‘Staying calm’ key to success for AquaSox catcher Banuelos

Published 1:30 am Monday, July 24, 2017

EVERETT — The Everett AquaSox have a number of players putting together prodigious seasons at the plate this summer.

Catcher David Banuelos is the first hitter to be recognized for his contributions as the Seattle Mariners’ fifth-round pick in June’s draft was named the Northwest League Player of the Week for July 17-23, the league announced Monday.

“You just work every day and it just happens,” Banuelos said. “It’s nothing that I was working for. I was trying to find myself and trusting my process that I have and luckily, thank God, I got that award for the week. It’s an awesome accomplishment to be able to win that award.”

He joins teammate Andres Torres who was named NWL Pitcher of the Week for the week of July 9-16.

“When you perform and the way he’s been doing it the last week, it’s really good to see one of your players get that kind of reward,” Everett manager Jose Moreno said.

In his previous 10 games Banuelos has increased his batting average from .208 to .305. With runners in scoring position this season he’s hitting .524 with 17 runs batted in.

“I’m just trying to stay calm and better recognize pitches and take hacks at good pitches, and not trying to miss the pitch that I want and not chasing anything,” Banuelos said. “I think that’s the thing — staying calm and not chasing anything.”

Banuelos, who helped lead Long Beach State to the NCAA super regionals this spring, entered Monday’s game slashing .305/.406/.508 with two home runs and 19 RBI. During the first four games of Everett’s five-game set against the Boise Hawks, Banuelos was hitting .450 with 18 total bases.

The current hot streak of Banuelos matches that of his teammates. Following a six-game stretch in which the Frogs managed just 17 runs and lost five times, Everett pounded out 42 runs and 53 hits in winning the first four games of the five-game set with the Hawks.

“(Hitting is) very contagious,” Banuelos said. “One guy can start it off and it just keeps going and keeps going. I think the whole entire team has been having really good at-bats, and we’ve been playing well. These last four games have been big-time for us.”

Banuelos is also solid behind the plate as he has committed just one error in 134 chances and has thrown 10 of 24 would-be base-stealers.

“(I take more pride in) my defense because without me being back there and taking care of the ball first it can get into a pretty bad mess,” Banuelos said. “Just having that be more important right now, and taking care of the guy that’s on the mound, and then having the stick being secondary (has worked for me), and when (my offense is) good, it’s just icing on the cake.”

Earlier this year Banuelos was named the Big West Defensive Player of the Year and selected as a 2017 Johnny Bench Award Finalist, which is presented to the collegiate catcher whose talent, toughness and integrity most closely resembled the legend after whom the award was named.

Banuelos also won the ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Award as the best defensive catcher in Division I baseball and was named a first-team All-American by Baseball America and a second-team All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association.

“He’s very solid behind the plate,” Moreno said. “He calls good games, has good hands, good leadership skills and I think he’s going to be strong in the future.”

Andrade back in lineup

AquaSox outfielder Greifer Andrade was back in the lineup Monday as the designated hitter. Andrade hasn’t played since July 5 as he recovered from an appendectomy. Andrade was slashing .338/.350/.500 with two homers and 14 RBI in 20 games prior to Monday.

Moreno said the plan called for Andrade to take four at-bats Monday, take Tuesday off and ease slowly into a regular role over the next three-to-four games.

Meanwhile, shortstop Chris Torres remains on the shelf with a sore groin. He remains officially day-to-day.

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