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Jensen's April Honored by the Marlins

Jupiter's Slugger Named Marlins Minor League Player of the Month
May 6, 2011
Jupiter Hammerheads outfielder Kyle Jensen has been honored as the Florida Marlins Minor League Player of the Month for April.

In 23 April games, Jensen batted .369 (31-for-84) while hitting five home runs and driving in 19 runners. He added six doubles and 11 walks to post a .454 on-base percentage and .619 slugging percentage. Both marks placed him in the top five among Florida State League players for the month.

The California native opened the season with a nine-game hitting streak, and reached base in the first 16 games of the year. In the first 11 games of the season, Jensen collected seven multi-hit games, including four 3-hit performances, earning the Florida State League's first Player of the Week Award on April 19.

Jensen was a 12th round pick by the Marlins in the 2009 MLB Draft, coming from St. Mary's College where he was twice named to the All-West Coast Conference First Team. In that season, he picked up a New York-Penn League Player of the Week award, just days before being named to the league's All-Star Team. Last year, he led Class-A Greensboro with 126 hits, 26 doubles, and 86 RBIs.

This season, Jensen notched Jupiter's first hit of the year with a single in the 2nd inning of Opening Day, then followed with the team's first home run in his next at-bat.

For as prolific as his April was, Jensen is off to an even better start in May. In five games this month, he is batting .391 (9-for-23) with three more homers and 11 RBI. Entering Friday's games, Jensen leads the Florida State League in RBIs (30) and total bases (71), shares the league lead in home runs (8), is second in hits (40) and slugging percentage (.664), and third in batting average (.374).

New Orleans Zephyrs closer Jose Ceda was named the Marlins Minor League Pitcher of the Month on Friday as well. Ceda, a right-handed reliever out of the Dominican Republic, went 1-1 with a 0.75 ERA and was 6 for 6 in save opportunities. Over 12.0 IP, he allowed only 1 run on 7 hits and four walks, while striking out 15 and holding opposing batters to a .175 average.

Jensen and the Hammerheads have won six straight, and eight of their last nine games. They gear up for two games in Fort Myers, but return home to Roger Dean Stadium for a five-game homestand starting on Monday, May 9th at 6:35 p.m. For more information, call (561) 775-1818 or visit JupiterHammerheads.com.