ApL Kingsport Axmen

Rasquin Brings Home Offensive Player of Week Honors

Published on July 19, 2016 under Appalachian League (ApL)
Kingsport Axmen News Release


St. Petersburg, FL-Walter Rasquin of the Kingsport Mets was named the Appalachian League Offensive Player of the Week for games played from July 11-17, Minor League Baseball announced late Monday afternoon, as the hot-hitting middle infielder recorded 14 hits in five games played during the stretch.

Rasquin, a native of Caucagua, Venezuela and Mets' 2013 signee, received action in only five games on the season prior to the stretch, but because of the good play of late that resulted in taking home Offensive Player of the Week honors for the Appalachian League's third week, the infielder has witnessed his batting average soar from .216 to .375.

"Weeks before, I wasn't doing all that well at the plate, but I just kept trusting myself and practicing hard with the help of Hitting Coach Ender Chavez and Manager Luis Rivera," Rasquin said through Rivera who was translating. "I just kept focusing on the little things and tried to put the ball in play."

The week started with a rare 4-for-4 outing at the plate against the Bristol Pirates on July 14 where Rasquin singled in all four at-bats to left field. The streak continued through the day's next contest against the Pirates on July 15 when the designated hitter singled during his first two plate appearances before blasting his first home run of the season in his third trip to the plate in the fourth inning.

Rasquin followed up his efforts in Game 1 against the Appalachian League's leading Burlington Royals on July 16 with another single before finally making his first out of the week in the at-bat that followed in the fourth inning. The consecutive hit at-bat streak stopped there following an 8-for-8 tally with seven singles and a home run during the three-game stretch against the Pirates and Royals.

"I was really happy throughout that process. I have never had a stretch where I reeled off eight-straight hits before," Rasquin said. "It's just been a lot of fun right now and I hope to keep doing my best to hit the ball the right way."

Though the consecutive hit at-bat streak ended on July 16, the hot-hitting Kingsport Met continued to rack up offensive numbers in the games that followed to end the week of action while tallying five more additional hits and another home run.

All in all, Rasquin's line read .737/.762/1.053 in the five contests played throughout the week while going 14-for-19 with the two home runs and seven RBIs. The infielder also scored six runs during the stretch and stole two bases.

Kingsport has benefited largely in part of Rasquin's play of late, coupled with that of a number of other teammates on the offensive end and the always stellar starting pitching, and have positioned themselves into a two-way tie for third place in the Appalachian League West standings with Bristol.

"As a team right now, we are having a lot of fun. The team is united and we have a lot of chemistry playing together," Rasquin said. "We are having a blast right now but we have to keep playing hard for all nine innings and 27 outs of each ballgame."

The K-Mets will return back to East Tennessee Tuesday morning before taking on the Elizabethton Twins later on in the day for Game 1 of a three-game slate to continue the road trip just a few miles away from Hunter Wright Stadium. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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Appalachian League Stories from July 19, 2016


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