07
Jul
2014
Third baseman wins first career monthly award, left-hander recognized for second time in four years
DAVENPORT, Iowa (July 5, 2014) - Third baseman Tyler White is the Quad Cities River Bandits Player of the Month for June, and left-handed pitcher Evan Grills is the team's Pitcher of the Month, the Houston Astros announced on Thursday.
The Houston Astros Player Development Department named a Pitcher and Player of the Month at each of their four full-season affiliates and two Dominican Summer League affiliates. These awards are chosen every month by the field staff of each team. Former River Bandits infielder Conrad Gregor and right-handed pitcher Juan Minaya took home the honors at Class-A Advanced Lancaster.
White, Houston's 33rd-round pick in the 2013 First-Year Player Draft, hit .324 in 22 June games. He led Quad Cities with 10 extra-base hits, five home runs, 14 RBIs, 10 walks, a .632 slugging percentage and a 1.079 on-base plus slugging (OPS). The 23-year-old Mooresboro, N.C., native had a pair of two-homer games against Wisconsin in June, going deep twice at Wisconsin June 2 and at home June 15. Through Friday, White led the team with 39 RBIs and was seventh in the Midwest League with an .403 on-base percentage and .880 OPS.
Grills, Houston's 10th-round pick in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, won his second monthly pitching honor and first since he was the August 2011 Pitcher of the Month with the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Astros. The 22-year-old Whitby, Ontario, Canada native had a June ERA of 0.95. In four appearances, including two starts, Grills had the team's first complete game of the season in Game 2 of a June 20 home doubleheader against Peoria, and he earned his first career save June 27 at Peoria. In 19 June innings, Grills struck out 17 batters while walking only two. Grills was promoted to Class-A Advanced Lancaster Friday, but he pitched a team-high 76 2/3 innings and had a 2.70 ERA that ranked fifth in the Midwest League and fourth among Houston Astros full-season minor league pitchers.
Below is a list of the Players and Pitchers of the Month this season for Quad Cities:
Month Player Pitcher
April Brett Phillips Gonzalo Sanudo
May Brian Holberton Jandel Gustave
June Tyler White Evan Grills
