Southern League Names Weekly Award Winners: May 14-20
Published on May 21, 2018 under Southern League (SL1) News Release
MARIETTA, GA - The Southern League of Professional Baseball Clubs are proud to announce that Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp outfielder Cade Gotta has been named Player of the Week and Jackson Generals starter Taylor Widener has been named Pitcher of the Week. Both awards recognize these players' performances for games during the week of May 14-20.
Gotta, 26, posted four multi-hit games across seven starts for the Jumbo Shrimp this past week and led all qualified hitters in a number of offensive categories including OPS (1.406), slugging percentage (.923), total bases (24), and extra-base hits (8). He also ranked among the league leaders in batting average (.423, 3rd), on-base percentage (.483, T-5th), runs (7, 4th), hits (11, 2nd), and stolen bases (3, T-2nd).
The Miami Marlins signed Gotta as a minor league free agent this past offseason. While with the Tampa Bay Rays organization last year, the San Diego, California native was named a Southern League All-Star.
Widener, 23, recorded a pair of victories for the Jackson Generals this past week, tossing 13.0 innings across two starts and allowing just one run on six hits for a combined 0.69 ERA. The Aiken, South Carolina native surrendered just one walk while recording 15 strikeouts, registering an impressive 0.54 WHIP and holding opponents to a miniscule .143 (6-for-42) batting average.
The University of South Carolina product leads all qualified Southern League starters this season in strikeouts (63), strikeouts per nine innings pitched (12.89), and fewest baserunners per nine innings pitched (9.61). He also ranks among the league's top qualified starting pitchers in a number of categories including ERA (2.86, 6th), WHIP (1.02, 2nd), and opponents' batting average (.196).
Widener is listed as the Arizona Diamondbacks no. 4 overall prospect by MLB Pipeline. He was drafted by the New York Yankees in 2016 and acquired by Arizona as part of a three-team trade this past offseason.
Southern League Stories from May 21, 2018
- Big Inning Spoils Homestand Finale - Birmingham Barons
- Wahoos Swept in 5-0 Finale - Pensacola Blue Wahoos
- Shrimp Lose, 1-0, Win, 8-4, to Split BayBears Doubleheader - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- BayBears Split Doubleheader with Jumbo Shrimp - Mobile BayBears
- Lockhart and Marlette Hit Solo Homers in Monday's Loss to Smokies - Mississippi Braves
- Smokies Beat the Braves to Take Series - Knoxville Smokies
- Demeritte, Santiago Earn Weekly Honors - Mississippi Braves
- Jackson's Taylor Widener Wins Pitcher of the Week - Jackson Generals
- Southern League Names Weekly Award Winners: May 14-20 - SL1
- Cade Gotta Named Southern League Player of the Week - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Atkinson's Ten Strikeouts Help Shut out Pensacola - Jackson Generals
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