Toro-Hernandez is Astros Player of the Month

DAVENPORT, Iowa -- River Bandits utility player Abraham Toro-Hernandez has been named the Houston Astros' Minor League Player of the Month for July. The Astros' player development department made the announcement Thursday, also announcing former River Bandit Rogelio Armenteros as the pitcher of the month.

Promoted to the River Bandits from Short-Season Tri-City on July 27, Toro-Hernandez played in five Midwest League games in July after 21 in the New York Penn League. Between the two levels, Toro-Hernandez hit .315 (28x89) with five doubles, seven home runs, 16 RBI, 18 walks to just 14 strikeouts and posted an OPS of 1.038 (.431 OBP/.607 SLG%). Toro-Hernandez homered in each of his first two Midwest League games and three of the first four he played.
"This award is well deserved for Toro after all the hard work he put in in extended spring training," said River Bandits manager Russ Steinhorn. "Not making a full-season club out of Spring Training is tough, but he used it as an opportunity to grow as a player and this honor is a nice reward for him to earn."
A switch-hitter, Toro-Hernandez has been one of the best power hitters in the Class-A Midwest League since his arrival at the level on July 27. Since that date, he ranks in the top 10 in the Midwest League in home runs (4), slugging (.652), total bases (30) and in OPS (1.052). Toro-Hernandez, 20, was selected by the Astros in the fifth round of the 2016 draft out of Seminole State College in Oklahoma.
Toro-Hernandez and the River Bandits look to extend their season-high eight-game winning streak Thursday night in Cedar Rapids, Iowa as they begin a four-game series with the Kernels. First pitch is slated for 6:35 p.m. CT and you can hear the action live with Jake Levy and Connor Onion on 1170 AM K-BOB, riverbandits.com and the TuneIn app.