PBL Players of the Month -- July
The PBL Players of the Month awards recognize players who stood out and led their respective teams to success over the course of the past week. Each month, the PBL will select one position player and one pitcher for recognition.
PBL Players of the Month (July - 2024)
Hitter of the Month: Kelly Dugan, (1B/OF), Grand Junction Jackalopes
Kelly Dugan,Grand Junction’s franchise player, led the Pioneer Baseball League in July with 14 home runs and 41 RBI, both league highs for the month. His slugging percentage reached an impressive .967, coupled with a .550 on-base percentage—again, topping the league charts. Alongside these standout figures, he maintained a robust .433 batting average with 39 hits.
Grand Junction’s Manager Chris Knabenshue had nothing but high praise for his standout player, “What a great honor for Kelly to be awarded the Pioneer League player of the month for July. He’s really settling in after battling back from an early foot injury. He’s a talented hitter with a wealth of knowledge that we are all benefitting from being around. The ball comes off his bat different than most. I wish I had ten of him.”
Pitcher of the Month: Alfredo Villa, P, Missoula PaddleHeads
In July, Missoula pitcher Alfredo Villa earned two PBL Player of the Week nods. In 6 appearances he posted 5 wins and no losses with an impressive 1.91 ERA, a league low for all starting pitchers, while recording 41 strikeouts.
The PaddleHeads’ Manager Michael Schlact expressed his admiration for Villa, “Alfredo is a hard worker on the field and a leader off the field. This award is a testament to both the culture here and the talent we aspire to have on our roster. We feel we have a chance to win every time he steps on the mound, and it's been a lot of fun watching him go about his business."