CURVE, Pa. – Altoona Curve first baseman Will Craig has been named the Eastern League Player of the Week for the week of June 11-17, the league announced on Monday, after he slugged five homers over six games.
(Photo courtesy of Altoona Curve)
For the week, Craig hit .522 (12-for-23) with five homers, two doubles, 12 RBIs, 12 runs scored and four walks, notching a 1.868 OPS over six games since Tuesday.
A first-round pick in the 2016 MLB Draft by the Pirates out of Wake Forest, Craig led all of Minor League Baseball in home runs, runs scored and slugging percentage (1.261) for the week. He also ranked first in Double-A in batting average, RBIs, extra-base hits (7), total bases (29), on-base percentage (.607) and OPS dating back to Tuesday.
Craig began his week with a 3-for-5 night on Tuesday, adding a three-run homer and a double while becoming the first Curve player to record five RBIs in a single game this season during a 12-3 win at Binghamton.
He followed with a solo homer on Wednesday, and he went 3-for-4 with a home run and an RBI double on Thursday as the Curve capped a three-game sweep in Binghamton. The series marked the second time this year Craig has homered in three straight games.
At home against New Hampshire on Friday night, Craig went 3-for-3, his third three-hit game over the four-game span. He hit a three-run homer on Saturday to help the Curve pick up their fifth straight win and added his fifth homer in six games in Sunday’s series finale.
Over the week, Craig raised his season batting average from .231 to .263. He leads the Pirates organization with 11 homers and 50 RBIs on the year. Craig is also ranked tied for fifth in the Eastern League in homers and tied for fourth in RBIs.
The selection marked the first weekly award pick of Craig’s career. He is the third Altoona player to win one of the Eastern League’s weekly awards this season, joining Jason Martin (Player of the Week, May 7-13) and Mitch Keller (Pitcher of the Week, May 14-20).
The Curve embark on a seven-game, six-day road trip to Richmond and Erie beginning Tuesday night before starting a five-game, four-day home series against Harrisburg next Monday.
