Zyhir Hope, the #25-ranked prospect in all of Minor League Baseball, has received another accolade for his time with the Tulsa Drillers. Today, he was named July’s Texas League Player of the Month, joining Josue De Paula and Patrick Copen, who have also won monthly awards with the Drillers this season.
Hope was one of three minor leaguers who was traded by the Los Angeles Dodgers to the Detroit Tigers on Saturday in the blockbuster deal that brought back-to-back American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal to Los Angeles.
The 21-year-old Hope spent an eventful four months with the Drillers this season, but he saved his best for last, putting together his best stretch of the season in his final month in Tulsa.
Hope batted .372 in July and led the league in runs (24), hits (35), home runs (10), RBI (28), total bases (70), slugging percentage (.745) and OPS (1.184). In addition, he finished second in average (.372) and was fifth in on-base percentage (.439).
He also recorded 10 multi-hit games, including three multi-home run games. In his final game with Tulsa on Friday, July 31, Hope went 3-5 with 2 home runs and 3 RBI.
The next day, he was a late scratch from the Drillers lineup, and it was later learned he was included in the deal that brought Skubal to the Dodgers.
It’s not the first award for Hope this season. He was also recognized as the Texas League’s Player of the Week for his performance against Wichita June 30-July 5.
Hope was well on his way to putting his name throughout the Drillers all-time record book. He was on pace to become just the fifth Drillers player to drive in 100 runs in one season, and he would have likely moved into the franchise top 10 rankings for most hits, RBI and home runs in one season.
In addition to Hope’s award, Corpus Christi’s Bryce Mayer was named the Texas League’s Pitcher of the Month.