Teammates Tucker, Sneed recipients of weekly awards

Fresno OF Tucker collects 15 hits, RHP Sneed delivers complete game shutout

Photo Credit: Jesus Sepulveda (left / right).

June 25, 2018

ROUND ROCK, Texas - Fresno Grizzlies teammates, outfielder Kyle Tucker and right-hander Cy Sneed , have been selected as the Pacific Coast League's Player and Pitcher of the Week for the period of June 18-24, 2018, the League office announced Monday. Tucker and Sneed are the second pair of teammates

ROUND ROCK, Texas - Fresno Grizzlies teammates, outfielder Kyle Tucker and right-hander Cy Sneed , have been selected as the Pacific Coast League's Player and Pitcher of the Week for the period of June 18-24, 2018, the League office announced Monday. Tucker and Sneed are the second pair of teammates to sweep the weekly awards since the start of the 2017 season, joining Reno's Zach Borenstein (OF) and Jake Buchanan (RHP) for the week of August 7-13, 2017. The duo's efforts have helped Fresno get off to a Triple-A-best 46-29 start to the season.

Tucker compiled 15 hits across six games, a total that matched the most in professional baseball (Luis Arraez, Ft. Myers). He hit .577 (15-for-26) and had multiple hits in five contests, including four three-hit games. Tucker was also among the PCL weekly leaders in on-base percentage (.607, 1st), total bases (20, 2nd), OPS (1.376, 3rd) and runs (6, t-3rd). The Tampa native hit a home run, collected three RBI and three stolen bases.
The 2015 fifth overall First-Year Player Draft selection began the week with four consecutive three-hit games, three of which contributed to Fresno wins. On June 21 against Albuquerque, he tallied three hits, one of which was a home run, two RBI, two runs and a stolen base to provide the offense in an 8-0 win. He capped his week by hitting a walk-off single on June 23 in game two of a double-header, lifting the Grizzlies to a 2-1 win over Albuquerque.
Video: Tucker wins it for Grizzlies
Tucker, tabbed by Baseball America as Houston's No. 2 prospect entering the season, has heated up over the last month. He is currently sporting a 13-game hitting streak that ranks as the second-longest active streak in the PCL. Over that time, Tucker has hit .500 (28-for-56) with two homers and 11 RBI. On the season, his first full campaign at the Minors highest level, Tucker has collected a team-best 89 hits and 23 doubles en route to a .314 batting average (89-for-283). This is the 21-year-old's second career Player of the Week award, having previously been honored by the Midwest League (Single-A) in August 2016.
Sneed delivered the PCL's third nine-inning complete game shutout of the season, with an 11-strikeout performance on June 21 against Albuquerque. He retired 18 of the first 19 hitters, with the lone baserunner in that stretch coming via a one-out walk in the opening inning. The native Nevadan did not allow his first hit until the leadoff batter of the seventh inning. It matched the third-longest into a start a PCL pitcher has taken a no-hit bid this season. In total, Sneed gave up only two hits and two walks, but faced just three over the minimum, throwing 70 of his 105 pitches for strikes.

The 25-year-old has dazzled in his first full season at Triple-A. His 2.97 ERA (5th), seven wins (t-3rd), 1.14 WHIP (3rd) and .229 batting average against (5th) all place among the League's season leaders. 10 of the 26 earned runs Sneed has surrendered this season came in one start; he has a 1.97 ERA in his other 13 appearances (11 starts). Acquired from Milwaukee for Jonathan Villar in November 2015, Sneed has gone 23-14 with a 4.48 ERA (311.1 IP, 155 ER) in three seasons in the Astros organization. This is his first career Pitcher of the Week award.