Sugar Land Space Cowboys RHP Ethan Pecko has been named the Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Month for June as announced by Minor League Baseball on Monday.
Pecko made five appearances, four starts, in the month and went 3-1 with a 2.48 ERA, throwing 29.0 innings and allowing eight runs with six walks and 20 strikeouts. Among qualified pitchers, Pecko led Pacific Coast League hurlers in ERA, WHIP (0.93) and opponent batting average (.206), while finishing tied for the league-lead in the month in innings pitched.
His month started with 4.0 shutout innings out of the bullpen in El Paso on June 4 in which Pecko scattered three hits while striking out three to secure his first win of the month in a 4-1 Sugar Land victory. He then followed it up with back-to-back career outings, going a career-best 7.0 innings on June 11 against Sacramento and 7.0 frames on June 18 at Albuquerque. During his start against Sacramento at Constellation Field on June 11, Pecko allowed just two hits over 7.0 shutout frames in a 2-0 Space Cowboys victory. It was the first time Pecko had recorded an out in the seventh inning of a start, surpassing his previous single-game high of 6.0 innings pitched.
He then spun 7.0 innings and allowed just one run in Albuquerque on June 18, becoming the first Space Cowboys’ pitcher ever to throw 7.0 innings in Albuquerque, and the first Space Cowboys’ hurler to throw at least 7.0 innings in back-to-back outings since RHP Ryan Gusto on August 4 and 10 of 2024. Pecko’s last home start in June came on June 24 against El Paso in which he turned in his third-consecutive quality start, going 6.0 innings and allowing only one run on four hits with no walks and four strikeouts.
Pecko is one of just two pitchers in the Pacific Coast League this season to throw 7.0 frames in back-to-back outings, joining Athletics’ prospect RHP Kade Morris who threw 7.0 innings in back-to-back appearances for Las Vegas on May 27 and June 12.
This is the second Pitcher of the Month honor for Pecko after he was recognized as the Carolina League Pitcher of the Month in May of 2024. A sixth-round pick by the Astros out of Towson in 2023, Pecko is 3-5 this season with Sugar Land in 12 appearances, 11 starts, over 52.2 innings with 46 strikeouts. This is the seventh time a Sugar Land pitcher has been recognized as the Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Month and the first since RHP Miguel Ullola won the award in May of 2025.
ABOUT THE SUGAR LAND SPACE COWBOYS:
The Sugar Land Space Cowboys are the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros and compete in the Pacific Coast League. They began play as the Astros’ Triple-A affiliate in 2021 and began playing under the Space Cowboys brand in 2022, winning their first Triple-A title in 2024 by clinching both the Pacific Coast League Championship and Triple-A National Championship. The Space Cowboys play at Constellation Field, located at the corner of Hwy-6 and US-90 Alternate in Sugar Land, Texas. Follow the team on Twitter (@SLSpaceCowboys), Instagram (@slspacecowboys), Facebook (SLSpaceCowboys) and their official website (slspacecowboys.com). Season ticket plans for the 2026 season are available now and can be purchased at slspacecowboys.com/tickets.