Vernon Tabbed Rays Minor League Pitcher of the Month for May

Charleston RiverDogs pitcher Austin Vernon has been chosen as the Tampa Bay Rays Pitcher of the Month for May, the team announced on Monday afternoon. Dru Baker and Logan Workman, both on the RiverDogs roster at the time, swept the Rays monthly awards in April. Vernon was also recently named Carolina League Pitcher of the Month for May and Pitcher of the Week for May 16-22.

The 6'6 Vernon posted a 0.44 ERA in five relief outings during the month. He allowed just nine hits and one earned run in 20.1 innings while walking six and striking out 34. Vernon held opponents to a .129 average while striking out 15.1 batters per nine innings

The Rays selected Vernon in the 10th round of the 2021 draft out of North Carolina Central University. He is one of three players in that program's history to be taken in the MLB Draft. Following the draft, he pitched in five games for the FCL Rays, allowing just one run on four hits in 11.1 innings. The native of Raleigh has tallied 78 strikeouts in 48.1 professional innings.

The RiverDogs are preparing to host the Salem Red Sox in a six-game series at The Joe beginning Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. The team is currently two games behind the Myrtle Beach Pelicans in the race for a first half division title. The first half ends on June 23, at which point the leader in each division will clinch a playoff spot.

Tickets for all RiverDogs games are still available! Visit riverdogs.com to secure your seats now. Season tickets, Dog-E Coin plans, and group tickets, including options to the Segra Club at Riley Park, are already available at riverdogs.com/tickets or by contacting the RiverDogs front office at 843-577-3647 (DOGS). The Segra Club is also open for events year-round. Visit segraclub.com for more information.