Aranda Named IL MVP, Among 3 Bulls Earning All-Star Honors

Major League Baseball on Monday announced their Triple-A post-season honors for the International League and Pacific Coast League, with infielder Jonathan Aranda named the IL's Most Valuable Player. Aranda was joined by infielder/outfielder Miles Mastrobuoni and outfielder Josh Lowe in being named to the International League's All-Star squad.

Despite missing the final month of the International League season after being promoted to Tampa Bay, Aranda paced the circuit in on-base plus slugging percentage (.915), in addition to ranking second in batting average (.318) and on-base percentage (.394), fifth in slugging percentage (.521), seventh in hits (128), tied for seventh in RBI (85), and ninth in total bases (210). Aranda also was named Durham's MVP by the Rays' Player Development department after posting a .318 mark (128-403) in 104 contests with the Bulls, adding 71 runs, 26 doubles, one triple, 18 homers and 85 RBI.

Aranda is the first Bulls player to earn league Most Valuable Player honors since Russ Canzler was named International League MVP on 2011. He is also the tenth player in Bulls franchise history to be named league MVP and sixth since Durham began playing at the Triple-A level in 1998. Aranda was also named the Southern League's Most Valuable Player last season with Double-A Montgomery, in addition to being named a Southern League Post-Season All-Star.

Mastrobuoni led the International League in runs scored (92) while tying for the league lead in hits (152), in addition to ranking second in doubles (32), fourth in on-base percentage (.377), fifth in batting average (.300) and total bases (238), tied for eighth in extra-base hits (51) and ninth in walks (63) despite being promoted to Tampa Bay on September 22. In 129 games with the Bulls he hit .300 (152-507) with 92 runs, 32 doubles, three triples, 16 homers and 64 RBI along with an .846 OPS.

It is the second time in Mastrobuoni's career he has earned Post-Season All-Star honors after being named to the Southern League Post-Season All-Star squad in 2019, in addition to being tabbed the circuit's Best Utility Player. He also earned Mid-Season All-Star honors in the Southern League (2019), Florida State League (2018), Midwest League (2017) and New York-Penn League (2016).

2022 marks the second consecutive year Lowe has earned Post-Season All-Star honors with Durham after being named to the Triple-A East League's Post-Season All-Star squad in 2021, helping lead the Bulls to Triple-A National Championships in each of those campaigns. Lowe last year was also tabbed Durham's Most Valuable Player by the Tampa Bay Rays' Player Development department.

In 80 games this year with the Bulls, Lowe hit .315 (92-302) with 51 runs, 27 doubles, two doubles, 14 homers and 67 RBI, along with a .958 OPS. Lowe also swiped 25 bases in 27 attempts. In two seasons with the Bulls, Lowe has combined for a .301 clip (212-704) with 127 runs, 55 doubles, four triples, 36 homers and 145 RBI along with a .934 OPS and steals in 51 of 53 attempts.

Lowe and infielder/outfielder Vidal Brujan each were named to the Triple-A East League's Post-Season All-Star squad last year, while manager Brady Williams was named the Co-Manager of the Year.

Durham begins their 2023 campaign at home, with Opening Night set for March 31, 2023 versus the Norfolk Tides, the Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. 919 Club Memberships from full-season to mini plan packages for the 2023 season are now available and can be purchased by clicking here.