Drew Waters Named International League Player of the Week

July 15, 2024 - International League (IL)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release

PAPILLION, NEB. - Minor League Baseball has announced the Pitcher and Player of the Week honors for each of the respective Player Development Leagues and Omaha Storm Chasers outfielder Drew Waters was named the International League Player of the Week for his performance the week of July 8 through July 14.

The Woodstock, Georgia native led the league with a 1.548 OPS and went 9-for-21 at the plate (.429 average) during Omaha's series win over the Toledo Mud Hens. Waters also led the league with his 22 total bases, connecting for four doubles and three home runs, while driving in eight runs and drawing three walks as well. He collected two hits in four of the five games he played in the series and not only recorded a hit in every game he played against Toledo, but also scored a run and drove in a run in all five games as well.

Across 68 Triple-A games this season, Waters is slashing .273/.359/.498 (68-for-249) with the Storm Chasers, with 34 extra-base hits (10 home runs) and 44 runs batted in. Waters is tied fifth in the International League with 22 doubles, while eighth in the league with 56 runs scored. Among Omaha's qualified hitters, Waters is third in OPS this season (.857).

Originally drafted 41st overall by the Atlanta Braves out of Etowah High School (Ga.) in 2017, Waters was traded to the Royals in July 2022 with INF CJ Alexander and RHP Andrew Hoffmann in exchange for a Competitive Balance pick in the 2022 Major League Baseball draft, the 35th overall pick that year. While in the Braves organization, Waters was chosen as a Southern League Player of the Week in June 2019, recognized as the league's Batting Champion and Most Valuable Player that season. Waters made his Major League debut with the Kansas City Royals on August 22, 2022, and has appeared in 133 games with Kansas City over the last three seasons. The outfielder has also played 112 games for the Storm Chasers since joining the Royals organization and his .902 OPS is the best of any qualified Omaha hitter (min. 325 PA) over the last three years.

Waters is the fourth Storm Chaser to win an International League weekly award this year after catcher Logan Porter and infielder Devin Mann were recognized as Players of the Week in April and May respectively, while pitcher Walter Pennington was named the league's Pitcher of the Week for the week of May 27 to June 2.

Right-handed starting pitcher Chayce McDermott of the Norfolk Tides (Triple-A, Baltimore Orioles) was the International League's Pitcher of the Week, as he threw 6.2 scoreless innings with 1 hit allowed and 7 strikeouts on Friday July 12 at Memphis, the right-hander's second weekly honor of the 2024 season.

Omaha Storm Chasers outfielder Drew Waters (Minda Haas Kuhlmann)

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