an international free agent out of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on January 15, 2022.

DSL Rays right-hander Jonathan Russell went 1-0 with a 0.47 ERA in five starts. He allowed a run and one extra-base hit (a double) during his first inning pitched in July and held opponents scoreless and without an extra-base hit since, a span of 18 1/3 innings. He held opponents to six hits and four walks while striking out 22 in 19 1/3 innings. Russell, 18, was signed by Tampa Bay as an international free agent out of Ciro de Redondo, Cuba, on May 3, 2023.

Florida Complex League (Rookie)

FCL Pirates outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez batted .410/.456/.590 and led the league in average (.410), total bases (36) and was second in hits (25) and on-base percentage (.456). He finished third in RBIs (17), slugging percentage (.590) and OPS (1.046) and was fourth in doubles (five). Valdez, 19, was signed by Pittsburgh as an international free agent out of Peravia, Dominican Republic, on January 15, 2021.

FCL Red Sox right-hander Luis Cohen went 1-0 with a 1.42 ERA in five appearances (three starts) as he allowed three earned runs on 10 hits and seven walks while striking out 21 in 19 innings. He held opponents to a .159 average. Cohen, 20, was signed by Boston as an international free agent out of Tucacas, Venezuela, on June 1, 2022.