Chicago's Montgomery, Pittsburgh's Hernandez headline April's Minor League Players of the Month

Minor League Baseball announced the Player and Pitcher of the Month Award winners for April in Major League Baseball’s player development system.

International League (Triple-A)

Iowa Cubs infielder Pedro Ramírez batted .323/.398/.625 and led the league in home runs (seven), RBIs (28), runs (24) and total bases (60). He finished second in slugging percentage (.625), third in stolen bases (10) and fourth in hits (31) and OPS (1.023). He recorded eight multi-hit games and had a career-high eight RBIs on April 22 against Louisville. Ramírez, 22, was originally signed by Chicago (NL) as an international free agent out of Temblador, Venezuela, on January 15, 2021.

Gwinnett Stripers (Braves) right-hander JR Ritchie went 3-0 with a 0.38 ERA in four starts as he allowed one earned run on 10 hits and 10 walks over 23 2/3 innings. He led the league in ERA (0.38), batting average against (.135) and WHIP (0.85). Ritchie was promoted to Atlanta on April 23 and recorded his first Major League win that night against the Nationals. Ritchie, 22, was selected by Atlanta in the Competitive Balance Round A (35th overall) of the 2022 MLB Draft out of Bainbridge High School in Bainbridge Island, Washington.

Pacific Coast League (Triple-A)

El Paso Chihuahuas (Padres) outfielder Samad Taylor batted .346/.441/.692 and led the league in slugging percentage (.692), OPS (1.133) and triples (three). He finished third in total bases (54), fourth in home runs (six) and fifth in average (.346). He recorded seven multi-hit games and drove in 11 runs over his last three games of the month (April 26-29). Taylor, 27, was originally selected by Cleveland in the 10th round of the 2016 MLB Draft out of Corona High School in Corona, California.

Tacoma Rainiers (Mariners) right-hander Gabe Mosser was 2-1 with a 2.21 ERA in six appearances (five starts) as he allowed nine earned runs on 24 hits and eight walks over a league-best 36 2/3 innings. He led qualifying pitchers in ERA (2.21), WHIP (0.87) and average against (.185) and was second in strikeout to walk ratio (3.13). Mosser, 29, was originally selected by San Diego in the 27th round of the 2018 MLB Draft out of Shippensburg University in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania.

Eastern League (Double-A)

Portland Sea Dogs (Red Sox) shortstop Franklin Arias batted .375/.432/.764 and led the league in total bases (55), slugging percentage (.764) and OPS (1.196). He finished second in average (.375), third in home runs (eight), fourth in hits (27) and fifth in RBIs (20). He recorded 10 multi-hit games and homered in three straight games twice (April 14-17 and April 21-23). Arias, 20, was signed by Boston as an international free agent out of Caracas, Venezuela, on January 15, 2023.

Richmond Flying Squirrels (Giants) right-hander Darien Smith went 3-0 with a 1.35 ERA in four appearances (two starts) as he allowed three earned runs on 10 hits and five walks while striking out 19 in 20 innings. He set a career high with nine strikeouts in a 4 1/3 inning relief appearance April 12 against Altoona, and in his two starts, he allowed five hits and two walks over 10 1/3 innings while striking out 14. Smith, 26, was signed by San Francisco as an undrafted free agent on August 21, 2024, out of Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida.

Southern League (Double-A)

Birmingham Barons (White Sox) outfielder Braden Montgomery batted .310/.423/.575. He led the league in triples (three) and was second in total bases (50) and was third in hits (27) and OPS (.998). He finished fourth in average (.310) and was fifth in RBIs (19), walks (18), on-base percentage (.423) and OPS (.998). He recorded eight multi-hit games and hit safely in 12 straight games from April 11-24. Montgomery, 23, was originally selected by Boston in first round (12th overall) of the 2024 MLB Draft out of Texas A&M University.

Montgomery Biscuits (Rays) right-hander Garrett Edwards went 0-2 with a 2.61 ERA in four starts as he scattered nine hits and six walks over 20 2/3 innings. Among pitchers to complete at least 20 innings, he led the league in batting average against (.132) and WHIP (0.73) and was second in ERA (2.61). Edwards, 24, was selected by Tampa Bay in the 11th round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Louisiana State University.

Texas League (Double-A)

Amarillo Sod Poodles (D-backs) infielder Manuel Pena batted .298/.324/.644 and led the league in home runs (nine), slugging percentage (.644) and he led Minor League Baseball in total bases (67). He finished second in hits (31) and RBIs (21), third in doubles (nine), fourth in OPS (.968) and fifth in runs (20). He recorded eight multi-hit games and his five hits on April 16 against Frisco set a career high. Pena, 22, was signed by Arizona as an international free agent out of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on January 22, 2021.

Tulsa Drillers (Dodgers) right-hander Patrick Copen went 3-0 with a 0.96 ERA in five starts as he allowed three earned runs on 14 hits and 14 walks over 28 innings. He led the league in strikeouts (37) and ERA (0.96) and among pitchers with 20 or more innings pitched, he led the league in average against (.149). He began the month with a streak of 12 1/3 scoreless innings and finished the month without allowing an earned run in his last 12 1/3 innings. Copen, 24, was selected by Los Angeles (NL) in the seventh round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia.

Midwest League (High-A)

Fort Wayne TinCaps (Padres) outfielder Alex McCoy batted .354/.386/.683 and led the league in hits (29), doubles (10) and slugging percentage (.683). He finished second in average (.354), total bases (56) and OPS (1.069) and was fifth in home runs (five). He posted nine multi-hit games in April and hit safely in 15 consecutive games from April 7-24. McCoy, 24, was signed by San Diego as a non-drafted free agent out of Hofstra University on July 24, 2024.

South Bend Cubs right-hander Brooks Caple went 3-1 with a 2.89 ERA in four starts as he scattered 12 hits and three walks over 18 2/3 innings while striking out 24. Among pitchers with at least 18 innings, Caple had the best WHIP (0.80) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (8.0) and was fourth in ERA (2.89) and average against (.179). His nine strikeouts on April 14 against Beloit set a career high. Caple, 23, was selected by Chicago in the ninth round of the 2024 MLB Draft out of Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas.

Northwest League (High-A)

Vancouver Canadians (Blue Jays) first baseman/outfielder Carter Cunningham batted .299/.431/.609 and led the league in home runs (six), RBIs (23), total bases (53), slugging percentage (.609) and OPS (1.040). He finished second in hits (26) and runs (20), was third in triples (two), and was fourth in on-base percentage (.431). He recorded seven multi-hit games and set a career high with four hits on April 9 against Eugene. Cunningham, 25, was selected by Toronto in the 10th round of the 2024 MLB Draft out of East Carolina University.

Eugene Emeralds (Giants) left-hander Charlie McDaniel went 1-0 with a 1.10 ERA in four starts as he allowed seven hits and three walks over 16 1/3 innings. He led the league in WHIP (0.61) among pitchers with more than 15 innings and was second in the league in average against (.130) by .001 (behind teammate Yunior Marte). His eight strikeouts on April 29 against Spokane tied his career high. McDaniel, 24, was signed by San Francisco as an undrafted free agent on July 19, 2024, out of Presbyterian College in Clinton, South Carolina.

South Atlantic League (High-A)

Winston-Salem Dash (White Sox) third baseman/second baseman Colby Shelton batted .378/.485/.720 and led the league in average (.378), hits (31), on-base percentage (.485) and OPS (1.205). He was second in runs (22), total bases (59), doubles (eight), RBIs (23) and slugging percentage (.720). He finished fifth in home runs (six). He recorded 10 multi-hit games and posted a career high three hits in a game four times in April. He notched his first professional multi-homer game with a pair of dingers April 24 at Hub City. Shelton, 23, was selected by Chicago (AL) in the sixth round of the 2025 MLB Draft out of the University of Florida.

Greenville Drive (Red Sox) right-hander Anthony Eyanson went 0-0 with a 0.54 ERA in four starts as he allowed one run on six hits over 16 2/3 innings without issuing a walk. He struck out 27 and led pitchers with 16 or more innings in WHIP (0.36) and was second in average against (.109) and ERA (0.54). He is the only pitcher in Minor League Baseball to strike out at least 27 batters and not issue a walk in April. He set a career high with nine strikeouts April 25 at Asheville. Eyanson, 21, was selected by Boston in the third round of the 2025 MLB Draft out of Louisiana State University.

California League (Single-A)

Fresno Grizzlies (Rockies) first baseman Tanner Thach batted .340/.416/.577 and led the league in hits (33), doubles (11), and total bases (56), and he led all of Minor League Baseball in RBIs (30). He recorded 11 multi-hit games, including a career-high four hits on April 14 at Ontario. Thach, 22, was selected by Colorado in the eighth round of the 2025 MLB Draft out of UNC-Wilmington.

Lake Elsinore Storm (Padres) right-hander Winyer Chourio went 0-0 with a 2.12 ERA in five appearances (four starts) as he allowed four earned runs on nine hits and eight walks over 17 innings. He struck out 26 batters and held opponents to a .153 average, the best mark in the league among pitchers with 17 or more innings. His eight strikeouts on April 28 in Ontario tied his career high. Chourio, 22, was signed by San Diego as an international free agent out of Merida, Venezuela, on May 13, 2024.

Carolina League (Single-A)

Charleston RiverDogs (Rays) catcher Caden Bodine batted .381/.432/.607 and led the league in average (.381), hits (32), slugging percentage (.607) and OPS (1.039) and finished second in total bases (51). He posted 11 multi-hit games and hit safely in eight straight games from April 3-14. His four hits on April 23 at Kannapolis set a career high. Bodine, 22, was originally selected by Baltimore in the first Compensation Round (30th overall) of the 2025 MLB Draft out of Coastal Carolina University.

Hill City Howlers (Guardians) left-hander Harrison Bodendorf went 0-0 with a 1.56 ERA in four appearances (three starts) as he allowed three earned runs on eight hits and six walks while striking out 25 over 17 1/3 innings. Among Carolina League pitchers with at least 17 innings, he led the league in average against (.136), was second in WHIP (0.81) and third in ERA (1.56). Bodendorf, 22, was selected by Cleveland in the 10th round of the 2025 MLB Draft out of Oklahoma State University.

Florida State League (Single-A)

Daytona Tortugas (Reds) catcher/first baseman Jacob Friend batted .329/.435/.757 and led the league in total bases (53), slugging percentage (.757) and OPS (1.192). He finished second in home runs (six) and doubles (eight) and was third in on-base percentage (.435) and triples (three). He also was fourth in average (.329), runs (19) and sixth in RBIs (17). Friend, 23, was selected by Cincinnati in the sixth round of the 2024 MLB Draft out of Davidson College.

Bradenton Marauders (Pirates) right-hander Seth Hernandez went 2-0 with a 0.53 ERA in four starts as he allowed one earned run on four hits and five walks while striking out 32 over 17.0 innings. He led the league strikeouts (32) and among pitchers with 15.0 or more innings, he led in average against (.074) and strikeouts per nine innings (16.94). He ended the month on a 16-inning scoreless streak and had a streak of 13.0 consecutive innings in which he did not allow a base hit from April 3-24. Hernandez, 19, was selected by Pittsburgh in the first round (sixth overall) of the 2025 MLB Draft out of Corona High School in Corona, California.

The Arizona Complex League and Florida Complex League began their seasons on May 2.