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Cubs name OF Mark Zagunis, RHP Carlos Pimentel Minor League Player, Pitcher of the Month for June

CHICAGO - The Chicago Cubs today named Single-A Myrtle Beach outfielder Mark Zagunis and Triple-A Iowa right-handed pitcher Carlos Pimentel the organization's minor league player and pitcher of the month for June, respectively. 

Zagunis, 22, batted .326 (31-for-95) with 23 runs scored, six doubles, one triple, four home runs, 16 RBI and 14 walks compared to 13 strikeouts in 26 June games for Myrtle Beach. He recorded a .448 on-base percentage and a .537 slugging mark to contribute to a .985 OPS for the month. In nine games from June 10-19, Zaguins hit .439 (18-for-41) with four doubles, one triple, two home runs and 11 RBI while posting a 1.209 OPS.

The right-handed hitting Zagunis last month led the Carolina League in runs scored, tied for first in home runs, second in total bases (51) and OPS, third in OBP, tied for third in hits and walks, fourth in slugging, tied for fourth in RBI and tied for fifth in extra-base hits (11).                                                                                                           

Zagunis was named a Carolina League mid-season All-Star and was tabbed as the league's Player of the Week for June 15-21. He this season is batting .313 (79-for-252) with 50 runs scored, 15 doubles, four triples, five homers, 35 RBI and 52 walks in 70 games for Myrtle Beach. He has a .446 on-base percentage and a .464 slugging mark.

Selected by the Cubs in the third round of the 2014 Draft out of Virginia Tech, Zagunis owns a .302 average (140-for-464) with 31 doubles, seven triples, seven homers, 67 RBI and 94 walks compared to 84 strikeouts in 127 career minor league contests.

Pimentel, 25, was 4-1 with a 0.95 ERA (3 ER/28.1 IP) in five June starts for Iowa, as he held opponents to a .192 batting average (19-for-99), a .287 on-base percentage and a .212 slugging mark. He walked 14 batters, struck out 22, did not allow a home run and recorded four quality starts, including three outings of at least 6.0 shutout innings.

Pimentel's 0.95 June ERA led all Pacific Coast League hurlers while his four June victories tied for the league lead. His .192 average against was fourth-lowest in the league. He is 6-4 with a 3.01 ERA (25 ER/74.2 IP) in 15 games, all but one in a starting role, for Iowa this season. Pimentel has walked 38, struck out 70 and registered at least 6.0 innings in five of his last six starts.

Signed to a minor league deal by Chicago in November of 2013 following seven seasons in the Texas Rangers farm system, Pimentel is 51-52 with a 4.06 ERA (403 ER/892.1 IP), one complete game and three saves in 216 career minor league games (147 starts). He has walked 406 and struck out 813 batters, including a career-high 133 in 2013 with Double-A Frisco and Triple-A Round Rock.

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