D-backs Award Owings, Holmberg with Monthly Honors

PHOENIX -The Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) named Triple-A Reno infielder Chris Owings (@cowings5) and Double-A Mobile left-handed pitcher David Holmberg (@David_Holmberg) the organization's Minor League Player- and Pitcher-of-the-Month for June, respectively. Owings' recognition marks the first time in club history the organizational player has garnered the award in three consecutive months.

Owings, 21, hit .369 (45-for-122) with 9 doubles, 4 home runs, 25 RBI and 3 stolen bases in 28 games in June for the Aces. On June 4, he ended a 23-game hit streak, good for the second longest streak in professional baseball this season and the third longest in club history (Jake Elmore-2012, 31 games; Tony Abreu-2011, 24 games). The 2013 Pacific Coast League Mid-Season All-Star collected 45 hits in June, tied for the most in all of professional baseball (Grant Green, Athletics) and became the first player in Reno's history to record 40 or more hits in three consecutive months (April-40, May-44). He currently leads all of professional baseball in hits (130), 12 more than Miguel Cabrera (Tigers) and 17 more than any Minor Leaguer. Owings ranks first in the PCL in games (84), at-bats (368), runs scored (69), second in batting average (.353) and total bases (179) and fifth in RBI (55). His 43 multi-hit games lead the Aces. Entering the 2013 season, he was rated by MLB.com as the No. 6 Prospect in the D-backs organization and No. 7 by Baseball America. The Charleston, S.C. native was drafted by the D-backs in the supplemental first round (41^st overall) of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft.

Holmberg, 21, went 3-1 with a 1.75 ERA (7 ER in 36.0 IP) with 27 strikeouts in 5 starts in June for the BayBears. He held opponents to a .164 batting average (20-for-122) during the month, giving up 1 run or less in 4 or his 5 starts. The southpaw led the Southern League in innings pitched during the month and currently leads the league in innings pitched (109.2) and ranks sixth in ERA (2.45). Holmberg threw his second career complete game on June 17, a 1-hitter which led the BayBears to their third consecutive Southern League playoff berth. Holmberg, who was named the Southern League Pitcher of the Week (May 6-12), entered the 2013 season rated by Baseball America as the No. 6 prospect in the D-backs organization and No. 8 by MLB.com. A native of Port Charlotte, Fla., Holmberg was drafted by the White Sox in the second round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft and later traded to the D-backs with RHP Daniel Hudson in exchange for RHP Edwin Jackson on July 30, 2010.

Every month during the season, the D-backs Player Development staff chooses the player and pitcher most deserving of the honors based on nominations from coaches at each affiliate along with input from the Minor League coordinators.