Eflin Named IL Pitcher of the Week
(Allentown, Pa.) - IronPigs pitcher Zach Eflin, who made his first two career Triple-A starts this past week, was named International League Pitcher of the Week for April 11-17, as announced by league officials today. He becomes the first Lehigh Valley player to receive weekly honors in 2016.
For the week, the 22-year-old went a combined 2-0 with a 0.64 ERA in two starts, scattering just eight hits, one run and two walks while striking out eight over 14.0 innings.
In his first career start, Eflin guided the Pigs to their first win of the season in a 6-1 win in Game 1 of a doubleheader at Rochester on Tuesday. He tossed 6.0 innings and only yielded one run, which came on a sacrifice fly in the third inning while already leading 2-0.
On Sunday, the Orlando native started the Pigs second shutout of the season - and their first of a nine-inning duration. Eflin went a Lehigh Valley season-high 8.0 innings, surrendering just two hits while fanning five and walking none. He ended his afternoon by retiring the final 17 batters he faced.
Eflin was acquired by the Phillies with LHP Tom Windle from the Dodgers for SS Jimmy Rollins on Dec. 19, 2014. Originally a sandwich pick (33rd overall) by San Diego in 2012, he was also part of the trade with Los Angeles for OF Matt Kemp one day earlier. In his first year in the Phillies system, he finished 8-6, 3.69 in 23 starts with Reading (AA) in 2015 and was selected as an Eastern League midseason All-Star.
Eflin, currently the second-youngest pitcher in the IL, becomes the first Pigs pitcher to win the award since RHP Jerad Eickhoff on Aug. 10, 2015, and just the 12th individual Pigs pitcher to receive this honor all-time. This also marks the 14th time a Lehigh Valley pitcher has been selected, as both RHP Justin Lehr and LHP Greg Smith have been named twice.