Player of the week

TJ Diffenderfer

Diffenderfer served as the offensive catalyst for the Herd in its series victory over Charlotte this past weekend. In the 3-game series, Diffenderfer went an impressive 6-10 from the plate while knocking in five total RBIs. With the series tied at one game apiece heading into Sunday’s game, Diffenderfer turned into a deciding performance, going 2-4 notching four RBIs off a double and a triple.

Diffenderfer has arguably been the Herd’s most productive player this season, providing dialed-in hitting at plate offensively, while also offering pristine efficiency defensively. Diffenderfer has managed a .342 batting average this season, the highest mark on the team of anyone with 60 or more at bats. His 41 total hits rank second on the team, while his 20 RBIs and 12 extra base hits lead the team. As impressive as Diffenderfer’s hitting statistics are, he’s making an impact offensively even when he isn’t making contact. He has battled opposing pitchers into submission, registering a team-high 19 walks en route to his .431 on base percentage. Defensively, Diffenderfer’s fielding from the first-base position has been exceptional this season, totaling 273 putouts against just three errors for a .990 fielding percentage.    

“I was just able to get pitches up and put good swings on them,” Diffenderfer said. “The guys in front of me did a good job getting on base so I could have opportunities to get them home.”

Bradley can be contacted at [email protected].