Players of the Week - April 7-17
Pena, who has recorded at least one hit in each of his nine games this season, has slugged a PCL-best six home runs. The Reno Aces outfielder also leads the league in slugging percentage (.971) and OPS (1.471), as well as sitting among the top five in runs (13, 2nd), total bases (34, T-3rd), runs batted in (14, T-3rd), on-base percentage (T-4th, .500) and batting average (.429, 5th). The right-handed hitter had two game-winning hits for the Aces as well, both in a doubleheader against the Salt Lake Bees on April 10th.
The 29-year-old is in his first season with the Arizona Diamondbacks organization after splitting the 2010 season between the Portland Beavers and the Independent Atlantic League's Bridgeport Bluefish. The Dominican Republic native was originally signed by the New York Yankees as a non-drafted free agent in 1998 and has spent parts of seven seasons in the Major Leagues with the Cincinnati Reds, Boston Red Sox and Washington Nationals.
Seddon did not allow a single run over his two starts for the Tacoma Rainiers in the opening week. The 11-year professional held the Sacramento River Cats and Fresno Grizzlies to a combined six hits to help him post a league-best .140 batting average against. The 6-3 southpaw struck out ten and walked four over 13.0 innings pitched in the two road games.
Born in Northridge, CA, Seddon was originally selected out of high school by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the fifth round of the 2001 First-Year Player Draft. The Canyon High School (CA) product made his Major League debut on September 3rd, 2007 with the Florida Marlins and has primarily pitched in the PCL over the last three seasons. The 27-year-old made 15 starts for the Rainiers in 2010, going 10-4 with a 3.39 ERA before being called up by the Seattle Mariners during the All-Star break. He finished the season with the Mariners, making 14 relief appearances. Seddon was named PCL Pitcher of the Week for the week of June 14-20 in 2010.