Jason Heyward of the Atlanta Braves named National League Player of the Week

Atlanta Braves right fielder Jason Heyward has been named the National League Player of the Week for the period ending June 24th. The announcement was made earlier today on MLB Network.

In six Interleague games last week, Heyward hit a league-leading .522 (12-for-23) while also slugging an N.L.-best 1.130. The 22-year-old’s three home runs, 12 hits, nine runs scored and 26 total bases were also tied for first among National Leaguers while his .542 on-base percentage was good for fourth. Heyward hit safely in all six of Atlanta’s games last week and has hit safely in 18 of his last 22 games overall. The left-handed-hitting slugger had four multi-hit efforts, including two three-hit games, while collecting five RBI and three doubles last week. The 2010 N.L. All-Star provided the bulk of the Braves’ offense in Sunday’s rubbermatch against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, going 3-for-4 with a towering opposite-field homer over the Green Monster in the sixth inning of the 9-4 loss. In Friday’s matchup against the Sox, Heyward went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two runs scored in a 4-1 victory. The Georgia native homered twice in the Braves’ 10-5 win at Yankee Stadium on June 20th, notching his third career multi-homer game and second this season (also June 7th at Miami). In the previous night’s game, Heyward’s sixthinning RBI-single proved to be the game-winner as the Braves edged the Yankees, 4-3. After hitting just .233 through May, Atlanta’s first round selection (14th overall) in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft is batting .369 (24-for-65) during the month of June, raising his season average to .278. His 11 home runs are tied with Dan Uggla for the team lead while his 35 RBI rank third on the squad. This is Jason’s first career weekly award.

Other noteworthy performances last week included Arizona’s Aaron Hill (.462, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 12 H, 7 R, 1.000 SLG), Wade Miley (2-0, 1.20 ERA, 15.0 IP, 15 SO), Miguel Montero (.455, HR, 10 RBI, .500 OBP) and Justin Upton (.391, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 9 H); Pittsburgh’s Andrew McCutchen (.500, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 11 H, .955 SLG, .500 OBP) and James McDonald (1-0, 1.00 ERA, CG, 9.0 IP, 5 SO); Milwaukee’s Aramis Ramirez (.500, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 11 H); Washington’s Tyler Clippard (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 3 SV, 3.0 IP, 4 SO); Houston’s J.A. Happ (2-0, 2.08 ERA, 13.0 IP, 8 SO); and Jake Westbrook (1-0, 0.00 ERA, CG, 9.0 IP, 5 SO) of the St. Louis Cardinals.

In recognition of his National League Player of the Week Award, Jason Heyward will be awarded a watch courtesy of Game Time, the leader in licensed sports watches, available at MLB.com.