Vitters Named MWL Player of the Week

PEORIA, IL- The Peoria Chiefs in conjunction with the Midwest League announced Tuesday that third baseman and top Cubs prospect Josh Vitters has been named the MWL Offensive Player of the Week. From May 18 to May 24 Vitters hit .367 (11-for-30) with five home runs, 11 RBI, one double, seven runs scored and had a slugging percentage of .900 as the Chiefs went 4-3.

Vitters began the week with a 3-for-5 game at Beloit on Monday with a home run, double and three RBI. He delivered three more hits and another homer on Tuesday while also stealing a base and knocking in two. After his only hitless game of the week on Wednesday, Vitters hit a two-run homer at O'Brien Field Thursday night against West Michigan. He homered again on Friday against the Whitecaps and singled home a run against South Bend on Saturday night. The 19 year-old capped his week on Sunday against South Bend with a first inning homer and a third inning single.

In the team's last 10 games, Vitters is hitting .476 (20-for-42) with seven homers, 11 runs scored and 14 RBI. He collected three hits in five straight games from May 15-19 and homered in four straight from May 16-19. For the month of May Josh is hitting .393 with nine homers, 20 RBI and a .753 slugging percentage. Overall he leads the Midwest League in slugging percentage (.612), is second in homers (10), third in batting average (.355) and third in hits (54). Teammate Josh Harrison leads the MWL in both average (.377) and hits (60).

Vitters is the first Chiefs player to earn a MWL Player of the Week nod in 2009. Last season both Luis Bautista and Marquez Smith won the awards, Smith in June and Bautista in July. After a Monday rainout, the second-place Chiefs continue their long home stand Tuesday night against the Clinton LumberKings with a 6:30 pm start. The game can be heard live on 96.5 FM ESPN and www.peoriachiefs.com beginning with the pregame show at 6:15 pm.