NEW YORK -- The MLB Draft League announced that Frederick’s Elijah Dickerson and Trenton’s Sonny Fauci were named Hitter and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for the extended period of July 18-28.
Dickerson, 23, garnered Hitter of the Week honors after batting .425 (17-for-40) with a .432 OBP and .500 slugging (.932 OPS) in nine games for the Keys. He totaled three doubles, six runs scored and 11 RBI while posting two walks against six strikeouts. The outfielder led all MLB Draft League hitters during the period in average and hits, ranked second in RBI (tied) and was fourth in total bases (tied-20).
During his award-winning week, Dickerson had six multi-hit games, including four three-hit performances and five multi-RBI games for the Keys. After an 0-for-4 showing at Williamsport in his professional debut with Frederick on July 18, Dickerson logged multiple hits in each of the series’ final three games, going 3-for-5 with a double and three RBI and 3-for-5 with two RBI in consecutive games on July 19-20. He then went 2-for-3 with a walk in the finale. Following another 3-for-5 effort with a double and two RBI at State College on July 23, Dickerson batted 6-for-14 during Frederick’s week-ending series against Mahoning Valley, led by another 3-for-5, two-RBI game with a double Sunday.
A Mount Holly, N.J., native, Dickerson was an All-Coastal Athletic Association honorable mention as a Towson redshirt senior this past spring after he led the team in hits (75), batting average (.339), slugging (.484), OPS (.884) and doubles (21) while making 54 starts. Across three seasons with the Tigers, Dickerson compiled a .307/.368/.478 slash line with 192 hits, including 15 homers, 46 doubles and 110 RBI, scoring 92 runs in 161 games.
Fauci, 23, earned Pitcher of the Week honors after going 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and .188 BAA in three games (two starts) for Trenton. The right-hander racked up 18 strikeouts against six walks in 14 innings, allowing nine hits. Fauci led all MLB Draft League pitchers during the period in wins (tied), innings and strikeouts.
Fauci (2-0) delivered a scoreless inning of the Thunder’s bullpen in his professional debut against West Virginia on July 19, tallying a strikeout while allowing a hit, before moving into the team’s starting rotation on July 23. Facing Mahoning Valley, Fauci fired six no-hit innings to pick up his first professional win in a game that saw the Thunder carry a combined no-hit bid into the ninth. He allowed one earned run in the outing, recording six strikeouts and four walks on 91 pitches (49 strikes). Fauci racked up 11 strikeouts over seven innings, both season-high marks, in his next turn in the rotation against West Virginia on July 28. He allowed two earned runs on eight hits and two walks, throwing 73 of 117 pitches for strikes.
An Old Bridge, N.J., native, Fauci pitched for the Thunder during the first half (amateur) portion of the Draft League, registering a 1.93 ERA in 4 2/3 innings. Pitching as a Rutgers graduate student this spring, Fauci was 6-0 with a 4.50 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 38 innings spanning 22 appearances (three starts). He spent his previous four seasons at St. John’s, going 7-4 with a 5.51 ERA across 31 games (17 starts), before completing his college career at Rutgers.
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