State College Spikes: Slugger Wick promoted by Cardinals

State College Spikes slugger Rowan Wick was promoted to Single-A Peoria by the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday.

In 35 games, Wick set the Spikes’ single-season record for home runs with 14, good for first in the New-York Penn League. Wick also led the league with 38 RBIs and ranked second with a .378 batting average.

Wick was just nine home runs away from tying the New York-Penn League single-season record of 23 set by Utica’s John Hennell in 1982.

But his stellar run in State College was about more than the long ball.

He also left State College with a franchise-record 26-game on-base streak still intact. And he also had a shot at winning the league’s first Triple Crown since Vito Chiaravalloti accomplished the feat with Auburn in 2003.

Wick’s fast start earned him league Player of the Week honors for the week ending June 23. The slugger also netted the Cardinals’ Minor League Player of the Month award for June.

Outfielder Kenny Peoples-Walls replaces Wick in State College. Peoples-Walls was hitting .234 with three home runs in 81 games for Peoria.

This story was originally published July 23, 2014 at 3:32 PM with the headline "State College Spikes: Slugger Wick promoted by Cardinals."