Globe iconLogin iconRecap iconSearch iconTickets icon

Bishop leads Player of the Week honorees

Mariners No. 5 prospect batted .516 for Double-A Arkansas
Braden Bishop has launched a career-high six homers in 51 games for the Travelers. (Lance Carter/MiLB.com)
June 4, 2018

A tough April left Braden Bishop below the Mendoza line. But a May turnaround and successful first few days of June put the Mariners' No. 5 prospect in position to win the Texas League Player of the Week, an award he's now captured twice in his career. In August 2015, he

A tough April left Braden Bishop below the Mendoza line. 
But a May turnaround and successful first few days of June put the Mariners' No. 5 prospect in position to win the Texas League Player of the Week, an award he's now captured twice in his career. In August 2015, he won Northwest League Player of the Week with Everett. 

Bishop slashed .516/.545/.903 with three homers, three doubles, eight RBIs and 12 runs scored for Double-A Arkansas from May 28 to June 3. He kick-started his breakout week with a four-hit night against Midland on May 29 in which he homered and drove in three runs. He proceeded to record three consecutive three-hit nights before finishing 3-for-9 over the final two games, including a two-homer performance on Saturday.

View the Pitcher of the Week winners »

The 24-year-old said he had rededicated himself to his pregame work in the cage and during batting practice. The results have clearly been paying off.

"The biggest thing for me is detaching myself from the results," Bishop noted after last Tuesday's outburst. "I think this year has been a blessing in disguise for me, with struggling early. I just threw the results out the window last month and I haven't been focused on them since my recommitment. Last year, I was focused on good at-bats, whether I put together four hits or none. After tonight, I could easily go zero-for-whatever tomorrow; it's just how this game is."

After hitting .315 in May, the University of Washington product has raised his batting average to .272 on the season. He clubbed two homers in both April and May, but already has a pair of long balls in three June games. His previous career high for round-trippers in a season was three, achieved last year between Class A Advanced Modesto and Arkansas as well as in 2016 between Class A Clinton and Class A Advanced Bakersfield.

Here is the complete list of Minor League Offensive Players of the Week for May 28 - June 3:

League Player Team MLB Stats
International Jacob May Charlotte CWS .429/.484/.536, 7 G, 12-for-28, 0 2B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 6 R, 3 BB, 3 K, 1 SB, 2 CS
Pacific Coast Kevin Cron Reno ARI .357/.357/.929, 6 G, 10-for-28, 4 2B, 4 HR, 14 RBI, 5 R, 0 BB, 6 K
Eastern Adam Brett Walker Harrisburg WSH .364/.444/.864, 7 G, 8-for-22, 1 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 5 R, 3 BB, 5 K
Southern Jamie Westbrook Jackson ARI .346/.414/.713, 6 G, 9-for-26, 0 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 7 R, 3 BB, 3 K
Texas Braden Bishop Arkansas SEA .516/.545/.903, 6 G, 16-for-31, 3 2B, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 12 R, 2 BB, 2 K
California Rylan Bannon Rancho Cucamonga LAD .458/.581/1.042, 7 G, 11-for-24, 2 2B, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 6 R, 7 BB, 6 K, 1 CS
Carolina Ryan McKenna Frederick BAL .500/.611/.929, 4 G, 7-for-14, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 3 R, 4 BB, 2 K, 1 SB, 1 CS
Florida State Ibandel Isabel Daytona CIN .385/.500/1.538, 4 G, 5-for-13, 0 2B, 5 HR, 11 RBI, 5 R, 3 BB, 3 K
Midwest Alex Kirilloff Cedar Rapids MIN .433/.485/.833, 7 G, 13-for-30, 3 2B, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 8 R, 3 BB, 2 IBB, 5 K
South Atlantic Chad Spanberger Asheville COL .450/.450/1.200, 5 G, 9-for-20, 1 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 6 RBI, 5 R, 0 BB, 5 K, 2 SB

Chris Bumbaca is a contributor for MiLB.com based in New York. Follow him on Twitter @BOOMbaca.