CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The Appalachian League announced that Johnson City’s Chase Bloomer and Greeneville’s Bryson Thacker were named Hitter and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for the period of June 10-16.
Bloomer, 20, earned Hitter of the Week honors after batting .429 (9-for-21) with one home run, one double and seven RBI in five games for the reigning Appy League champion Doughboys. He recorded twice as many walks (6) as strikeouts (3) en route to a .536 OBP and was 4-for-4 in stolen base attempts. Bloomer finished tied for second in the Appy League for the period in hits (tied) and RBI (tied), and third in total bases (13).
Bloomer recorded four multi-hit performances during the week to lead the Doughboys’ offense. He was 3-for-6 against Bluefield on Tuesday and reached base three more times the following day, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored, one walk and a stolen base. After being held hitless by Kingsport on Thursday, albeit while tallying two walks and three steals, Bloomer erupted for a season-high five RBI against the Axmen on Friday, hitting a fifth-inning grand slam in a 2-for-4 showing. Facing Bristol on Sunday, Bloomer was 2-for-3 with a double, two walks and two RBI.
Bloomer, an Ottawa, Kan. native, is hitting .359/.469/.590 with two home runs, three doubles and 10 RBI through 10 games this season. He’s recorded multiple hits in six games and reached base safely in eight contests. Defensively, he has seen time at three different infield positions, logging starts at shortstop (4), third base (4) and second (2). As a Southern Illinois Edwardsville sophomore this past spring, Bloomer hit .281/.344/.429 with five home runs, 13 doubles and three triples over 55 games, registering 41 RBI and 32 runs scored. He received Ohio Valley Conference All-Freshman honors in 2023 after hitting .275 over 43 games as the Cougars’ starting shortstop.
Thacker, 19, garnered Pitcher of the Week honors after pitching four perfect innings with six strikeouts for Greeneville during his start at Tri-State on Tuesday. The left-hander concluded his outing by striking out the side on 15 pitches in the fourth inning. He has yet to allow an earned run or issue a walk in his two starts for the Flyboys this season.
The Rome, Ga. native racked up seven strikeouts in five innings during his season debut June 4 against Elizabethton, when he allowed an unearned run on four hits. Overall, Thacker has logged a 0.44 WHIP with 13 strikeouts in nine innings in the Appy League after spending his freshman season on Tennessee Volunteers roster.
