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Schwarber Earns Cubs Minor League Player of the Month Honors

June 3, 2015 - Southern League (SL1)
Knoxville Smokies News Release


KODAK - The Chicago Cubs announced Wednesday that Tennessee Smokies catcher Kyle Schwarber has been tabbed as the organization's Minor League Player of the Month for the month of May. Schwarber becomes the second Smokies player to win a monthly honor from the team's parent club this season after first baseman Dan Vogelbach earned the Cubs' Player of the Month Award for the month of April.

The 22-year-old catcher posted a .297 batting average (27-91) in 28 games in the month of May, adding 18 runs, two doubles, eight homers and 17 RBI, along with 24 walks, a .443 on-base percentage and .582 slugging percentage. Included in that stretch were a pair of two-homer games, including during the first game of a doubleheader on May 17 and on May 30 versus Mobile.

The backstop led all Cubs farmhands with his eight longballs, besting former Smokies and current Iowa Cubs Arismendy Alcantara and Javier Baez, who each had five, in addition to first in walks (24), slugging percentage (.582) and OPS (1.026), as well as second in on-base percentage (.443) and sixth in batting average (.297). The Ohio native also reached base in 23 of his 28 contests during the month of May.

Schwarber entered Southern League play today batting .312 (49-157) in 47 games with Tennessee this season, along with 31 runs, seven doubles, one triple, 12 homers and 32 RBI, in addition to 37 walks, a .439 on-base percentage and .599 slugging percentage. The backstop was also pacing the Southern League in on-base percentage, slugging percentage and walks, in addition to second in home runs and third in total bases (94). Among all Minor Leaguers, Schwarber ranked third in on-base plus slugging percentage, in addition to fifth in on-base percentage and walks, as well as sixth in slugging percentage.

Selected by the Cubs as the fourth overall pick of the 2014 MLB Draft out of the University of Indiana, Schwarber prior to this season was rated by Baseball America as the No. 19 overall prospect, in addition to the fourth-best Cubs farmhand. Current Smokies right-hander Ryan Williams also was named the Cubs' Minor League Pitcher of the Month for his work with Low-A South Bend after recording a 2-1 mark and 1.59 ERA (6 ER in 34.0 IP), adding 23 strikeouts while walking zero batters over 34.0 innings of work.

The catcher becomes the second Smokies player to be named Cubs Minor League Player of the Month this year after first baseman Dan Vogelbach was recognized for the same award in April. 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).

Tennessee is currently facing off against the Chattanooga Lookouts, the Double-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, at AT&T Field in Chattanooga. Following this afternoon's contest, the Smokies will return home to Smokies Stadium to begin a seven-game homestand on Thursday, June 4. The first two matchups will feature the Lookouts, with first pitch on Thursday scheduled for 7:05 p.m. RHP Felix Pena (4-2, 3.57) is expected to get the nod for Tennessee in that game, while Chattanooga is slated to send RHP Greg Peavey (4-1, 5.94) to the hill.

Tickets for that game, as well as the remaining home contests at Smokies Stadium, are on sale and can be purchased online at smokiesbaseball.com, or by calling the Smokies Ticket Office at 865-286-2300.

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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.

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