NEW YORK -- The MLB Draft League announced that Mahoning Valley’s Jake Allgeyer and Trenton’s Jacob Denner were named Hitter and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for the period of Aug. 19-25.
Allgeyer, 22, garnered Hitter of the Week honors after batting .545 (12-for-22) with two doubles, one triple, three RBI and seven runs scored in six games for the Scrappers. The shortstop led all MLB Draft League hitters during the period in average, OBP (.630), slugging (.727), OPS (1.357) and hits (tied). He also finished second in runs scored and total bases (16), and was third in extra-base hits (tied-3).
Allgeyer registered four multi-hit performances while hitting safely in five of six games for Mahoning Valley. He scored three runs while racking up a season-high five hits at West Virginia to begin the week, going 5-for-5 with a double, walk, RBI and stolen base, and was 1-for-2 with a pair of walks in the series finale. Allgeyer recorded two hits in Mahoning Valley’s three games against Trenton, finishing the weekend series 6-for-12 with a double, triple, two RBI and four runs scored.
Allgeyer is hitting .403 (31-for-77) with nine extra-base hits, 11 RBI and 16 runs scored through 19 games in August. The switch-hitter has been particularly hot lately, producing a .526 average (20-for-38) and 1.301 OPS with 14 runs scored over his last 10 games. Allgeyer has improved his season average from .279 to .355 during that stretch, with his OPS also climbing from .720 to .908. Overall, Allgeyer leads the Draft League in OBP (.456), ranks second in hits (44), third in both average and runs scored (tied-27), fourth in OPS and fifth in total bases (56).
A Channahon, Ill. native, Allgeyer was selected as a Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete this past spring as a University of Southern Illinois - Carbondale senior. He hit .290 (66-for-228) with a .421 OBP and .425 slugging in 60 games, totaling six home runs, 13 doubles, 44 RBI and 59 runs scored. Before joining the Salukis, Allgeyer played at Western Illinois (2023) and Spoon River College (2022).
Denner, 24, earned Pitcher of the Week honors after he posted 5 2/3 innings without allowing a baserunner across two relief appearances for the Thunder. The left-hander led all qualified Draft League pitchers during the period in ERA (tied-0.00), BAA (tied-.000), WHIP (0.00) and opponent OPS (.000). His seven strikeouts were seventh-most in the circuit.
Denner delivered 2 2/3 perfect frames with four strikeouts to record the win at State College on Aug. 20, then fanned three batters while tossing three perfect innings against the Spikes two days later. He threw 39 of 51 pitches for strikes between the two outings. Denner owns a 0.45 WHIP and has not permitted an earned run in his last nine appearances since July 27. He’s held opposing hitters to a .095 average (4-for-42) in that span, compiling 18 strikeouts against two walks.
Denner (1-0, SV) has a 1.31 ERA and 0.58 WHIP in 20 2/3 innings as a professional player in the Draft League. He’s totaled 28 strikeouts against four walks and opposing hitters are batting .118 (8-for-68) against him, the Draft League’s top mark. Denner also leads the league in WHIP and is second in ERA. He made two appearances for the Thunder during the first half (amateur) portion of the Draft League season, notching six strikeouts in three scoreless innings.
A Closter, N.J. native, Denner was an All-Big Ten First Team Relief Pitcher selection this year as a University of Iowa fifth-year senior. Going 9-5 with four saves in 28 appearances (four starts), Denner registered a 3.89 ERA while striking out 70 in 85 2/3 innings. He logged 94 appearances, including 33 starts, in five seasons with the Hawkeyes, finishing with a 4.72 ERA and 269 strikeouts in 288 innings.
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