Sioux City Explorers C Wilfredo Gimenez Named American Association Player of the Week
American Association Daily provides insights, features, and recaps of the action from around the American Association of Professional Baseball League, as well as player and coaching profiles and transactions. In today’s edition, This Week in the Association and the Minor League Sports Report name Sioux City Explorers catcher Wilfredo Gimenez as American Association Player of the Week for Week 16 of the 2023 season.
Explorers C Wilfredo Gimenez Named Player of the Week
On Monday, This Week in the Association and the Minor League Sports Report named Sioux City Explorers catcher Wilfredo Gimenez as the Player of the Week for Week 16 of the 2023 American Association season. Gimenez had an impressive week, hitting .429 with four home runs and nine RBI.
The week began with a three-game series against the Milwaukee Milkmen. The Sioux City catcher went 2-4 in the opener, hitting his first home run of the week, a solo shot. He scored two runs in the contest. In the second game of the series, Gimenez was 3-4, scoring three runs, doubling twice, and driving in three. He hit his second home run of the week in that contest. The Sioux City catcher closed out the series going hitless in the finale, drawing a walk in that game. In the three-game set, Gimenez was 5-11 with five runs scored, two homers, and four RBI. He also doubled twice and walked twice in the series.
Next, the Explorers took on the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks. After going hitless in two at bats in the opening contest, Gimenez followed that up by going 2-4 in each of the final two games of the series. He homered in both of those contests, driving in three on Saturday and adding two RBI on Sunday. In the three-game set, the catcher was 4-10 with two runs scored, two home runs, and five RBI.
Gimenez finished the week 9-21. His seven-run scored were tied for third as was his nine RBI. He led the league with four home runs and was second with six extra-base hits. Gimenez posted a .478 on-base percentage and a 1.095 slugging percentage. His 1.573 OPS was third overall.
Wilfredo Gimenez was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Florida Marlins in 2008. He spent seven seasons in the organization, reaching AA-Jacksonville in 2014. In the minors, Gimenez hit .253 with 10 homers in 162 RBI in 404 games. He was out of baseball following the 2014 season until signing with the Gary SouthShore RailCats in 2017. The catcher spent three seasons with the RailCats before signing with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks in 2019. He joined the Lake Country DockHounds in 2022. In 2023 he joined the Sioux City Explorers, hitting .273 with seven homers and 37 RBI in 59 games. In his five seasons in the American Association, Gimenez has hit .246 with 23 home runs and 155 RBI in 324 games.
The Sioux City catcher is the second Explorers player to be named Player of the Week in 2023. Matt Lloyd has earned the honors twice this season, winning in Weeks 3 and 10.
2023 American Association Players of the Week
Week 1 –Zach Nehrir, Outfielder, Cleburne Railroaders
Week 2 – Chris Herrmann, Catcher, Kansas City Monarchs
Week 3 – Matt Lloyd, Sioux City Explorers
Week 4 – Nick Anderson, Lincoln Saltdogs
Week 5 – Bryan Torres, Milwaukee Milkmen
Week 6 – Jonah Davis, Kane County Cougars
Week 7 – Hill Alexander, Cleburne Railroaders
Week 8 – Jordan Barth, Sioux Falls Canaries
Week 9 – Luke Roskam, Lincoln Saltdogs
Week 10 – Matt Lloyd, Sioux City Explorers
Week 11 – Jabari Henry, Sioux Falls Canaries
Week 12 – Todd Lott, Kane County Cougars
Week 13 – Justin Wylie, Kansas City Monarchs
Week 14 – Max Murphy, Winnipeg Goldeyes
Week 15 – Mike Hart, Sioux Falls Canaries
By Robert Pannier