No matter how the minor league regular season has gone as a whole, it sure ended with a bang: in the last week of the regular season, three former Valley Leaguers were named the hitter of the week in his respective league!

Sherman Johnson
Sherman Johnson

First of all, Sherman Johnson (Covington 2009-10) was named the hitter of the week in the High-A California League for Inland Empire. Johnson has had one of the best minor league seasons by a Valley League alumnus in the last ten years, with an amazing mix of power, patience, and speed. This is what Sam Dykstra wrote about Sherman:

(.469/.541/1.031, 7 G, 15-for-32, 1 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 9 RBI, 11 R, 5 BB, 7 K, 0 SB, 1 CS)
In case there was any doubt, the California League’s month of August belonged to Johnson. The 24-year-old second baseman was the Class A Advanced circuit’s Player of the Week twice in the final month, and it’s basically pick your favorite flavor in terms of which week was better. Johnson went 15-for-23 (.652) over a six-game stretch from Aug. 11-17, but last week’s was his most powerful yet. He homered in four straight games, including going deep twice Friday at Lancaster. His five roundtrippers last week alone were one more than he hit during the entire 2013 season (111 games) with Class A Burlington and Inland Empire. After putting up a .362/.471/.690 line in August, the left-handed slugger finished with a .276/.382/.465 season line with 17 homers and 78 RBIs with the 66ers.

Secondly, James Yezzo (Winchester 2012) won the award for his performance in Hagerstown, in the Low-A South Atlantic League. Yezzo was a huge power hitter for the Royals two years ago. Again, Sam Dykstra:

(.435/.458/.913, 6 G, 10-for-23, 2 2B, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 6 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 CS)
On one hand, the Lakewood BlueClaws didn’t make the South Atlantic League playoffs. On the other, at least they won’t have to face Yezzo again. The 22-year-old went 7-for-12 with two homers, two doubles and six RBIs in the Suns’ final three-game homestand against the BlueClaws as the Nationals’ Class A affiliate clinched the SAL Northern Division second-half title. Yezzo completed his first full season with a .270/.306/.406 line, 13 homers and 56 RBIs in 123 games.

And last but not least, Logan Moon, who was a teammate of Yezzo’s in 2012, was named the hitter of the week in the short-season Appalachian

Logan Moon
Logan Moon

League. Playing for the Burlington Royals, Moon won the Appy League batting title with his strong ending (and strong hitting all season, of course). Again, Sam Dykstra (and check out his pun):

(.474/.474/.632, 5 G, 9-for-19, 1 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 3 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 5 SB, 1 CS)
When the Royals took Moon in the sixth round out Division II Missouri Southern State College back in June, they were hoping the hitting ability he showed with the Lions (.386 average as a senior last season) would show in the pros. It certainly did in his first season. By going 9-for-19 in his final five games, Moon eclipsed Pulaski outfielder Arby Fields (.331) for the Appy League batting title with a .332 average for Burlington.

Congrats to all three hitters!