ALTOONA — In a season of many achievements for the Pirates 22-year-old outfielder Starling Marte, the highly touted prospect was named the Eastern League Rookie of the Year on Sunday.
It marked the first time in team history that a Curve player has been selected as the Eastern League Rookie of the Year.
Marte was also named a mid-season and post-season Eastern League All-Star, the Eastern League Player of the Week from August 8-14th, the Altoona Curve’s Most Valuable Player of the Year this season and was a participant in the 2011 XM Futures Game.
“On behalf of the Pirates organization it has been fun to watch the development of Starling Marte both offensively and defensively over the past three seasons,” Curve’s Manager P.J. Forbes said. “It is a credit to bout our international scouting department and scouting department as well as our player development staff and we all look forward to seeing him in Pittsburgh in the future.”
Marte’s entered Sunday night’s game as the league’s leading hitter at .335 and is searching for the batting title, which would be a first for a Curve player in team history.
Marte also stands in the top-5 in franchise history for a single season in runs scored (tied for 4th, 90), doubles (3rd, 38), and extra-base hits (2nd, 58). In addition to leading the league in hitting, he also leads the league in hits (177) and doubles (tied for 1st, 38). He’s among the top-5 in at bats (3rd, 528), extra-base hits (3rd, 58), runs scored (2nd, 90) and total bases (2nd, 267).
In the 7th inning of Monday’s game, Marte hit a opposite-field single that sent him past Nate McLouth in the Curve’s record books for the most hits in a single season in franchise history.
“I feel great about that, knowing that I broke the record for the Curve,” Marte said through teammate and translator Greg Picart. “I’m just going to keep going forward, keep working hard.”
The center fielder has had hitting streaks this season of 16, 14, 13, and 11 games at different points throughout the season. He’s currently on a season-best 16-game hit streak entering tonight’s game against the Richmond Flying Squirrels.
“I feel grateful, thanking God for the season that I’m having,” Marte said. “I’m going to keep working hard, doing what I’m doing and keep wishing my hitting streak continues to the end [of the season].”
During the streak, Marte is batting .394 with five doubles, two triples, two homers and six RBI.
In addition, he’s also set career highs in games played, batting average, hits, doubles, triples, home runs, RBI and walks. He’s also tied a career-high in stolen bases.
Photo credit: MILB
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