Osuna Honored as International League's April Player of the Month

Slugger ranks among IL's top five in seven offensive categories

Indy's primary cleanup hitter, Jose Osuna, hit .361 (22-for-61) with 12 extra-base hits and 16 RBI in 17 games in the month of April. (Photo by Adam Pintar)

By Cheyne Reiter

May 1, 2018

INDIANAPOLIS - The Indianapolis Indians, in conjunction with the International League, today announced third baseman/outfielder José Osuna as the IL's Player of the Month for April. Osuna will be presented with an award from Minor League Baseball in recognition of his performance last month.

INDIANAPOLIS - The Indianapolis Indians, in conjunction with the International League, today announced third baseman/outfielder José Osuna as the IL's Player of the Month for April. Osuna will be presented with an award from Minor League Baseball in recognition of his performance last month.

Osuna, 25, brought consistency to the plate for Indianapolis in April, hitting safely in 16 of his 17 games played, including a career-high-tying 14-game hitting streak. He clubbed half of Indy's six home runs and hit cleanup in all 17 games, driving home at least one run in 11 of those contests.
For the month, he ranked among IL offensive leaders in extra-base hits (1st, 12), slugging percentage (1st, .656), RBI (T-2nd, 16), doubles (T-2nd, 9), total bases (T-2nd, 40), batting average (4th, .361) and home runs (T-4th, 3).
Osuna's hot start earned him a brief promotion to Pittsburgh as the 26th man for a doubleheader on April 25, and he didn't disappoint, belting a three-run homer off Tigers southpaw Matthew Boyd to carry the Pirates to a split with an 8-3 victory at PNC Park.
Osuna is just the third Tribe player to earn the award since Indianapolis rejoined the International League in 1998. Left-hander Zach Duke won the award in May 2005, and utilityman Alen Hanson was the May 2015 winner.