Baty, Hancock 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)

Columbus Clippers (Guardians) outfielder Will Benson batted .371/.481/.674 and led the league in total bases (60). He was second in runs (30), hits (33), walks (19) and on-base percentage (.481) and finished third in doubles (eight), slugging percentage (.674) and OPS (1.155). His .371 average was fourth in the league as he hit safely in 22 of 23 games, including eight multi-hit games, and had hitting streaks of nine and 13 games. Benson, 24, made his MLB debut on August 1, and was selected by Cleveland in the first round (14th overall) of the 2016 MLB Draft out of Westminster High School in Atlanta.

Iowa Cubs left-hander Matt Dermody went 3-0 with a 0.77 ERA in five games (three starts). He scattered 16 hits and six walks over 23 1/3 innings while striking out 26 and holding opponents to a .188 average. Dermody, 32, was originally selected by Toronto in the 28th round of the 2013 MLB Draft out of the University of Iowa. Dermody was recalled by the Cubs on August 4.

Pacific Coast League (Triple-A)

Albuquerque Isotopes (Rockies) outfielder Wynton Bernard batted .385/.443/.688 and led the league in average (.385), runs (30), hits (37), and OPS (1.131). He finished second in total bases (66), stolen bases (10) and on-base percentage (.443) and was third in triples (three) and slugging percentage (.688) and was fourth in RBIs (25). He posted 12 multi-hit games and hit safely in nine consecutive games from July 1-13. Bernard, 31, was originally selected by San Diego in the 35th round of the 2012 MLB Draft out of Niagara University.

Sugar Land Space Cowboys (Astros) right-hander Peter Solomon went 3-0 with a 2.30 ERA in five starts. He allowed seven earned runs on 19 hits and 10 walks while striking out 24 and holding opponents to a .194 average. Solomon, 25, was selected by Houston in the fourth round of the 2017 MLB Draft out of the University of Notre Dame.

Eastern League (Double-A)

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (Mets) third baseman Brett Baty batted .365/.435/.688 and led the league in home runs (eight), RBIs (27), total bases (66), slugging percentage (.688) and OPS (1.123). He finished second in hits (35), third in average (.365), fifth in on-base percentage (.435) and sixth in runs (17). Baty had 13 multi-hit games and reached safely in 21 of 23 contests. Baty, 22, was selected by New York in the first round (12th overall) of the 2019 MLB Draft out of Lake Travis High School in Austin, Texas.

Somerset Patriots (Yankees) right-hander Sean Boyle went 3-0 with a 0.82 ERA in five starts. He led the league with 33 innings and 35 strikeouts. He allowed three earned runs and walked just three while holding opponents to a .188 average. Boyle, 25, was selected by New York in the 25th round of the 2018 MLB Draft out of Dallas Baptist University.

Southern League (Double-A)

Tennessee Smokies (Cubs) outfielder Alexander Canario batted .354/.500/.800 and led the league in home runs (seven), total bases (15), walks (19), on-base percentage (.500), slugging percentage (.800) and OPS (1.300). He was third in average (.354) and fourth in runs (18) and reached base safely in 17 of his 19 games. Canario, 22, was originally signed by San Francisco as an international free agent out of Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic, on July 2, 2016, and was acquired by Chicago in the July 30, 2021, trade for Kris Bryant.

Mississippi Braves right-hander Darius Vines went 3-0 with a 1.17 ERA in five starts as he allowed four earned runs over a league-best 30 2/3 innings. He struck out 32, walked nine and held opponents to a .155 average. Vines, 24, was selected by Atlanta in the seventh round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of Cal-State Bakersfield.

Texas League (Double-A)

Corpus Christi Hooks (Astros) outfielder Justin Dirden batted .412/.500/.741 and led the league in hits (35), total bases (63), slugging percentage (.741) and OPS (1.241). He was second in average (.412), doubles (eight) and on-base percentage (500). He had 11 multi-hit games, including a stretch of seven in a row from July 10-22, where he went 18-for-32 and saw his season average go from .283 to .310. Dirden, 25, was signed by the Astros as a free agent on June 19, 2020, out of Southeast Missouri State University.

Arkansas Travelers (Mariners) right-hander Emerson Hancock went 1-1 with a 1.54 ERA in four starts as he allowed just four earned runs on 17 hits and eight walks over 23 1/3 innings. He struck out 23 and held opponents to a .207 average. Hancock, 23, was selected by Seattle in the first round (sixth overall) of the 2020 MLB Draft out of the University of Georgia.

Midwest League (High-A)

Lake County Captains (Guardians) outfielder Johnathan Rodriguez batted .378/.420/.805 and led the league in runs (19), home runs (nine), RBIs (25), total bases (66), slugging percentage (.805) and OPS (1.225). He was second in hits (31) and third in average (.378) and doubles (eight). He recorded nine multi-hit games and bookended the All-Star break with consecutive four-hit games on July 16 and 22. Rodriguez, 22, was selected by Cleveland in the third round of the 2017 MLB Draft out of the Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy in Florida, Puerto Rico.

West Michigan Whitecaps (Tigers) left-hander Brant Hurter went 4-0 with a 1.01 ERA in five games (four starts) as he allowed three earned runs on 17 hits and five walks in 26 2/3 innings. He struck out 31 batters and held opponents to a .185 average. Hurter, 23, was selected by Detroit in the seventh round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of The Georgia Institute of Technology.

Northwest League (High-A)

Everett AquaSox (Mariners) infielder Noelvi Marte batted .384/.455/.709 and led the league in hits (33), runs (23), home runs (seven), RBIs (26), average (.384), total bases (61), on-base percentage (.455), slugging percentage (.709) and OPS (1.164). He was fourth in the league in doubles (seven) and recorded 10 multi-hit games. He was traded to the Cincinnati Reds in the Luis Castillo deal on July 30. Marte, 20, was signed by Seattle as an international free agent out of Cotui, Dominican Republic, on July 2, 2018.

Tri-City Dust Devils (Angels) right-hander Landon Marceaux went 2-0 with a 0.64 ERA in four starts as he allowed 16 hits and two walks over a league-best 28 innings. He struck out 21 and held opponents to a .160 average and was promoted to Double-A Rocket City on August 2. Marceaux, 22, was selected by Los Angeles in the third round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Louisiana State University.

South Atlantic League (High-A)

Greensboro Grasshoppers (Pirates) catcher Endy Rodriguez batted .373/.489/.773 and led the league in runs (23), home runs (eight), RBIs (21), on-base percentage (.489), slugging percentage (.773) and OPS (1.262). He was second in average (.373), total bases (58) and walks (17). He recorded nine multi-hit games. Rodriguez, 22, was originally signed by New York (NL) as an international free agent out of Santiago, Dominican Republic, on July 2, 2018, and was part of a three-team trade on January 19, 2021, that sent him to Pittsburgh.

Jersey Shore BlueClaws (Phillies) right-hander Ben Brown went 1-0 with a 1.57 ERA in four games (three starts) as he allowed four earned runs on 12 hits and two walks while striking out 35 over 23 innings. Brown held opponents to a .150 average and was traded to the Chicago Cubs on August 2 in the deal that sent David Robertson to the Phillies. Brown, 22, was selected by Philadelphia in the 33rd round of the 2017 MLB Draft out of Ward Melville High School in East Setauket, New York.

California League (Single-A)

Lake Elsinore Storm (Padres) outfielder James Wood batted .356/.463/.656 and led the league in runs (26), home runs (five), total bases (59), slugging percentage (.656) and OPS (1.119) and was second in hits (32). He finished third in average (.356), doubles (10) and RBIs (23) and recorded nine multi-hit games. He was traded to Washington on August 2 in the trade that sent Juan Soto and Josh Bell to San Diego. Wood, 19, was selected by San Diego in the second round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

Lake Elsinore Storm (Padres) right-hander Garrett Hawkins went 1-1 with a 0.95 ERA in four starts as he allowed just two earned runs on 11 hits and six walks over 19 innings. He struck out 22 and held opponents to a .167 average. Hawkins, 22, was selected by San Diego in the ninth round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of the University of British Columbia.

Carolina League (Single-A)

Charleston RiverDogs (Rays) infielder Willy Vasquez batted .378/.414/.634 and led the league in average (.378), slugging percentage (.634) and total bases (52). He finished second in hits (31), RBIs (22), doubles (eight) and OPS (1.048) and was third in triples (two) and fifth in runs (18). He posted 12 multi-hit games and raised his season average from .206 to .249 in July. Vasquez, 20, was signed by Tampa Bay as an international free agent out of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on July 29, 2019.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Cubs) right-hander Tyler Santana went 2-1 with a 1.32 ERA in six games (three starts) as he allowed four earned runs on 15 hits and seven walks over 27 1/3 innings. He struck out 24 and held opponents to a .156 average. Santana, 24, was signed by Chicago as a free agent on July 21, 2021, out of the University of Jacksonville.

Florida State League (Single-A)

Bradenton Marauders (Pirates) outfielder Jase Bowen batted .309/.393/.553 and led the league in hits (29), RBIs (19) and total bases (52). He was second in runs (19), home runs (five) and OPS (.946) and fourth in slugging percentage (.553) and posted eight multi-hit games. Bowen, 22, was selected by Pittsburgh in the 11th round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of Central Catholic High School in Toledo, Ohio.

Lakeland Flying Tigers (Tigers) right-hander Jack Anderson went 1-0 with two saves and a 0.00 ERA in eight relief appearances. He scattered six hits and four walks over 15 1/3 innings while striking out 22 and holding opponents to a .118 average. Anderson was promoted to High-A West Michigan on August 4. Anderson, 22, was selected by Detroit in the 16th round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Florida State University.

Arizona Complex League (Rookie)

Giants Black outfielder P.J. Hilson batted .342/.415/.685 and led the league in total bases (50), doubles (seven), triples (three), slugging percentage (.685) and OPS (1.100). He finished second in runs (18), was third in hits (25) and home runs (four), fourth in average (.342) and fifth in on-base percentage (.415). Hilson, 21, was selected by San Francisco in the sixth round of the 2018 MLB Draft out of Nettleton High School in Jonesboro, Arkansas.

Diamondbacks Red left-hander Yu-Min Lin allowed three earned runs over four starts as he scattered seven hits and three walks over 15 2/3 innings. He struck out 26 and held opponents to a .135 average before his July 26 promotion to Single-A Visalia. Lin, 19, was signed by Arizona as an international free agent out of Taitung, Taiwan, on December 15, 2021.

Dominican Summer League (Rookie)

Marlins outfielder Jose Gerardo batted .364/.500/.753 and led the league in home runs (eight) and total bases (58), while finishing third in OPS (1.253) and fourth in walks (20), on-base percentage (.500) and slugging percentage (.753). His 20 RBIs were fifth in the league. Gerardo, 17, was signed by Miami as an international free agent out of Bani, Dominican Republic, on June 1, 2022.

Twins left-hander Cesar Lares went 1-0 with a 0.43 ERA in five starts as he allowed just 10 hits and six walks in 21 innings while striking out 36. Lares held opponents to a .135 average. Lares, 19, was signed by the Twins as an international free agent out of Maracay, Venezuela, on May 3, 2022.

Florida Complex League (Rookie)

Twins catcher/outfielder Ricardo Olivar batted .344/.444/.721 and led the league in doubles (eight), triples (three), total bases (44), slugging percentage (.721) and OPS (1.165). He was third in average (.344) and on-base percentage (.444) and was fifth in home runs (three). Olivar, 20, was signed by Minnesota as an international free agent out of Barquisimeto, Venezuela, on July 2, 2019.

Red Sox right-hander Luis Perales did not allow a run in five games (four starts), covering 15 innings. Perales allowed three hits and four walks while striking out 23 while holding opponents to a .063 average in July. Perales, 19, was signed by Boston as an international free agent out of Guacara, Venezuela on July 2, 2019.