GAGNOON PLAYER OF WEEK

	Mon, Aug 12, 2:10 PM (19 hours ago)
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Drew Gagnon threw seven perfect innings and faced the minimum in eight innings pitched on Thursday, earning him International League Pitcher of the Week honors (James Farrance).

Syracuse Mets right-handed pitcher Drew Gagnon has been named International League Pitcher of the Week for the week of August 5-11 in an announcement from the league office. Gagnon has split time between Syracuse and the New York Mets this year. The 29-year-old threw seven perfect innings and faced the minimum number of batters through eight innings in his start on August 8th in Durham as part of a Syracuse 17-0 victory. 

Gagnon’s perfect game was ended in the bottom of the eighth when Durham's Mac James led off with a single. Gagnon induced a groundout into a double play and then a fly out to end the eighth as the right-hander faced the minimum number of batters to pitch eight innings. Overall, Gagnon allowed just the one hit in eight innings pitched with no walks and five strikeouts.

This is the fifth time in Gagnon’s professional career that he has won a weekly league award. Gagnon was named Florida State League Pitcher of the Week on May 6, 2013 when we was with the Brevard County Manatees, Southern League Pitcher of the Week on May 19, 2014 when he was with the Huntsville Stars, and Gagnon won Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week twice last year with the Las Vegas 51s on August 12th and September 3rd.

Gagnon is the third Mets player to be recognized for a weekly award by the league this year. Chris Mazza was named International League Pitcher of the Week twice this season (May 26th and June 16th), and Corey Oswalt was named International League Pitcher of the Week on July 21st. The last time Syracuse had three different pitchers named I.L. Pitcher of the Week was in 2012 when Tanner Roark, Zach Duke, and John Lannan all won the award.

Please see the full release below (and attached) from the International League office:

RAMON TORRES & DREW GAGNON NAMED INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

The International League announced today that Charlotte shortstop Ramon Torres and Syracuse right-handed starter Drew Gagnon have been named the League’s Batter and Pitcher of the Week for the period covering August 5-11. Torres is the second Charlotte batter to be so honored this season, joining Daniel Palka (May 13-19). Gagnon’s award is the fourth to be claimed by a Syracuse pitcher this season, following Chris Mazza (May 20-26 & June 10-16) and Corey Oswalt (July 15-21).

RAMON TORRES, Charlotte Knights IL BATTER OF THE WEEK

Since being promoted to Charlotte from Double-A Birmingham on August 3, there has been no hotter hitter in the International League than Ramon Torres. Over the past seven days, Torres appeared in just four games but did enough damage to lead the IL with eleven hits, four home runs, and 25 total bases, not to mention a .688 batting average that would have easily paced the circuit except he fell short of qualification. Torres was 2nd in the League with nine RBI and seven runs scored during the week. After posting a mere .210 batting average with no home runs and nine RBI in 58 games at Double-A this season, in just five games with the Knights Torres is hitting .650 with four long balls and nine RBI.

26-year-old Ramon Torres is in his tenth season playing professionally. He was originally signed by Kansas City as an international free agent in 2010 and spent his entire career in that organization before signing with Chicago this past February. He is a veteran of 42 games in the Major Leagues with the Royals. Torres is a native of Santiago Rodriìguez, Dominican Republic.

DREW GAGNON, Syracuse Mets IL PITCHER OF THE WEEK

Syracuse righty Drew Gagnon flirted with perfection Thursday as the Mets crushed Durham 17-0 in one of the season’s most dominating performances. While his teammates were busy piling up 23 hits and a huge advantage on the scoreboard, Gagnon pitched perfect baseball for the game’s first 7.0 innings. Durham’s Mac James ended the bid for history by leading off the bottom of the 8th with a single, but Gagnon induced a double play ground ball and a fly out to depart the game after 8.0 innings having faced the minimum number of batters possible. The victory improved Gagnon’s record with Syracuse this season to 6-4 while lowering his ERA to 2.15.

29-year-old Drew Gagnon is in his ninth season pitching professionally. After spending the early part of his career in the Brewers and Angels organizations, he signed with the Mets in December of 2017. He has appeared in twenty games at the MLB level for New York since 2018 (only one start) with a record of 5-2 and an ERA of 6.75. Gagnon is a native of Columbia, California.