Right-Hander Awarded Honor for Third Time This Season
The Visalia Rawhide, in conjunction with the Arizona Diamondbacks, announced that RHP Jon Duplantier (Diamondbacks #2 prospect, MLB Pipeline) has been named the Arizona Diamondbacks Minor League Pitcher of the Month for July.
Duplanter, who was promoted to Visalia from Class-A Kane County on June 22, went 4-0 with a 1.82 ERA (5 ER in 24.2 IP) with 28 strikeouts and 6 walks in 4 starts for Visalia in July. He ranked among California League leaders last month in ERA (2nd), wins (T-2nd), opponent average (6th, .250), and WHIP (7th, 1.14). Duplantier was also named the organization’s Minor League Pitcher of the Month in April (1-0, 0.00) and May (4-0, 0.79) while with Kane County. He was selected by the Diamondbacks in the third round of the 2016 First-Year Player draft from Rice University.
Duplantier becomes the second player in Diamondbacks franchise history who has been named Minor League Pitcher of the Month three times in one season. Duplantier joins current Arizona RHP Archie Bradley, who was given the distinction three times during the 2013 season, five games of which he spent in Visalia.
Duplantier put up a career start in his final appearance of July, tossing seven shutout innings against Lake Elsinore while striking out a career-best nine hitters and scattering seven hits while walking none. He has allowed more than one earned run only once this season while in a Rawhide uniform. He is scheduled to start on Saturday for Visalia at Recreation Park against the Stockton Ports.
Every month during the season, the D-backs Player Development staff chooses the player and pitcher most deserving of the honors based on nominations from coaches at each affiliate along with input from the Minor League coordinators. INF/OF Yoel Yanqui (DSL D-Backs 1) was named the Diamondbacks Minor League Player of the Month for July.
The Visalia Rawhide kick off a four-game series tonight where they will re-brand as the Visalia Toros to pay homage to the Hispanic culture of Tulare County. For tckets and more information visit Rawhidebaseball.com or call 559-732-4433. You can follow the Rawhide on Twitter (@VisaliaRawhide), Facebook (TheRawhide), Instagram (@visaliarawhide) and Snap Chat (visaliarawhide).