CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The Appalachian League announced that Johnson City’s Nate Eisfelder (Indiana) and Hunter Crain (San Jacinto College) were named the Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for the period of July 13-19.
Eisfelder, 20, earned Player of the Week honors after hitting .476/.607/1.000 with a 1.607 OPS in six games for the Johnson City Doughboys. He went 10-for-21 with three home runs, two doubles, 11 RBI and 10 runs; he recorded a hit in all six games. Eisfelder also walked seven times and did not strike out in 28 plate appearances. On Saturday against Elizabethton, he went 2-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI. Last week, Eisfelder tied for the Appalachian League lead in hits, home runs and total bases (21), tied for second in RBI and runs, finished fourth in OPS and tied for fourth in SLG.
The Jonesborough, Tenn., native is hitting .305 with a 1.041 OPS, six home runs and 26 RBI in 30 games for Johnson City this summer. Eisfelder is tied for the league lead with 16 extra-base hits and is tied for fourth in home runs and total bases (62). The outfielder played in 18 games as a freshman at Tennessee in the spring, he hit two home runs and had nine RBI. Eisfelder is committed to attend Indiana in the fall.
Crain, 20, pitched a season-high 6 1/3 innings in Johnson City’s win in Kingsport on Sunday en route to Pitcher of the Week honors. The right-hander allowed two runs on six hits and two walks and struck out seven. Crain faced the minimum in the first, fourth and fifth, and retired eight straight hitters at one point in the game. Crain’s outing on Sunday is the longest in the Appalachian League so far this season; he is also one of just two pitchers with a quality start (Elizabethton’s Porter Gobble).
The Scottsdale, Ariz., native is 1-0 with a 4.73 ERA in three starts for Johnson City this summer. In 13 1/3 innings, Crain has 13 strikeouts and a .224 BAA. Crain appeared in 10 games as a redshirt freshman at San Jacinto College this spring. He went 1-1 with a 5.59 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 9 2/3 innings.
About the Appalachian League
Founded in 1911, the Appalachian League is one of the longest-running baseball leagues in history. The Appy League is the only collegiate summer league under MLB and USA Baseball’s Prospect Development Pipeline (“PDP”) and is an integral part of the identification and development process for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Teams and other future National teams.
For more information about the Appalachian League, visit appyleague.com or follow @appyleague and @appyleaguedata on X, and @appyleague on Instagram.
