Cubs name SS Javier Baez, LHP Brooks Raley minor league player, pitcher of the month for July

CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs today named Single-A Peoria shortstop Javier Baez and Triple-A Iowa left-handed pitcher Brooks Raley as the organization’s minor league player and pitcher of the month for July.

Baez, 19, batted .368 (39-for-106) with six doubles, three triples, seven home runs, 20 RBI and 21 runs scored in 28 July games for Peoria. Last month he led the Midwest League in hits (39), total bases (72) and slugging percentage (.679), and was second in extra-base hits (16), batting average, runs scored and OPS (1.076). Baez was named Midwest League Player of the Week for July 9-15, and his 39 hits were the most in a month by a Peoria player since Justin Bour had 40 in August of 2010.

Selected by the Cubs in the first round (ninth overall) of the 2011 Draft, Baez is hitting .330 (69-for-209) with 10 doubles, five triples, 11 home runs, 32 RBI, 40 runs scored and 19 stolen bases in 56 games for Peoria this season. Since making his debut May 28, he leads the Midwest League with a .584 slugging percentage and a .965 OPS. The right-handed hitter has a .370 average (17-for-46) against left-handed pitching and a .319 average (52-for-163) against righthanders.

Raley, 24, posted a 2.12 ERA (7 ER/29.2 IP) in five July starts for Iowa, walking just 12 while striking out 28 and limiting opponents to a .254 batting average. His 2.12 July ERA ranked fourth-lowest among Pacific Coast League pitchers. Raley allowed two or fewer runs in each of his five outings while recording three quality starts, and surrendered just two home runs in 132 batters faced.

Raley has combined to go 6-10 with a 3.58 ERA (52 ER/130.2 IP) in 22 starts between Double-A Tennessee and Iowa this season. Selected by the Cubs in the sixth round of the 2009 Draft, he owns a 22-27 career minor league record with a 3.74 ERA (172 ER/414.0 IP) in 80 games, all but three as a starting pitcher. He has issued just 131 walks in 414.0 innings pitched, striking out 280.

2012 CUBS MINOR LEAGUE AWARD WINNERS