CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The Appalachian League announced that Greeneville’s Kaden Martin and Kingsport’s Maddox Burkitt were named Hitter and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for the period of July 17 to July 23.
Martin, 19, earned Hitter of the Week honors after he batted .529 (9-for-17) with three home runs, seven RBIs and six runs scored in four games for the Flyboys. The outfielder led all Appy League hitters during the period in batting average and was second in homers, total bases (tied-18) and OPS (1.659).
Martin recorded multiple hits in three of four games during his first week in the Appy League, highlighted by a three- and four-hit performance. The outfielder hit a pair of solo home runs along with a two-run single on Tuesday as a part of a 3-for-5, four-RBI performance against Pulaski and then picked up two more hits (2-for-5) in Greeneville’s series-opener against Burlington on July 20. Martin connected on his third homer of the week, a three-run shot in the eighth inning, the following day to cap a 4-for-5 offensive showing.
A Reisertown, Md., native, Martin is batting .450/.522/.900 (1.422 OPS) with seven RBIs and six runs scored through his first six games with Greeneville. Martin has also contributed on the mound, as the left-hander worked the final two innings (0 ER, 0 H, 4 K) of the Flyboys’ 7-4 win against Pulaski on July 22 in his Appy League pitching debut. Martin logged three plate appearances while playing in two games this past spring as a University of Miami freshman before entering the Transfer Portal ahead of the 2023-24 college season.
Burkitt, 19, garnered Pitcher of the Week honors after the right-hander struck out 11 batters over four scoreless innings in his July 23 start for the Axmen against Princeton. He allowed two hits and one walk in the outing, throwing 37 of 41 pitches for strikes. Burkitt fanned the first six batters he faced in order and struck out the side in each of the first three innings before tallying two more strikeouts in the fourth inning.
Burkitt (1-2) has posted seven straight scoreless innings with 15 strikeouts for Kingsport across his last two outings. The Lawrence, Kan., native has pitched well in July, going 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 10 innings (five appearances/one start). Overall, Burkitt has pitched to a 6.17 ERA with 28 strikeouts in 23.1 innings (10 appearances/five starts) for the Axmen. Burkitt was 1-0 with four saves in 17 appearances as a Johnson County Community College freshman this past spring. Working 24.2 innings, he registered a 3.65 ERA while striking out 39.
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