NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, CFL stats



Tennessee Smokies

Almora Jr. Earns Cubs Minor League Player of the Month Honors

September 3, 2015 - Southern League (SL1)
Tennessee Smokies News Release


SEVIERVILLE - The Chicago Cubs announced Thursday that Tennessee Smokies outfielder Albert Almora Jr. has been recognized as the organization's Minor League Player of the Month for the month of August. Almora Jr. becomes the third Smokies player to win a monthly honor from the team's parent club this season after catcher Kyle Schwarber first baseman Dan Vogelbach earned the Cubs' Player of the Month Award for the months of May and April, respectively.

The 21-year-old accumulated a .352 batting average (44-125) over his 31 contests in August, adding 22 runs, 14 doubles, one triple, one homer and 15 RBI, along with 11 walks. Almora Jr. also recorded hits in all but three of those 31 games, which included a pair of double-digit hit streaks. The outfielder collected hits in 13 straight games between August 4-16, and is currently riding another 13-game hit streak that began on August 21.

Among all Cubs farmhands last month, the Florida native ranked first in doubles and extra-base hits (16), in addition to second in batting average, hits, total bases (63) and OPS (.917), fourth in slugging pecentage (.504), tied for fourth in runs scored, sixth in on-base percentage and tied for eighth in RBI. Almora Jr. displayed outstanding defense in the outfield last month, which included a leaping catch in center field on August 8 against the Jackson Generals that was shown later on ESPN's SportsCenter that evening as the "Best Minor League Catch", while also recording a walk-off RBI single in the 12th inning of a 7-6 win over the Montgomery Biscuits on August 21.

Thanks to his torrid month at the plate, the outfielder comes into Thursday's play with a .276 batting average (110-399), adding 69 runs, 26 doubles, four triples, six homers and 46 RBI, in addition to 31 walks. The outfielder has raised his batting average 35 points since beginning the month of August with a .241 tally, and also comes into tonight second in the Southern League with a total plate appearances per strikeout ratio of 9.67.

Almora Jr. was selected by the Cubs as the sixth overall pickin the first round of the 2012 MLB Draft out of Mater Academy Charter High School in Florida, and was rated the seventh-best prospect in the Cubs organization by Baseball America prior to this season. MLBPipeline.com also currently ranks Almora Jr. as the No. 99 overall prospect in baseball.

The outfielder becomes the third Smokies player to be tabbed Cubs Minor League Player of the Month this year after catcher Kyle Schwarber and first baseman Dan Vogelbach were recognized for the same honor in May and April, respectively. Current starting pitcher Ryan Williams was also named Cubs Minor League Pitcher of the Month of the month of May for his work with Low-A South Bend. Tennessee also had two players honored during the 2014 campaign with a Player of the Month Award from the Cubs in third baseman Kris Bryant (May 2014) and outfielder Jorge Soler (July 2014).

The Smokies begin their final series of the season this evening on the road with a five-game set against the Biloxi Shuckers, the Double-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. Tennessee is anticipated to send RHP Andres Santiago, who is coming off an eight shutout nning two-hit performance, to toe the rubber, while Southern League Mid-Season All-Star LHP Hobbs Johnson is slated to get the ball for the Shuckers. First pitch is scheduled for 7:40 p.m. ET at MGM Park.

The Smokies will commence their 2016 campaign at home against the Mobile BayBears on Thursday, April 7, 2016. The full schedule for next season and season ticket information can be found online at smokiesbaseball.com, or by calling the Smokies Ticket Office at 865-286-2300.

Check out the Tennessee Smokies Statistics

• Discuss this story on the Southern League message board...

Southern League Stories from September 3, 2015


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central