Southern League Names Weekly Award Winners: April 30 - May 6
Published on May 7, 2018 under Southern League (SL1) News Release
MARIETTA, GA - The Southern League of Professional Baseball Clubs are proud to announce that Birmingham Barons outfielder Eloy Jimenez has been named Player of the Week and Montgomery Biscuits right-handed pitcher Mike Franco has been named Pitcher of the Week. Both awards recognize these players' performances for games played during the week of April 30 - May 6.
Jimenez, 21, posted multiple hits in all six of Birmingham's contests and paced the circuit in hits (13) and total bases (23) this week. He was also among the league leaders in batting average (2nd, .481) and extra-base hits (T-1st, 6) while recording the highest OPS (1.352) among hitters who appeared in all six games.
Listed by both MLB Pipeline and Baseball America as the no. 4 prospect in all of baseball, Jimenez is hitting .400 (18-for-45) with four home runs and 14 RBIs over the course of his current 10-game hitting streak. Despite missing the first 13 games of the season, two-time Futures Game selection is tied for the Southern League lead in home runs (6) and ranks tied for fourth in the league with 19 RBIs.
Franco, 26, receives Pitcher of the Week honors after directly aiding in three of Montgomery's four wins this week. On April 30, Franco unexpectedly took to the bump following an injury to starter Benton Moss, and worked 3.1 scoreless innings as part of a 1-0 Biscuits victory. A few days later, Franco emerged from the bullpen in a bases loaded situation against the Jackson Generals, but limited the league-leading offense to just one run (which scored on a passed ball) before slamming the door with a 1-2-3 ninth inning. The Corpus Christi, Texas native registered his second save of the week Sunday afternoon, sealing a series victory for Montgomery in the process.
Selected by Tampa Bay in the seventh round of the 2014 MLB Amateur Draft, Franco ranks among the Southern League's top relievers in lowest batting average (5th, .137) and fewest baserunners per nine innings pitched (5th, 7.47). He was one of five Biscuits chosen for the Southern League All-Star Game last year.
Southern League Stories from May 7, 2018
- Three-Run Sixth Inning Sinks Generals in Opener - Jackson Generals
- Bats Quieted by Cabrera in Shuckers' Loss - Biloxi Shuckers
- Biscuits Bats Come Alive in 11-0 Win - Montgomery Biscuits
- Clifton, Smokies Shut out Jumbo Shrimp, 3-0 - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Smokies Take Game One in Jacksonville - Knoxville Smokies
- Guerrero Gets Promoted to Louisville - Pensacola Blue Wahoos
- INF Austin Riley to AAA Gwinnett, RHP Andres Santiago to Mississippi - Mississippi Braves
- Culver to New Orleans; Davis to Jacksonville - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Blue Wahoos Show Gratitude with Military Mascots - Pensacola Blue Wahoos
- Riley, Parsons Earn Weekly Honors - Mississippi Braves
- Southern League Names Weekly Award Winners: April 30 - May 6 - SL1
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