Cubs name their player and pitcher of the month |
CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs today named Triple-A Iowa infielder Matt Mervis as the organization’s minor league player of the month for August, while Double-A Tennessee right-handed pitcher Walker Powell was named the club’s minor league pitcher of the month.
Mervis, 24, hit .305 (25-for-82) with seven doubles, four home runs, 12 RBI and 10 walks, contributing to a .390 on-base percentage and a .926 OPS in 24 games for Triple-A Iowa in August. The left-handed hitting infielder tallied seven multi-hit efforts during the month and posted a 10-game hitting streak from August 18-31. On August 24 vs. St. Paul, Mervis went 3-for-3 with a double, a home run and two RBI, beginning a stretch of three home runs in five games. All told in 2022, as of September 2, Mervis has hit .313 (135-for-431) with 37 doubles, two triples, 29 home runs, 104 RBI and a .986 OPS between Single-A South Bend, Double-A Tennessee and Iowa. His 104 RBI are the third-most in minor league baseball this season, while his 29 home runs are tied for 12th. The six-foot, four-inch, 225-pound Mervis is in his second season with the Cubs organization after he was signed to a minor league contract in June 2020. As of September 2, the Washington, D.C., native has played 188 career minor league games, batting .274 (189-for-690) with 49 doubles, three triples, 38 home runs, 148 RBI and an .869 OPS. Mervis graduated from Georgetown Preparatory School in Maryland and played four seasons at Duke University before signing with the Cubs. Powell, 26, went 2-0 with a 0.44 ERA (1 ER/20.1 IP) in five outings (one start) for Tennessee in August. The righthander struck out 21 batters, compared to six walks, contributing to a 0.79 WHIP and .141 average against (10-for-71). Powell held the opponent scoreless in four of his five outings and finished the month by tossing 6.0 scoreless innings in a win August 26 vs. Rocket City. Combined between Single-A Myrtle Beach, South Bend and Tennessee in 2022, Powell is 11-2 with a 2.76 ERA (29 ER/94.2 IP), 87 strikeouts and two saves in 30 games (five starts). His 11 wins are tied with Tyler Santana for the most by a Cubs minor leaguer. A Fayetteville, Ark., native, Powell is 11-2 with a 2.98 ERA (34 ER/102.2 IP) and two saves in 37 career minor league games (five starts) across two professional seasons. The six-foot, eight-inch, 210-pound Powell signed with the Cubs as a non-drafted free agent in July 2021 after graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi, where he was named to the Conference USA First-Team and the conference Pitcher of the Year as a senior.
