Washington Nationals Minor Leagues: Players Of The Week (6/22-6/28)
By Ricky Keeler
(Photo Credit: Grading On The Curve)
Auburn Doubledays (5-4)
Hitter Of The Week: OF Matthew Page (.263, 2 HR, 8 RBI’s)
In the early stages of the New York-Penn League season, the Doubledays have seen a good start from one of their players from last season, Matthew Page. The 23-year-old had three straight multi-hit games from June 23-June 25 against State College (St. Louis Cardinals) and West Virginia (Pittsburgh Pirates). During that stretch, he had six hits in 13 at-bats, but only one hit was an extra base (a double).
Page, the tenth round pick of the Nats in the 2014 MLB Draft, leads the team in RBI’s and home runs. Last season, he hit .248 in 38 games with one home run and 13 RBI’s. He has 12 strikeouts in nine games, including striking out three times in a 6-5 loss to the Brooklyn Cyclones (New York Mets).
Honorable Mention: 2B Dalton Dulin (.368, 0 HR, 1 RBI’s)
Dulin was the Nats’ 17th round pick in this year’s draft out of Northwest Mississippi Community College. He’s only had 19 at-bats, but he has seven hits and has a hit in five of those six games. On June 23, against State College, Dulin went 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored in Auburn’s 9-5 win.
Right now, second base is the spot that has given Auburn good numbers. The other Doubledays second baseman is Bryan Mejia, who is hitting .391 with four doubles. The 21-year-old Dulin is getting a chance to play, since the NYPL uses the designated hitter, and he is off to a great start in his first six starts in professional ball.
Pitcher Of The Week: RP Mariano Rivera Jr. (0-0,0.00)
When the Nationals selected the son of former Yankees’ closer Mariano Rivera, it was unknown whether or not the Doubledays would use the younger Rivera as a starter or reliever. In his first professional outing on June 23, Rivera Jr. came into the game in the bottom of the sixth as the Spikes played Enter Sandman.
While Rivera Jr. is not like his father in terms of the cutter, he did have a excellent first game. He went two innings, gave up two hits, and struck out four. In the bottom of the seventh, he got in a two on, no out jam, but struck out the side to get out of the inning unscathed.
Honorable Mention: SP McKenzie Mills (0-0, 2.25)
It’s been a rough first nine games for the Auburn rotation, but on June 24, McKenzie Mills put up a good outing against State College. He went four innings, gave up one run on four hits, struck out two, and walked one. The Doubledays would go on to win the game, 8-3.
Last season, with the Gulf Coast Nats, Mills went 1-2 with a 5.87 ERA in ten appearances, with five of those being starts. He did have 18 walks in ten games and opponents were hitting .333 against him. The Nats selected the 19-year-old left-hander in the 18th round of the 2014 MLB Draft out of Sprayberry High School in Georgia.