On The Mark: Payton Excelling with Knights

Mark Payton has been a key addition to the Charlotte Knights this season. The Orland Park, IL native has thrived during the month of May.

PAY DAY!!! 💰💰💰💰@MarkPayton2 homered for the third time over his last four games! 🔥🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/v4OAG4zmfw

— Charlotte Knights (@KnightsBaseball) May 21, 2022

Signed by the Chicago White Sox as a free agent this past offseason, Payton was assigned to the Knights to start this season after earning a non-roster invitation to Sox spring training. In his Charlotte debut on April 5 in Norfolk, the 30-year-old went 3-for-5 at the plate with an RBI. Two days later, he had two hits and two RBIs in the club's 13-7 win over the Tides on April 7.

Since debuting with the Knights in April, Payton has become a staple in the lineup and a solid defensive presence in the outfield as well. In fact, the Charlotte outfielder has really excelled in the month of May. Through 14 games this month, Payton is hitting .386 (22-for-57) with 14 runs scored, four doubles, one triple, four home runs, 13 RBIs and three stolen bases.

Payton strung together a 12-game hitting streak with the Knights -- the team's highest of the season -- from May 3 to May 22. Over that 12-game stretch, Payton recorded 22 hits. He also went on a power stretch, hitting four home runs over a six-game span from May 15 to May 22.

HOCKEY KNIGHT
Recently, Payton also had the honors of dropping the puck at Bojangles Coliseum for the Charlotte Checkers before the team's Round 2 matchup against the Bridgeport Islanders on Monday, May 16. The Checkers went on to win the game 4-0 to move on to Round 3 of the Atlantic Division Finals to face the Springfield Thunderbirds.