Motter, Derby collect awards for week's performance

ROUND ROCK, Texas - Tacoma infielder Taylor Motter and Colorado Springs right-hander Bubba Derby have been named the Pacific Coast League's Player and Pitcher of the Week for the period of August 14-20, the League office announced Monday.

The red-hot Motter paced Minor League Baseball's highest classification with 14 hits, a .700 batting average (14-for-20) and a .696 on-base percentage in five games. He led PCL players during the week with a 1.200 slugging percentage and a 1.896 OPS. The Florida native also recorded five extra-base hits, two home runs, six RBI, nine runs and had just one strikeout in 23 plate appearances.  
Motter started the Rainiers' first five games of the week before getting recalled to Seattle. He had multiple hits in each of those five contests. In the series finale against Reno on August 14, he had three hits, one of which was a home run. He followed that up with back-to-back two-hit games against the first-place Salt Lake Bees. The last two games of that series, Motter scored seven runs, reaching base safely eight times, four of which were extra base hits (two doubles, one triple, one home run).
Video: Tacoma's Motter hits rocket home run
The 27-year-old started the year with Seattle and played in 70 games, lining up at six positions across the diamond, before getting optioned to Tacoma on July 24. Motter had hits in 19 of his 25 games with Tacoma, hitting .350 (35-for-100) with seven home runs and 18 RBI, while recording more walks (14) than strikeouts (12). Motter was originally a 17^th round draft pick of Tampa Bay in 2011. He was traded to Seattle in a five-player deal in November 2016. He made his MLB debut last year with the Rays, hitting .188 (15-for-80) in 34 games. This is his third career Player of the Week, winning the previous two with the IL's Durham Bulls.
Derby pitched a PCL weekly-best 12.2 innings, allowing seven hits and two earned runs with 10 strikeouts. On August 14 against the Baby Cakes, Derby fell an out shy of a quality start, giving up an earned run on just three hits and a walk in picking up the win. He recorded his second victory of the week five days later in a matchup against the second-place Dodgers. Derby tossed seven innings of one-run ball, striking out seven on four hits, to help the first-place Sky Sox lower their magic number, which is currently down to six; Colorado Springs is seeking its first postseason appearance in 22 seasons.
The 23-year-old started the year with Double-A Biloxi and made 18 appearances, 16 of which were out of the bullpen. He registered a 2.88 ERA across 50 innings before getting promoted. With the Sky Sox, Derby has made 10 starts, going 4-0 with a 3.38 ERA (53.1 IP, 20 ER), striking out 43 against only 13 walks. The California native has allowed two earned runs or less in eight of his first 10 career Triple-A starts. Derby was originally selected by Oakland in the sixth round of the 2015 First-Year Player Draft out of San Diego State University. He was traded to Milwaukee in a three-player deal in February 2016. Derby has a career 4.06 ERA (272.2 IP, 123 ER) in 68 appearances (47 starts) in three professional seasons. This is his first career Pitcher of the Week.