
Rivera, Bradley Earn Weekly Honors
Published on May 23, 2016 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1) News Release
ROUND ROCK, Texas - The Pacific Coast League has tabbed Las Vegas 51s' infielder T.J. Rivera and Reno Aces' right-hander Archie Bradley the Player and Pitcher of the Week for May 16-22, the league office announced this afternoon.
Rivera's 17 hits and 12 RBI led all of professional baseball. He is just the second PCL player to record 17-plus hits in a week since the start of the 2015 season (Todd Glaesmann, Reno, 17, August 24-31, 2015). Rivera also tied for the PCL-best with 25 total bases, ranked second in batting average (.607) and on-base percentage (.645) and third in OPS (1.538). He collected multiple hits in all six games - and has done so in seven in a row. His week was highlighted by his 4-hit, 2-RBI game May 19 at Colorado Springs, his first career four-hit game in his 89th career Triple-A game. Rivera also scored four runs May 16 at Oklahoma City, becoming one of seven PCL players to accomplish that feat this year.
This past week has been the extension of a breakthrough year for the Mets prospect. On the season, Rivera's 56 hits and 40 RBI pace the PCL, while his .378 batting average trails only teammate Ty Kelly (.391) for the league lead. The Bronx native has already ripped off a 14-game hitting streak this year, tied for the fourth longest in the league this season. During his current nine-game streak, Rivera has hit .537 (22-for-41) with 16 RBI. The 27-year-old has had a decorated minor league career in the Mets organization after signing with New York as an undrafted free agent in 2011. In 624 career games, Rivera has a .321 batting average and a .798 OPS. He has been a two-time MiLB.com organizational All-Star (2012, 2014) and three-time Mid-Season All-Star (2012-14). This is his second career Player of the Week award, having previously won in April 2012 with Single-A Savannah.
Bradley's only start came May 21 vs. Omaha, and he got the win after going 8.0 shutout innings on three hits with three walks and nine strikeouts, throwing 68 of his 108 pitches for strikes. He faced 28 hitters, retiring 10-of-11 at one point. Bradley's 47 strikeouts on the season trail only Albuquerque's Jeff Hoffman (49) for the PCL lead. He has quality starts in six of his seven starts, giving up no more than two earned runs in any of his quality starts. The 23-year-old's 1.99 season ERA is third in the PCL (Urias - 1.10, Roth - 1.77).
The Diamondbacks drafted Bradley out of Broken Arrow High School (OK) with the seventh overall pick in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft. He made his big league debut with an eight-start stretch to begin the 2015 season. Bradley has made two spot starts for Arizona this year, going 1-0 with a 7.84 ERA. This is his fourth career Pitcher of the Week, having previously been honored three times during the 2013 season with Double-A Mobile. During that campaign, in which he went 12-5 with a 1.97 ERA, Bradley was named the Southern League's Most Outstanding Pitcher. Bradley joins teammate Braden Shipley as the Aces' Pitcher of the Week recipients this year.
Pacific Coast League Stories from May 23, 2016
- Isotopes End Losing Streak with 4-2 Victory in Extras - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Redbirds Routed in Salt Lake City, 14-3 - Memphis Redbirds
- Ike Davis' Blast Fuels 4-3 Round Rock Victory - Round Rock Express
- I-Cubs Cut Down by Chihuahuas - Iowa Cubs
- Rainiers Winning Streak Snapped In Round Rock - Tacoma Rainiers
- Aces' Late Rally Seals 6-2 Win in Big Easy - Reno Aces
- Reno Snaps Zephyrs' Win Streak with Four-Run Ninth - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Jared Hoying, Joey Gallo Promoted to Texas Rangers - Round Rock Express
- Nashville Sounds Game Information: Nashville Sounds (23-20) at Las Vegas 51s (24-18) - Nashville Sounds
- Fife Comes off DL - Iowa Cubs
- OKC Dodgers Game Notes - May 23, 2016 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Sergio Romo Starts Rehab with Sacramento - Sacramento River Cats
- Reno Aces Game Information: Reno Aces (19-23) at New Orleans Zephyrs (19-23) - Reno Aces
- Bradley Takes Home PCL Weekly Honors - Reno Aces
- Rivera, Bradley Earn Weekly Honors - PCL1
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