Cubs name Joksich minor league Pitcher of the Month

KODAK, Tenn. - The Chicago Cubs have named Tennessee Smokies pitcher Eric Jokisch as the organization's minor league pitcher of month for April. This is the first organizational award for Jokisch. 

Joksich, 23, was 3-1 with a 1.84 ERA (6 ER/29.1 IP) in five starts for Tennessee in the month of April. The southpaw struck out 21 batters, while walking only six and limiting opposing batters to a .240 batting average. In four of his five starts in the month, Jokisch allowed only one or no runs to score, going at least six innings in those starts. He finished April tied for fifth in the Southern League in wins, tied for eighth in innings pitched and ninth in ERA.

The Virginia, Ill. native is 11-3 with a 2.83 ERA (47 ER/149.2 IP) in 25 starts in parts of three seasons with the Smokies. Jokisch holds a career minor league record of 22-13 with a 3.37 ERA (134 ER/358 IP) in 75 appearances (52 starts). He was selected by the Cubs in the 11th round of the 2010 draft out of Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill.