Mejias-Brean and Guillon Earn July Honors
Mejias-Brean, 21, in 22 games in July led all Reds farmhands in batting (.388), RBI (25), slugging (.671) and OPS (1.124) while ranking second in on-base percentage (.454). Last month, he ranked among the Pioneer League Leaders in slugging (1st), RBI (2nd), OPS (2nd), batting (3rd), extra-base hits (13, T3rd), home runs (5, T4th), total bases (57, 5th) and on-base percentage (T7th).
"It means a lot to me," Mejias-Brean said. "I've put in a lot of hard work. I've just got to keep going and hopefully try to win it again next month."
Mejias-Brean is currently working on a 22-game hitting streak that began on July 12 and includes 10 multi-hit games (38-94, .404, 8 2b, 1 3b, 5hr, 28rbi, 20r). The streak is the longest by a Reds farmhand and the longest in the Pioneer League this season. The Pioneer League record is 32 straight games with a hit set by former Mustang and Reds farmhand IF Chris Valaika in 2006. During the streak, Mejias-Brean ranks among the league leaders in extra-base hits (14, 1st), RBI (T1st), hits (2nd), slugging (.670, 2nd), total bases (63, 2nd), OPS (1.106, T3rd), and batting (4th).
"I don't think there's really any secret, I just go out there and have fun," Mejias-Brean said of the streak. "I don't let my bad at bats get to me and even don't let my good at-bats get to me. I just try to stay calm and cool."
In 27 games with Billings this season, Mejias-Brean is hitting .370 with 9 doubles, 5 home runs, 29 RBI and 24 runs scored.
"He's been fantastic," Billings Manager Pat Kelly said. "You can talk all you want about the offense, but I just love the fact that I can pencil him in at third base every day. He plays great defense, he's got great lateral movement, great knowledge of the game and a good feel for what's going on. And then you throw the bat in on top of that, you can't ask for anything more."
The 6-2, 210-pound right-handed hitter was selected by the Reds in the eighth round of this season's first-year player draft out the University of Arizona.
Guillon, 20, led all qualifying organizational pitchers in ERA (1.16) last month allowing just 8 walks and 3 earned runs on 17 hits in 23.1 innings. His 28 strikeouts in July ranked T2nd in the organization.
"I am very happy about it and surprised at the same time," Guillon said. "This was something I did not expect. I am honored to be recognized for being Pitcher of the Month for July."
Last month, Guillon led all Pioneer League pitchers in ERA and was tied for the league lead in batting average against (.202) while ranking among the leaders in wins (3, T2nd), WHIP (1.07, 4th) and strikeouts (T5th).
"I'm so excited for him," Kelly said. "He's worked so hard and he's come a long way from last year. He's really changed his tempo on the mound. He and Tony Fossas have done a great job getting him to establish the fastball and using his offspeed stuff to keep the hitters off-balance. He's been very dominating and probably, besides (Robert) Stephenson, the most dominating pitcher in the league."
Guillon signed with the Reds as a non-drafted free agent on October 6, 2008. In 9 apps and 8 starts in 2012 he is 3-1 with the second-best ERA in the organization (2.84).