Santana Becomes Two-Time SAL Player of the Month Award Winner

ASHEVILLE- The legend of Luis Santana continues to grow. One month after the Asheville Tourists played their final regular season contest of the 2022 campaign, the South Atlantic League announced Santana as its September Player of the Month.

The Asheville Tourists utility player and fan favorite was named the league’s Player of the month in June and now adds September to his resume. Luis is the first Tourists player in the history of the South Atlantic League to claim multiple Player of the Month awards in the same season.

During the month of September, Santana batted .400 and led the league in hits (16), doubles (7), RBI (17), and total bases (29). Luis was third in average (.400) and slugging percentage (.725) and fourth in on-base percentage (.478) and OPS (1.203).

A likely candidate for the SAL End-of-the-Year All Star team, Luis finished fifth in the league in batting average with a .297 mark and fifth in on-base percentage at .386. Santana’s .329 batting average from May 1 through the end of the season ranked second in the league, only one point behind teammate JC Correa. Luis also finished tied for sixth in doubles (23), was tenth in slugging percentage (.472), and ended the year 12th in RBI (62).

Santana made appearances all over the diamond in 2022. Luis lined up defensively at first base, second base, third base, left field, right field, designated hitter, and even took the mound with three scoreless relief appearances.

There has never been a player like Santana suit up for the Tourists, and there may never be another player accomplish what Santana has now accomplished.