Cubs name C/OF Kyle Schwarber, RHP Pierce Johnson Minor League Player, Pitcher of the Month for August

The Chicago Cubs today named Single-A Daytona catcher/outfielder Kyle Schwarber and Double-A Tennessee right-handed pitcher Pierce Johnson the organization's minor league player and pitcher of the month for August, respectively.  

Schwarber, 21, batted .330 (34-for-103) with 20 runs, 14 walks, eight doubles, eight homers, and 17 RBI in 28 August games for Daytona. He compiled a 15-game hitting streak from August 14-27, going 25-for-60 (.417) with nine multi-hit efforts and 14 RBI in that stretch. Schwarber hit six home runs while going deep in five-straight contests, August 21-24. The left-handed hitter posted a .403 on-base percentage and a .660 slugging percentage, good for a 1.063 OPS, and was named the Florida State League Player of the Week for August 18-24.

In 72 games this season between Single-A Boise, Single-A Kane County and Daytona, Schwarber hit .344 (90-for-262) with 55 runs, 39 walks, 18 doubles, two triples, 18 home runs and 53 RBI. He played 36 games in left field and 20 games behind the plate, throwing out 11 of 32 (34 percent) stolen base attempts. He drove in six runs in Daytona's two-game sweep of Dunedin in the first round of the Florida State League playoffs.

Schwarber is completing his first pro season after he was selected by Chicago in the first round (fourth overall) of the 2014 Draft. Daytona tonight begins the Florida State League best-of-five championship series against Fort Myers.

Johnson, 23, went 2-0 with a 1.72 ERA (6 ER/31.1 IP) with 34 strikeouts and a 1.12 WHIP in six August starts for Tennessee. His .186 opponent batting average ranked fourth-lowest among Southern League pitchers while his 1.72 ERA ranked fifth-lowest. He recorded three-straight scoreless starts, August 3-15, going 2-0 with 21 strikeouts and just six hits and six walks allowed in 16.0 innings.

In his third pro campaign, Johnson posted a 2.54 ERA (29 ER/102.2 IP) in 20 games (19 starts) between Kane County and Tennessee. Johnson was 4-3 with a 1.80 ERA (13 ER/65.0 IP) and a .187 batting average against in his final 12 starts for the Smokies beginning July 2.

Johnson was selected by Chicago in the sandwich round (43rd overall) of the 2012 Draft out of Missouri State University. He is 16-11 with a 2.68 ERA (69 ER/232.0 IP), 237 strikeouts, and 103 walks in 49 career minor league outings (46 starts).