Cubs Name Vimael Machin and Craig Brooks Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Month for May
Published on June 6, 2019 under Southern League (SL1)
Knoxville Smokies News Release
SEVIERVILLE - The Chicago Cubs have announced that Smokies infielder Vimael Machin and right-handed pitcher Craig Brooks are the organization's minor league player and pitcher of the month for May, respectively.
Machin, 25, was named the Southern League Player of the Month for May after batting .369 (38-for-103) with 12 doubles, one triple, one homer, 17 RBI and 13 walks compared to just three strikeouts in 27 contests. He led the Southern League in average, hits, slugging percentage (.534) and OPS (.974), while ranking second in total bases (55) and third in OBP (.440). He had a seven-game hitting streak (.414/12-for-29), May 19-28, and earned Southern League Player of the Week honors during that stretch (May 20-26).
Machin has appeared in 51 games this season between Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa, batting a combined .319 (52-for-163) with 15 doubles, two triples, one homer, 22 RBI and 26 walks. He appeared in 10 games with Iowa from April 11-22, going 6-for-19 (.316) with a triple and four walks in his first Triple-A action since 2016.
A native of Humacao, Puerto Rico, Machin is in his fifth season in the organization since being selected in the 10th round of the 2015 draft out of Virginia Commonwealth University. He has a .262 average (322-for-1,228) with 66 doubles, four triples, 19 homers and 163 RBI in 372-career games.
Brooks, 26, made seven relief outings for the Smokies in May, allowing just one run in 11.0 innings (0.82 ERA). He picked up three saves and struck out 21 batters, while walking just five. Overall this season, the righty is 1-0 with seven saves and a 0.40 ERA (1 ER/22.2 IP), striking out 37 batters, walking 13 and limiting opponents to a .117 average (9-for-77).
Selected in the seventh round of the 2015 draft out of Catawba College in Salisbury, N.C., Brooks was a non-roster invitee to major league Spring Training for the second-straight season. He has gone 11-7 with 29 saves and a 3.36 ERA (77 ER/206.0 IP) in 156-career minor league outings, all out of the bullpen. He was a mid-season All-Star with Tennessee last season as he posted a 3.00 ERA (10 ER/30.0 IP) in 23 appearances.
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