Aurora Announces 2024 Minor League Players of the Year
by Francis Ferry,
NLN baseball beat writer
'Fudd' Martínez was drafted by Aurora in the first round of the 2023 Draft as the 16th overall selection out of the former University of Havana, renamed Cienfuegos after the Grand Merger, of the International College League. Roberto was a three-time All-Star in college and his senior year Cienfuegos won the ICOL Championship, with Martínez winning the Conference Championship MVP. That season he hit .306 with 10 HR and 32 RBI. As a four-year starter, 'Fudd' hit .292 with 41 HR and 128 RBI. He also stole 54 bases in 64 attempts.
Roberto struggled after the draft, managing a .249 average in Hawaii, his most impressive statistic being his 18 SB in 21 attempts. Mokule'ia was a challenge, but Aurora management stuck with their top pick and moved him up the chain to SLRC for the 2024 season where he hit .293 with 12 HR, 40 RBI and stole 16 bases for a team that was 8th in runs scored in the Baja-Cali League. Towards the end of the 2024 season Martínez was promoted to Gatineau, where he played 12 games, struggling a bit at the plate (.233), but still flashing the speed that he's already shown to have mastered (5-6 in SB).
College coaches and his minor league coaches all agree about 'Fudd's character - although they'd like to see him work harder - he's not a lead by example guy, but they point out that he is a big leader on the field - a tough thing to do from LF. He stands behind his teammates and fights to win - and he's got some brains to boot.
Although he is primarily a left fielder with +++ speed, he's not the best at moving to the ball, though he's pretty sure handed with a powerful arm. Coaches like the way he swings the bat - mostly at good pitches, with power around the field, but they'd certainly like to see him make more consistent contact on the balls he does swing at.
Aurora will leave Martínez at Gatineau for the 2025 season, barring a stellar improvement, and they target seeing him on The Front Range probably in the Fall of 2026, maybe '27. One thing is for sure - 'Fudd' lacks a fundamental skill that is sorely lacking in the overall system: Power. With the overall lack or inability to develop a power hitter over the years (outside of Mike Britt), the Borealis are crossing their fingers on this gut.
Minor League Pitcher of the Year
SP Sam Gordon (AAA)
Some guys are destined for greatness and as such are drafted in the first round, like Roberto Martínez. Others have to work from obscurity. They have to fight their way to a spot where they can have a chance at just seeing the top. On such player is Sam Gordon.
You want obscure? Gordon was drafter out of Klein-Collins HS in 2018 in the 15th round! Yes, that's the fifteenth round. His lone accomplishment was being named to the Interscholastic All-Star game as a freshman. His high school numbers were ugly - 7-13 with 16 Saves and a 6.80 ERA as he pitched exclusively in relief during his freshmen, junior and senior years, while being in the rotation his sophomore year, making 10 starts and posting his best HS ERA - 5.60. You can see why the guy went in the 15th round.
But something clicked for Sam as he made the move to pro ball. After the draft he continued to pitch in relief, posting ERA's of 3.92, 3.86 and 0.72 (in 2020) in his three years at Mokule'ia. In 2021 he moved up to SLRC and spending time as the closer managed 16 saves and a 1.90 ERA in 35 games! He stayed at A ball for the 2022 season - keep in mind, he was only 22, and although he did not close, he pitched in a career high 54 games with a respectable 3.82 ERA and in 2023 he repeated that number - 54 games at Gatineau with a 2.67 ERA, then a late season promotion to AAA Thornton saw him get into 12 games and post a 2.45 ERA.
People in the organization began to look at this guy and ask the question - was he really drafted in the 15th round? Well, notice was taken and this season, after pitching in relief virtually his entire career, he was made a starter at AAA - quite the leap, and Sam Gordon didn't blink. He posted a 9-7 record for the FasTrax with a 2.45 ERA in 25 GS. His 1.17 WHIP was one of the best of his career and he struck out 130 batters in 161 IP. Teams hit .234 against Sam.
So what does the future bring for Mr. Gordon? He's a bright guy, he works incredibly hard - as one can attest from his personal journey and physical growth. He's a great guy in the clubhouse, which don't discount as significant when you look at where this guy began. Sam Gordon's storyline alone deserves the recognition he's getting this year - despite the solid numbers, but for him to end up on the mound in Aurora he needs to continue to grow. He has a blazing fastball that is major league quality, but he has a tendency to get it up in the zone - as witnessed by the 16 HRs allowed this year. It is his secondary pitches that will likely prevent hm from making the leap. He still lacks some control - though coaches say they see hits of potential, but for the most part his pitches stay kinda flat.
We see Gordon perhaps getting a cup of coffee in the Bigs, but it's hard to imagine him truly making a difference. But you know what? Most 15th round draftees are cut before their first year in the pros finishes - if they even begin a pro career, and Sam Gordon has refused to take no for an answer.
Previous Winners:
Aurora Minor League Hitter of the Year
2023: C Manny Castro (AAA)
2022: 2B Pablo Medrano (AAA)
2021: 2B Gabriel McIntyre (AAA)
2020: 2B Jack Speed (AAA)
2019: C Miguel Angel Gálvez (AAA)
2018: OF Paul Carlisle (AAA)
2017: C Rusty Butler (AAA)
2016: LF Artie Thompson (AA/A)
2015: 3B Mike Britt (AA)
2014: 2B John 'Gypsy' Foster (AA)
2013: 1B Ken Coleman (AAA)
Aurora Minor League Pitcher of the Year
2023: CL Xavier Díaz (AA)
2022: CL Júlio Martínez (AA)
2021: CL Manuel Galloca (AAA)
2020: MR John Gray (AAA)
2019: SP Hyeon-Cheong Yong (AAA)
2018: SP Hyeon-Cheong Yong (AAA)
2017: SP Edgardo Rojas (AAA)
2016: CL Terry Burns (AA)
2015: SP Chris Graves (AAA)
2014: SP Christian George (S A)
2013: SP Nathan O'Reilly (AA)
NOTE: I've listed previous winners here because, aside for record purposes, the links for all previous winners (2014-2019) are broken.