Blue Jays C Derrick Chung Named FSL Player of the Month
June 10, 2014 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Dunedin Blue Jays News Release
DUNEDIN, FL - The Florida State League has named Dunedin Blue Jays C Derrick Chung the Player of the Month for May. In 21 games, he led the league with a .405 batting average and a .482 on-base percentage, blasting one home run and producing six RBIs with 10 walks and just eight strikeouts.
Chung's 1.009 OPS in May was also good for best in the league, as he lead the Blue Jays to an 18-10 record last month. A 2014 FSL All-Star, Chung ranks 7th in the league in batting average (.311), 8th in on-base percentage (.389) and 3rd in lowest plate-appearances-per-strikeout ratio, fanning just once every 9.70 times at bat this season. Chung has also thrown out 17 would-be base stealers, which is second-most among active catchers in the FSL.
The 26-year-old from Garden Grove, California holds the second-longest hitting streak in the FSL this season, collecting hits in 15 straight games from May 13 - June 2. During that stretch, Chung hit .472 with a home run, four doubles, eight RBIs, eight walks and eight strikeouts with a .548 OBP.
In Monday night's pivotal win over the second-place Lakeland Flying Tigers, Chung went 2-for-5 with a double and three runs batted in as the Blue Jays increased their division lead to 3.5 games with six left to play in the first half. If Dunedin wins at least three of their next six games, the team will clinch a fifth-consecutive playoff berth.
Chung was selected in the 31st round of the 2012 draft out of Sacramento State University. After spending his first professional year as an infielder with the Blue Jays Northwest League affiliate, the Vancouver Canadians, Chung was converted to a catcher entering the 2013 season, a position he played for over a year in college.
Last year in Dunedin, Chung finished second on the team with a .287 batting average, and ranked second in the league in throwing out would-be base stealers.
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