3 River Cats lead Triple-A West in key categories

Krizan, Johnson, Castro finish 1st season with River Cats atop the rankings

Right-hander Kervin Castro fires a pitch on May 21 vs. Reno. (Ralph Thompson Photo)

By Maverick Pallack

October 6, 2021

Infielder Jason Krizan, outfielder Bryce Johnson, and right-handed reliever Kervin Castro all finished their first season with the Sacramento River Cats as statistical leaders in Triple-A West. Krizan, the River Cats’ MVP and Offensive Player of the Year, edged Salt Lake infielder Michael Stefanic to be the league’s hit king,

Infielder Jason Krizan, outfielder Bryce Johnson, and right-handed reliever Kervin Castro all finished their first season with the Sacramento River Cats as statistical leaders in Triple-A West.

Krizan, the River Cats’ MVP and Offensive Player of the Year, edged Salt Lake infielder Michael Stefanic to be the league’s hit king, totaling 136 on the season. The 32-year-old also finished inside the league’s top-10 in average (.316), total bases (212), and doubles (26). He led the River Cats with 67 runs, 26 doubles, 73 RBIs, 38 multi-hit games, and 18 multi-RBI games. He was also second on the team with 16 home runs.

Johnson used his speed to take home the team’s Defensive Player of the Year, and also to lead the league with 30 stolen bases. He stole two bases in the season finale victory over the Albuquerque Isotopes on Sunday to become the first River Cats player to reach 30 stolen bases since outfielder Darren Ford’s 33 in 2015.

Castro, Sacramento’s Pitcher of the Year, had an impressive debut season in Triple-A, having entered the year with zero innings above Low-A. The 22-year-old had Triple-A West’s longest streak of consecutive games with a strikeout, punching out a batter in all 30 of his games before being promoted to San Francisco. Overall, he went 6-1 with a 2.86 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, .197 opposing batting average, and 60 strikeouts over 44.0 innings.