Jose Acuna named Southern League Pitcher of the Week

The Southern League and Minor League Baseball have announced that right-handed pitcher Jose Acuna has been named the Pitcher of the Week for June 15th through June 21st.

With only one game played during the week, Jose Acuna made it count. He took the mound on Friday night in Knoxville for the Chattanooga Lookouts with a division title and playoff spot on the line over the weekend between the two teams and he put on a clinic. The 23-year-old from Venezuela didn’t give up a run in 6.0 innings. He held the Smokies to just two hits and one walk on the night and he struck out eight batters.

For Acuna is was his 5th consecutive quality start. Three of them have come against Knoxville. In those three games over the last month against the Smokies he’s thrown 19.2 innings, allowed six hits, three runs, walked seven batters, and he’s struck out 26. Sandwiched between those starts came a 7-inning, 1-run performance against Pensacola and a 3-run, 8-inning performance against Rocket City.

Those last five outings have lowered his ERA on the season from 4.70 down to 3.43. Over his 14 starts in 2026 – all with Double-A Chattanooga – he’s thrown 78.2 innings with 52 hits allowed, walked 30 batters, and he’s struck out 84 of the 313 hitters that he has faced.

Opposing batters have hit just .187 against Acuna this season with 11 doubles, and 10 triples. That’s good for just a .335 slugging percentage. With their 30 walks and one hit by pitch they’ve posted a .266 on-base percentage. That’s a .601 OPS against. Among qualified pitchers in the league only three guys are under the .715 mark. Acuna’s leading the way with the other two at .636 and .652.

Here are the Cincinnati Reds players to win a Player of the Week Award in 2026: