NEW YORK -- The MLB Draft League announced that Mahoning Valley’s Josh Stevenson and West Virginia’s Ryan Lambert were named Hitter and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for the period of June 10-16.
Stevenson, 22, earned Hitter of the Week honors after batting .643 (9-for-14) with nine runs scored, one double and three RBI in four games for the Scrappers. He led all MLB Draft League hitters during the period in average, OBP (.773) and OPS (1.487) as well in runs, hits (tied), walks (8) and stolen bases (7).
Stevenson recorded at least one hit, one walk and one stolen base in all four games for Mahoning Valley, led by a pair of multi-hit performances. After a 1-for-4 showing at home against State College on Tuesday, Stevenson erupted to match the Draft League’s single-game hits record Wednesday, going 5-for-5 with four runs scored, two RBI, one walk and two steals against the Spikes. He reached base five times at Trenton on Saturday, finishing 1-for-2 with three runs scored, four walks and two steals, and four times in Mahoning Valley’s weekend finale, when he was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, two walks and two stolen bases.
A Lafayette, La. native, Stevenson currently ranks fourth in the MLB Draft League with a .429 average (12-for-28) and leads the circuit in runs scored (13) and stolen bases (8). He also ranks second in OBP (.579) and OPS (1.186). The left-handed hitting outfielder played in 55 games as an Ohio State junior this spring, hitting .250/.360/.392 with 15 extra-base hits, including five home runs, 35 runs scored and 30 RBI across 212 plate appearances. Stevenson had spent his previous two seasons at Louisiana State, appearing in 64 games.
Lambert, 21, took home Pitcher of the Week honors after he posted a 0.00 ERA without allowing a baserunner en route to a Draft League-leading two saves for the Black Bears. Making his Draft League debut against State College on Friday, the right-hander retired the side in order in the ninth inning on 10 pitches, notching a pair of strikeouts. Facing the Spikes again Sunday, Lambert fanned three batters over two perfect frames, throwing 15 of 22 pitches for strikes. He established a new Draft League velocity record with his final pitch, throwing a 100.4 mph fastball to record a game-ending strikeout.
An Excelsior, Minn. native, Lambert is coming off a junior season at Oklahoma, during which he went 4-0 with one save in 23 relief appearances. He allowed 14 hits in 21 innings, striking out 19.
For more information about the MLB Draft League, visit mlbdraftleague.com or follow @mlbdraftleague & @draftleaguedata on Twitter, and @mlbdraftleague on Instagram.
