Marlins Name Leblanc Jacksonville Team MVP
September 23, 2022 – International League (IL) – Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp News Release
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Former Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp infielder Charles Leblanc was named the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp team MVP for the 2022 season, with Jumbo Shrimp first baseman Troy Johnston taking home Pensacola team MVP honors, the Miami Marlins announced on Friday.
After being selected in the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 Draft from the Texas Rangers in 2021, Leblanc started the 2022 season in Jacksonville, slashing .302/.381/.503/.884 in 87 games with 14 home runs and 45 RBIs. He also put up the longest hitting streak for a Jacksonville player this season at 13 games (April 29-May 13). After being called up to the Miami Marlins on July 29, 2022, he made his major league debut the following day, going 1-for-3 with a double against the Mets at loanDepot park.
The Laval, Quebec native blasted his first major league home run on July 31 against Mets RHP Taijuan Walker in the sixth inning. Since being promoted to Miami, he is hitting .285/.326/.446/.772 with four home runs, 10 RBIs and four stolen bases. He has shown his versatility in the field, logging over 140 innings at second base, third base and left field, respectively, with Jacksonville. With the Marlins, Leblanc has spent considerable time in the infield, mostly between second and third.
Johnston began the season with Double-A Pensacola, playing in 85 games with the Blue Wahoos. The Tacoma, Wash., native tore up the Southern League, hitting .292/.360/.450/.810 with 10 home runs and 49 RBIs. Following a decent April in which he hit .229, Johnston turned up the heat, batting .313 in May and .323 in June. He took home Southern League Player of the Week honors (May 31-June 5) for posting an incredible mark of .625/.633/1.292/1.925 with four home runs and 11 RBIs in that span.
With the Jumbo Shrimp, Johnston has posted a .703 OPS, four home runs and RBIs in 24 games. He tallied the seventh multi-homer game of the season for a Jacksonville player when he cracked a pair of bombs on August 30 at Gwinnett.
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