Reno Aces’ Socrates Brito named PCL Player of the Month

RENO — A week after being named an All-Star, Reno Aces outfielder Socrates Brito has been voted by the league’s field managers as Minor League Baseball’s Pacific Coast League June Player of the Month.

Brito posted the highest slugging percentage (.902) and OPS (1.392) among full-season professional baseball players (Minor and Major Leagues) in June, while his 20 extra-base hits and 27 runs scored were the most in Minor League Baseball. In 22 games, Brito got on base at a .490 clip (47-for-96). He also hit .415 (34-for-82; 2nd), with 74 total bases (1st) and 10 doubles (t-3rd), totals that placed among the PCL’s best last month.

The Diamondbacks farmhand hit safely in his final 16 games of the month, from June 11-29, nine of which featured multiple hit performances. Brito had a monthly-best four-hit game on June 14 against Iowa; in the 11-4 Aces win, he reached base five times, drove in four and scored twice. That was in the middle of a stretch of six consecutive multi-hit games, from June 11-17. His efforts for that period earned him Player of the Week honors — his first in his career. Later in the month, on June 27 against Salt Lake, Brito recorded his first career two-homer game. He also walked a season-high three times in that contest and matched his career-high with four runs scored in Reno’s 14-4 victory.

Brito began the month in the Major Leagues but was optioned back to Reno on June 4. In 68 games for the Aces this season, the 25-year-old has hit .349 (90-for-258) with 33 extra-base hits and 45 RBI. He ranks among PCL season leaders in batting average (3rd), slugging percentage (.585, 3rd), OPS (.989, 4th) and runs scored (56, 5th). Those efforts helped him get elected to start in the 2018 Triple-A All-Star Game, which will take place on Wednesday in Columbus, Ohio.

The Azua, Dominican Republic native has spent his entire nine-year career in the Arizona system, including each of the last three with Reno, where he has amassed 264 hits in 219 career Triple-A games. Brito made his Major League debut with Arizona as a September call-up in 2015. He has clubbed four home runs, driven in 14 and scored 16 runs in 66 career Major League contests. This is his first career Minor League Baseball Player of the Month award.