Cubs name Minor League Player, Pitcher of the Month for July
CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs today named Single-A Eugene infielder Pedro Martinez as the organization’s minor league player of the month for July, while Double-A Tennessee left-handed pitcher Jack Patterson and Single-A Myrtle Beach left-handed pitcher Brailyn Marquez were named as the club’s minor league co-pitchers of the month.
Martinez, 18, split time in July between Rookie League Mesa and Single-A Eugene, batting a combined .402 (33-for-82) with five doubles, one triple, one homer, 13 walks, 11 RBI and 12 runs scored. He began the month with rookie league Mesa, hitting .403 (27-for-67) with five doubles, one triple, one homer and a .481 OBP in 18 games to earn his first promotion to Single-A Eugene, July 26. In five games with the Emeralds to close out July, he went 6-for-15 (.400) with three walks.
Between Mesa and Eugene this season, Martinez is batting .380 (52-for-137) with six doubles, five triples, two homers, 20 RBI and 14 stolen bases in 36 contests. He has drawn 18 walks contributing to a .452 OBP, and sports a .992 OPS.
Signed as a minor league free agent in May of 2018, the switch-hitter has batted .338 (113-for-334) with nine doubles, 10 triples, four homers, 45 RBI and 45 stolen bases in 90-career minor league contests. A native of Porlamar, Venezeula, Martinez last season was named a Dominican Summer League mid-season All-Star as he finished with a .310 average (61-for-197) in 54 games in his first pro season.
Patterson, 24, was promoted to Double-A Tennessee yesterday after going 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA (0 ER/23.2 IP) in five starts with Single-A Myrtle Beach in July, allowing just one unearned run. He struck out 24 batters and walked eight while limiting the opposition to a .104 (8-for-77) average. The southpaw did not surrender more than two hits in any start and struck out a season-high nine batters in his last start of the month, July 30 vs. Frederick.
Prior to joining Myrtle Beach, Patterson went 5-1 with one save and a 2.34 ERA (11 ER/42.1 IP) in 16 games, all but one as a reliever, to begin the season with South Bend. He was named Cubs Minor League Pitcher of the Month in June, going 3-0 with a 0.95 ERA (2 ER/19.0 IP) in seven games. All told, he has gone a combined 7-1 with one save and a 1.50 ERA (11 ER/66.0 IP) in 21 games this season, including six starts.
Selected in the 32nd round of the 2018 Draft out of Bryant College (R.I.), Patterson is 9-2 with a 1.96 ERA (22 ER/101.0 IP) in 32-career minor league outings, including 12 starts.
Marquez, 20, was promoted to Single-A Myrtle Beach yesterday after going 2-1 with a 1.65 ERA (5 ER/27.1 IP) in five July starts with South Bend, striking out a Midwest League-best 41 batters while walking just eight. In his final two starts of the month, he struck a combined 22 batters in 12.0-scoreless innings, surrendering just one hit and one walk. He struck out a season-high 14 batters in 6.0 innings, July 25 vs. Lake County, and followed up that performance with 6.0 no-hit innings, July 31 vs. West Michigan. He was named Midwest League Player of the Week for the period ending July 28.
Named a Midwest League mid-season All-Star, Marquez is 5-4 with a 3.61 ERA (31 ER/77.1 IP) in 17 starts this season, striking out 102 batters and walking 43. Lefties are batting just .106 (7-for-66) with zero home runs off the southpaw.
Signed by the Cubs as a non-drafted free agent in August of 2015, Marquez is in his fourth pro season and first full season with South Bend. Last season, he was named a Northwest League mid-season and post-season All-Star, posting a 3.21 ERA (17 ER/47.2 IP) with 52 strikeouts in 10 starts with Eugene. All told, he has gone 12-11 with a 3.36 ERA (86 ER/230.2 IP) in 52-career minor league outings, including 50 starts.