Astros announce Minor League Players of the Month

HOUSTON, TX - The Houston Astros player development department has named RHP Aaron Brown the Astros upper-level Minor League Pitcher of the Month for April and IF/OF Joey Loperfido the Astros upper-level Minor League Player of the Month for April. The Astros also named IF Pascanel Ferreras the Astros lower-level Minor League Player of the Month for April and RHP James Hicks the Astros lower-level Pitcher of the Month for April.

Brown, 25, recorded a 4.15 ERA (10ER/21.2IP) with 31 strikeouts, a 1.20 WHIP and a .232 opponent batting average in five appearances, including two starts in April for Double A Corpus Christi. Brown was also named the Texas League Player of the Week for the week of April 15-21. He made one appearance during that week, allowing one hit and striking out 10 batters in five scoreless innings against San Antonio. In the Texas League, Brown ranks tied for first in strikeouts and ninth in opponent batting average. The Astros selected Brown in the ninth round of the 2021 MLB First-Year Player Draft from Middle Tennessee State.

Loperfido, 24, batted .287 with 31 runs, four doubles, 13 HR, 27 RBI, 16 walks, five stolen bases and a 1.106 OPS in 25 games with Triple A Sugar Land. Prior to his call-up, he led all of minor league baseball in home runs, total bases (72) and runs scored, while ranking tied for third in extra-base hits (17), fifth in slugging (.713) and tied for sixth in RBI. Loperfido was selected to the Major League roster yesterday. He was selected in the seventh round of the 2021 MLB First-Year Player Draft from Duke University.

Ferreras, 22, batted .306 (19x62) with 14 runs, two doubles, three home runs, eight RBI, 10 walks and a .911 OPS (.427 OBP/.484 SLG) in 17 games with High A Asheville. In the South Atlantic League, he ranks sixth in on-base percentage, seventh in OPS, tied for seventh in runs and seventh in batting average. Ferreras was selected in the 20th round of the 2023 MLB First-Year Player Draft from Western Carolina University.

Hicks, 23, recorded a 0.50 ERA (1ER/18IP) with 25 strikeouts, a 0.89 WHIP and a .143 opponent batting average in four appearances, including two starts with Low A Fayetteville. In the Carolina League, Hicks ranks second in ERA, fifth in opponent batting average, tied for sixth in WHIP and seventh in strikeouts. The right-handed pitcher was promoted to High A Asheville on Monday. Hicks was selected in the 13th round of the 2023 MLB First-Year Player Draft from the University of South Carolina.