Mitchell Tabbed as SAL Player of the Week

CHARLESTON, WV (April 23, 2018) - Power outfielder Calvin Mitchell has been named the South Atlantic League's Player of the Week for April 16-22, announced league President Eric Krupa on Monday. This honor is the first of Mitchell's professional career, as well as the first offensive Player of the Week award West Virginia has garnered since Garrett Brown was honored for the week of July 17-23, 2017.
Mitchell boasted a .467 (14-for-30) average over this past week, stroking his third home run of the season while collecting nine RBI, five runs scored and five extra-base hits to go along with a 1.233 OPS. Delmarva's Zac Lowther took home SAL Pitcher of the Week honors this week after Hagerstown's Juan Soto and Ben Braymer swept the first group of weekly accolades.

The Pirates' 16th-best prospect per MLB.com is averaging .364 on the year, fifth-best in the SAL, and has reached base in all but one of his 17 games played in 2018. The San Diego native is riding an eight-game hitting streak that dates back to April 14, as well as a 10-game on-base streak that began on April 12 in Hickory. Mitchell leads the team with 15 RBI, also the most in the Pirates system, while he is among the league leaders in slugging percentage, hits, triples and total bases.
A second round draft pick in 2017 by Pittsburgh, Mitchell hit .245 in his first professional season in the GCL across 43 games before getting the promotion to Charleston to start 2018. He recently registered his second career four-hit game on Saturday, April 21, when he went 4-for-5 against Asheville with four RBI and two runs scored, tying his career highs in both of those categories. Mitchell was committed to the University of San Diego before signing with Pittsburgh out of Rancho Bernardo (CA) High School, the same high school that current Pirate Trevor Williams, Rangers lefty Cole Hamels and former big leaguer Hank Blalock attended.
West Virginia begins a four-game series against the Rome Braves tonight at Appalachian Power Park. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m., with Family Buck Night specials in effect, including $1.00 general admission tickets, $3.00 box seats and $1.00 hot dogs, soda and popcorn available at the concession stands. For tickets and more information, call the Power at 304-344-2287 or visit wvpower.com.