1B/DH Jesus Aguilar Named Indians Minor League Player of the Week

CLEVELAND, OH - The Cleveland Indians today announced that 1B/DH JESUS AGUILAR has been named the Indians Minor League Player of the Week for the period of August 18-24. The Indians Player of the Week Award recognizes an individual performance from within the Indians Player Development System and is announced each Tuesday through the end of the Minor League season.

Aguilar, 24, hit .462 (12-26) and led the International League with 5 doubles, 7 extra-base hits, 23 total bases and a 1.385 OPS (.500 OBP/.885 SLG) over the final 8 days of the Triple-A regular season schedule. With the Clippers on the verge of clinching the IL West Division title, Aguilar turned in a 5-hit performance in Monday's extra-inning 11-9 win vs. Indianapolis, and homered in Tuesday's 3-1 clincher at Toledo. After beginning his third stint with Cleveland following yesterday's recall, the 6-foot-3, 250-pound 1B/DH finished his first full-season at the Triple-A level with a .304 (130-427) average with 31 doubles, 19 home runs, 77 RBI and 69 runs scored. Aguilar racked up 64 walks against 96 strikeouts and finished with the second-highest OBP (.395) and OPS (.905) in the International League. 

After batting .365 (35-96) with 9 doubles, 5 home runs, 13 RBI and 19 runs scored in 25 games during the month of August, Aguilar was named International League Player of the Month for the first time in his career. Over his final 21 games since August 5, he owns a .420 (34-81) average with the highest OPS (1.194) in all of Triple-A over that span. Aguilar was also named IL Player of the Week for his efforts over his final 8 games.

Originally signed by the Indians as a non-drafted free agent on November 13, 2007, Aguilar has been a consistent right-handed power bat in the Indians organization for the past 6 seasons. The Maracay, VZ native made his Major League debut earlier this season on May 15 at Toronto (0-2, BB) and has gone 3-18 (.167) with 2 RBI, 4 walks and a run scored in 9 games over 3 stints with the Tribe. Prior to being added to the 40-man roster last November, Aguilar set the Double-A Akron franchise single-season record with a league-best 105 RBI during the 2013 regular season.