AP PhotoATLANTA (WRCB) -- Tyler Pastornicky struggled in his debut as Atlanta's shortstop to start the 2012 season.
Andrelton Simmons' story is quite the opposite.
The Braves' young infielder was named the National League Rookie of the Month in a release Monday from Major League Baseball.
After being called up to replace Pastornicky in late May, the Curacao native has solidified his spot in the Atlanta lineup with both a consistent bat and an outstanding glove.
In 25 contests in the month of June, Simmons hit .333 (30-for-90) with six doubles, three home runs and 14 RBI. The 22-year-old ranks leads NL rookies in batting average, on-base percentage (.365) and hits, and ranks second in slugging percentage (.522) and RBI.
Simmons also ranks in the top ten among NL rookies in doubles, home runs and runs scored. He has started 26 games so far for Atlanta, recording a team-high ten multi-hit games in that span.
The award is the first monthly big-league honor for Simmons, who gives the Braves' a rookie honoree for a fifth straight year (Jair Jurrjens in 2008, Tommy Hanson in 2009, Jason Heyward in 2010, Craig Kimbrel and Freddie Freeman in 2011).
