RHP C.J. Edwards and INF Alejandro Selen among winners of club’s July Minor League Awards

Arlington, Texas – The Texas Rangers announced today the club’s minor league award winners for July. Right-hander C.J. Edwards was named Pitcher of the Month, infielder Alejandro Selen was named Player of the Month, infielder Rougned Odor was named Defender of the Month, and right-hander Ben Rowen was named Reliever of the Month.

Edwards, 20, was 1-0 with a 0.76 ERA (2 ER/23.2 IP) and 29 strikeouts against 9 walks, while holding opposing batters to a .127 average (10-79) over 5 games/4 starts with the Arizona League Rangers and the Spokane Indians. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound Edwards had the lowest opponent batting average and posted the 5th-lowest ERA of any minor league pitcher during the month. The right-hander was elevated to Spokane on July 12 and completed at least 5.0 innings with 2-or-fewer hits and one-or-zero earned runs in 3 of his first 4 starts with the Indians. Overall, Edwards has combined to go 4-1 with a 1.13 ERA (6 ER/48.0 IP) and 58 strikeouts against 19 walks in 10 games/9 starts with the AZL Rangers and Spokane. Edwards was selected in the 48th round of the 2011 June draft and signed by Chris Kemp. 

Selen, 23, batted .409 (27-66) with 10 runs, 4 walks, 2 doubles, 6 home runs, and 23 RBI over 19 games with Low-A Hickory in the month of July. The Dominican Republic native had a season-high 4 hits twice during the month, along with career-best 5 RBI on July 26 vs. Delmarva just one day after his second career multi-home run game on July 25 vs. Delmarva. Overall, Selen is batting .354 (46-130) with 8 doubles, 10 home runs, and 37 RBI in 36 games with the Crawdads this season. Selen was signed as a non-drafted free agent on September 7, 2005 by Danilo Troncoso.

Odor, 18, started 26 games in the field for Low-A Hickory in July, appearing at second base 15 times and shortstop in 11 contests. The Venezuela native owns a .980 fielding percentage at second base this season, highest among any second baseman in the South Atlantic League with at least 345 total chances. He has spent the bulk of his playing time at second base, with 70 of his 90 games there. At the plate, Odor is batting .262 (94-359) with 21 doubles, 4 triples, 8 home runs, 40 RBI, and 14 stolen bases in 90 games with Hickory. He was signed as a non-drafted free agent on January 3, 2011 by Rafic Saab and Mike Daly.

Rowen, 23, did not allow a run over 12.2 innings and tallied 9 saves in 10 appearances out of the bullpen with High-A Myrtle Beach in July. The Virginia Tech product held Carolina League opponents to a .143 average (6-42) during the month, while recording 12 strikeouts with no walks. The right-hander is currently in the midst of a 29.2-inning scoreless streak dating back to June 3, during which batters have hit just .152 (15-99) with 21 strikeouts against just one walk. Overall, Rowen is 4-0 with a 1.17 ERA (6 ER/46.1 IP) and 16 saves in 30 games with the Pelicans. He was selected in the 22nd round of the 2010 June draft.