May 3, 2011 at 12:37 AM
Players of the Month, April: Manuel Rivera & Reynaldo Rodriguez
The inagural 2011 SoxProspects.com Players of the Month hail from the system's high and low-A affiliates with Greenville's Manuel Rivera claiming pitching honors and Salem's Reynaldo Rodriguez representing the hitters.
Rivera, a 21-year-old left-handed pitcher, racked up a 3-1 record in five starts besting Augusta (SF) April 7, Charleston (NYY) April 12, and Greensboro (FLA) April 28; taking a no-decision April 22 at Charleston; and suffering his sole loss at the hands of Savannah (NYM) April 17. The key to Rivera's success was limiting the bases-on-balls, issuing a mere four free passes versus 29 strikeouts. Filling out his pitching line, Rivera posted a 1.73 ERA, allowing five earned runs on 19 hits, holding opposing batters to a .196 average, over 26.0 innings pitched. He was also the SoxProspects.com Pitcher of the Month of April 2010.
At age 25 Reynaldo Rodriguez is age-advanced for the Carolina League and as his April numbers attest he swung the bat accordingly, posting a .384/.456/.740 line with four home runs, 12 doubles and one triple, scoring 23 runs while batting in 21. Rodriguez also swiped two bases and was caught once. 2011 marks Rodriguez's second season in Greenville where he hit .281/.387/.518 with 14 home runs, 20 doubles and two triples in 85 games with the Drive in 2010. Rodriguez came into the season primed coming off being named a 2010 Colombian Winter League All Star. He is currently the 36th ranked prospect in the organization by SoxProspects.com.