Jose Abreu named American League Rookie of the Month

CHICAGO - Chicago White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu has been named American League Rookie of the Month for June.

Abreu, 27, batted .313 (31-99) with 10 home runs, 22 RBI and a .677 slugging percentage in 25 games to become the first player in White Sox history to win the award twice in one season. He also became the third player in Sox history to hit 10 or more homers in a month twice in one season, joining Jim Thome (twice in 2006) and Frank Thomas (twice in 1993).

Despite missing 14 games this season while on the disabled list, Abreu leads the major leagues in slugging percentage (.627) and at-bats per home run (10.73), is tied for the lead in home runs (26) and RBI (67) and ranks among the leaders in extra-base hits (3rd, 44), total bases (5th, 175) and OPS (7th, .956).

Abreu is on pace to hit 50 home runs, which would break the White Sox franchise record of 49 set by Albert Belle in 1998 and the major-league rookie record of 49 set by Mark McGwire in 1987. He is the only player in major-league history to hit 26 home runs in his first 71 major-league games, and his 67 RBI are tied with Wally Berger (1930) and Joe DiMaggio (1936) for the sixth-highest total in history by a player in his first 71 career games.

Abreu owns a 16-game hitting streak (.344, 22-64), the longest active streak in the major leagues and tied for the ninth-longest by a rookie in White Sox history.

He was named AL Player and Rookie of the Month for April after recording 10 home runs and 32 RBI, joining Yasiel Puig (June 2013) as the only players to win both awards in their first month in the major leagues.