Braves' Hanson Named AFL's Pitcher of the Week

Scottsdale Scorpions infielder Drew Sutton (HOU) and Mesa Solar Sox starting right-handed pitcher Tommy Hanson (ATL) are the Arizona Fall League's week two player of the week and pitcher of the week, respectively.

Sutton - Sutton hit a robust .643 (9-14) last week in four games, including two home runs and five runs batted in. He posted a .667 on-base percentage and 1.143 slugging percentage.

The Fall League's leading hitter at .600 (12-20) two weeks into its 17th season, the 6-3, 190-pound Sutton also leads in on-base percentage (.680) and slugging percentage (1.000).

The 25-year-old Jackson, Tennessee native and former Baylor star was the Astros' 15th-round selection in the 2004 draft. He hit .317 in 2008 at Double-A Corpus Christi with 20 home runs, 63 extra-base hits, 69 runs batted in, and 20 stolen bases.

Other player-of-the-week nominees were Phoenix Desert Dogs' outfielder Eric Young, Jr. (COL) and Peoria Saguaros infielder Daniel Murphy (NYM).

Hanson - The 6-6, 210-pound Hanson was nearly perfect last week, winning both his starts while allowing only one hit over 6.2 innings pitched. In his most recent start last Saturday, Oct. 18 vs. the frontrunning 8-2 Peoria Saguaros, Hanson struck out eight of the first nine hitters.

The 22-year-old Tulsa, Oklahoma native, who has allowed just one hit in 8.2 innings overall, is riding a streak of 8.1 consecutive hitless innings. He has not allowed a hit since a one-out single by Young in the first inning of Hanson's first start on Opening Day (Oct. 7). His earned-run average is 0.00 and he is one of three Fall League pitchers with two wins. He owns 14 strikeouts against three walks.

Hanson, who played college baseball at Riverside (CA) Community College, was the Braves' 22nd-round selection in the 2005 Draft. After starting 2008 at Advanced-A Myrtle Beach where he was 3-1 with a 0.90 earned-run average in seven starts, Hanson was promoted to Double-A Mississippi where he was 8-4 with a 3.03 earned-run average in 18 starts. He struck out 114 batters in 98 innings while allowing only 70 hits. Two other right-handers - Scottsdale Scorpion Clay Buchholz (BOS) and Peoria Saguaro Tobi Stoner (NYM) - were nominated for pitcher-of-the-week.

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