Cubs name INF Javier Baez, LHP Chris Rusin Minor League Player, Pitcher of the Month for June
CHICAGO - The Chicago Cubs today named Single-A Daytona infielder Javier Baez and Triple-A Iowa left-handed pitcher Chris Rusin the organization's minor league player and pitcher of the month for June, respectively.
Baez, 20, batted .300 (27-for-90) with seven doubles, and a league-leading nine home runs and 28 RBI in 24 June contests. He drew nine walks, contributing to a .390 on-base percentage while recording a .678 slugging mark. He became just the second player in Florida State League history to hit four home runs in a game, accomplishing the feat June 10 vs. Fort Myers. The performance resulted in FSL Player of the Week honors for Baez.
Baez is hitting .272 (79-for-290) with 19 doubles, four triples, 17 home runs and 57 RBI in 73 games for Daytona this season. The FSL All-Star leads the league in runs scored (57), home runs and total bases (157), while ranking second in extra-base hits (40) and fourth in RBI. The right-handed hitter owns a .300 batting average (27-for-90) with six home runs and 42 RBI with runners in scoring position.
Originally selected by the Cubs in the first round (ninth overall) of the 2011 draft, Baez owns a .283 career batting average (170-for-601) with 34 doubles, 10 triples, 33 home runs and 104 RBI in 158 minor league contests.
Rusin, 26, went 3-3 with a 2.86 ERA (14 ER/44.0 IP) in six June starts for Iowa, striking out 26 compared to just eight walks. He surrendered three home runs in 44.0 innings, limiting the opposition to a .234 batting average (37-for-158). He was named to the Pacific Coast League All-Star Team, leads the league in innings pitched (110.0) and WHIP (1.10) and ranks second among starting pitchers in fewest walks per 9.0 innings with a 1.89 mark (22 BB/105.0 IP).
Rusin is 7-7 with a complete-game shutout and a 3.27 ERA (40 ER/110.0 IP) in 17 games (16 starts) with Iowa this season, recording 10 quality starts. He's struck out 63 hitters compared to 22 walks while surrendering just seven home runs in 110.0 innings. He tossed his first-career, complete-game shutout in Iowa's 2-0 victory June 17 vs. Omaha as part of a career-high, 24.0-inning scoreless streak spanning four starts June 7-22. He was recalled by the Cubs yesterday, making his first big league start of the season last night at Oakland.
Rusin made his big league debut with the Cubs last season, going 2-3 with a 6.37 ER (21 ER/29.2 IP) in seven starts. He was originally selected by the Cubs in the fourth round of the 2009 draft out of the University of Kentucky.