2024 Minor League Players of the Year

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2024 Minor League Players of the Year

#1 Post by Borealis »

Time to get this up and running - better late than never!! If you want to do a bigger posting in you blogs - just a listing here and a link back to your blog is fine.

Please use the following formatting when you make your announcement. Make sure to list players by their hyperlinked name, current full position (e.g. "SP" rather than just "P", "CF" rather than just "OF") and league level as listed in OOTP:
Proper formatting of awards announcement wrote:
  • Arlington Minor League Hitter of the Year: CF Ken Shoemaker (AAA)
  • Arlington Minor League Pitcher of the Year: SP José Avalos (AAA)
Qualifications for Minor League Player of the Year Award
  • Players must have been in your organization since the start of the major league season (i.e. players acquired during the season through the draft or via trade are excluded from candidacy).
  • Players must have at least 300 PA (batters), or 10 starts or 40 appearances (pitchers) at the minor league level.
  • Players must not be older than 26 (or must have turned 27 after July 1).
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Re: 2024 Minor League Players of the Year

#2 Post by Borealis »

Aurora Announces 2024 Minor League Players of the Year
by Francis Ferry, NLN baseball beat writer
Minor League Hitter of the Year
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LF Roberto 'Fudd' Martínez (A)
'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
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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.
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Re: 2024 Minor League Players of the Year

#3 Post by Zephyrs »

Reno Minor league hitter of the Year RF Miguel Morales AAA
Reno Minor League Pitcher of the Year Juan Tapia AAA
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Re: 2024 Minor League Players of the Year

#4 Post by Sandgnats »

CL Minor League Hitter of the Year 2B John Shoemaker AAA
CL Minor League Pitcher of the Year SP Greg Hughes A and AA

Will post story in blog, but don't know how to link back.
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Re: 2024 Minor League Players of the Year

#5 Post by Wind Dancers »

Hartford Announces Minor League Players of the Year
by Jace Ramsey
Minor League Hitter of the Year
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LF John Howe (AAA)
John Howe, a native of Buena Park California, was taken 8th overall in the 2017 draft by the Connecticut Nutmeggers before being traded into the Hartford (formerly Omaha) organization the next season. Howe was drafted straight out of high school where he was a level above dominant, posting a .390/.480/.672 slash line with 52 homers and 53 SB's all across a total of 181 games of high school ball. Howe amassed 4 all star appearances, and a Glove Wizard in left field placing lofty expectations on Howe's young shoulders heading into the draft.

After being drafted 8th overall, Howe would go on to play 4 years of short-A ball split between Pearl City & Waikiki and would mark his first year on the top prospects list (#26) in 2018. Howe was a bit slow to develop early on, but really found his groove in 2021 while playing in Cheyenne where he hit .302 with 7 homers and 8 stolen bases. But the next 3 years would find Howe bouncing around AA and AAA unable to find any real consistency and struggling to find his future in Hartford. Luckily for Howe, his physical development was on track as he continued to build muscle which helped mold his hard hitting reputation that many scouts saw during the draft. In 2023, John managed to win a Glove Wizard backed up by his ability to excel at both corners in the outfield and step in at center when needed.

This past year, Howe had his biggest breakthrough and may have even earned a spot in Hartford because of it. After being named on the 100 top prospects list for the 7th year in a row, Howe had a big year posting 16 HR, 49 RBI's, and 17 doubles all while hitting with a .281/.302/.493 slash. After struggling for a few seasons, 2024 provided Howe with a much needed confidence boost, and showed Hartford personnel that they have a real weapon sitting in AAA. He has clear struggles with seeing the ball, but his contact, power, and ability to avoid strikeouts easily out-weigh most worries. Howe could end up being a legitimate 5 tool player though his speed has dropped off a bit as he has built his power. 2025 could see Howe move up and finally get his chance in the show, an opportunity in the making since 2017.

Minor League Pitcher of the Year
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SP Yoshitora Kubota (SS-A)
Unlike Howe, Yoshitora Kubota doesn't have experience, age, or the reputation of a popular player. In fact, Kubota is only 17 years old, having signed a minor league contract out of Japan in 2023. Kubota was born in Daitō, a city at the base of Mount Limori in the Osaka Prefecture of Japan. He grew up playing baseball in the city, and spent a few years playing for Nozaki High School before moving to the United States.

Without an accurate set of stats, Hartford scouts were unsure of what to expect out of Kubota, guessing that he would be a lifetime minor league player but with decent talent. But at 17, those expectations are far off and early struggles were definitely expected. But in his first season in the United States, Kubota went 7-4 with a 2.11 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 53 strikeouts across 89.2 innings while in short-A with Waikiki. Kubota completely surprised the entire organization and even earned an off-season promotion to Cheyenne where he will open the 2025 season. His stuff isn't quite there yet resulting in mediocre K numbers, but his current talent set is the perfect foundation for a starting pitcher and will give Kubota plenty of space to learn moving forward.

An impressive start from an unknown 17 year old was definitely a surprise, and while some still think his ceiling isn't too impressive, Kubota has excelled so far and will continue to push to achieve the impossible.
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Re: 2024 Minor League Players of the Year

#6 Post by Evas »

After a flurry of moves removed several top contenders for the award from the SS system, Landry is the last man standing. His performance in 2024 left something to be desired offensively. His performance ranged from mediocre to excellent for most of the season, but an abysmal .184/.264/.498 July dragged his numbers down in a major way. Furtunately, he recovered nicely and posted excellent numbers for the rest of the regular and post seasons. Defensively, he continued to dazzle by winning the 2024 GNL AA PCAL Glove Wizard Award at 2B. He has some work to do in winter ball, but if Landry's bat catches up to his glove, the long reign of Matsusuke Hamada in SS could be over by the end of 2025.

On the pitching side, Hirai was nothing short of excellent. It has been a long climb for Hirai since being drafted by the Kawaguchi Transmitters way back in 2019. But signing with SS after the contraction seems to have given him new life. His stats were excellent across the board - 2.47 ERA, 1.05 WIP, 2.80 FIP, 78.6 QS% - and all on a very normal .282 BABIP. If Hirai continues his progression in AAA in 2025, he could be in the rotation in 2026, especially if the Evas do not retain aging ace Kata Nakamura.

Historical SS Winners:
Shin Seiki Minor League Hitter of the Year
2024: 2B Errol Landry (AAA)
2023: RF Rowan 'Bleeder' Stuart (SS-A)
2022: RF Rowan 'Bleeder' Stuart (SS-A)
2021: SS Torazo Kodama (SS-A)
2020: SS Torazo Kodama (SS-A)
2019: ?
2018: ?

Shin Seiki Minor League Pitcher of the Year
2024: SP Soetsu Hirai (AAA)
2023: RP Millard Norman (SS-A)
2022: RP Juro 'Tempo' Sumita (SS-A)
2021: SP Arinori Mochizuki (AAA)
2020: SP Arinori Mochizuki (AAA)
2019: ?
2018: ?


I am in the process of blatantly stealing Aurora's excellently formatted log of past winners. Such a nice compact summary. Can't let Aurora gain ground in any arena...

By the way, where are the old LRS forums? I know things have been cleaned up here a bit, but it would be nice to be able to browse through them, even if it were read only. That is a big part of the history of the PEBAverse.
Last edited by Evas on Wed Feb 22, 2017 1:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: 2024 Minor League Players of the Year

#7 Post by Coqui »

Canton Announces 2024 Minor League Players of the Year

2024 was a washout of a year developmentally for the Canton Longshoremen organization. Thanks to a toxic brew of injuries to key prospects, down years for aggressively-promoted prospects, and an organization-wide offensive slump, picking organizational awards was a tough task this season. But hey, someone has to win the awards, right?
Minor League Hitter of the Year
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RF Pedro Castro (AA/AAA)
It's not often that a player gets a chance to win a third straight organizational Hitter of the Year Award. That opportunity was there for the taking for Vaclav Verlaan, the 2022 and 2023 winner. Unfortunately, Verlaan's meteoric rise through the organization hit a speed bump, as he failed to take advantage of an invite to spring training by going 4-42 with 16 strikeouts. His spring training performance was a harbinger of the season to come, as Verlaan was consistently inconsistent, putting up OPSs of at least .900 in two months, and of less than .525 in two other months. That opened the 2024 prospect door for his draft-mate, Pedro Castro, who was taken two rounds later than Verlaan in the 2021 draft. Castro's trip up the Canton organizational ladder has been only slightly slower than Verlaan's, and Castro's 2024 season was better, as he hit 274/312/479 with 22 home runs in a season splitting time between AA Youngstown and AAA Allentown. It is likely that the two will start the season side-by-side in the Allentown outfield, but each should have the opportunity to break into a disappointing Canton outfield with a good showing in spring training. Verlaan is at least nominally a center fielder, which likely gives him the advantage with incumbent CF Harry Hutchins availability on opening day a question mark.

Minor League Pitcher of the Year
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RP Anthony Gregory (AA)
For the second year in a row, a non-prospect relief pitcher gets the nod as the organizational Pitcher of the Year. For the first time in memory, the Longshoremen's Minor League Pitcher of the Year has been left unprotected for the upcoming Rule 5 draft. Fifth-year pro Anthony Gregory, a 10th round draft pick from the 2020 draft, gets the nod for his 20 save season at AA Youngstown in his first full year at the level. Never considered a top prospect, the lefty reliever has been a consistent out-getter, with a career 2.55 ERA in one-plus seasons at the AA level. In those 123+ innings, Gregory has averaged 9.5 K/9, 3 BB/9, and 0.7 HR/9. He's slated to start the season in AAA Allentown if he's not plucked in the Rule 5 draft.


Previous Winners:
Canton Minor League Hitter of the Year

2023: CF Vaclav Verlaan (Hi-A/AA/AAA)
2022: CF Vaclav Verlaan (Hi-A)
2021: SS Gonzalo Gonzalez (AA/AAA)
2020: C Cliff Mitchell (SS-A)
2019: LF Gabriel Martinez (AA/AAA)
2018: LF Ryan Smith (AAA)
2017: RF Peyton Bishop (AA/AAA)
2016: RF Brian Gustafson (Hi-A)
2015: 1B Rich Wheeler (AA)
2014: 1B Jose 'Vapor Lock' Martinez (AAA)

Canton Minor League Pitcher of the Year

2023: SP Colin Jameson (AA/AAA)
2022: SP Manuel Gonzalez (AA)
2021: SP Alfonso Romero (AA/AAA)
2020: SP/RF Juan Marquez (AA)
2019: SP Jim Hayden (AA)
2018: SP Brighton Burgess (SS-A)
2017: CL Pat Miller (AA/AAA)
2016: SP David Castro (AA)
2015: SP Hector Beltran (AAA)
2014: SP Jose Marquez (AAA)
Last edited by Coqui on Mon Feb 13, 2017 5:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: 2024 Minor League Players of the Year

#8 Post by Borealis »

Evas wrote: I am in the process of blatantly stealing Aurora's excellently formatted log of past winners. Such a nice compact summary. Can't let Aurora gain ground in any arena...

By the way, where are the old LRS forums? I know things have been cleaned up here a bit, but it would be nice to be able to browse through them, even if it were read only. That is a big part of the history of the PEBAverse.
Hmmmmmm... Good thing you can't steal these rings (flashes ring laden hand)... :twisted:

I know I saw those forums somewhere... They were buried someplace, I think...
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Re: 2024 Minor League Players of the Year

#9 Post by Dinosaurs »

Fargo Dinosaurs
2024 Minor League Hitter of the Year
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CF Pat Watson made it into consideration for this award with exactly 300 plate appearances in AAA this past season prior to being promoted to Fargo and the majors. Watson was drafted in 2020 in the 1st round, 7th overall by Fargo out of Union City high school. The following spring he was ranked #16 by Baseball America. He moved from A to AA to AAA in three seasons, never hitting worse than 119 wRC+. Come spring 2024 and Baseball America ranked him as their #1 prospect in all of PEBA. Then last season in those 300 plate appearances at AAA Sioux Falls, Watson slashed .281/.371/.617, for a 179 wRC+, 16 SB, and 11.2 ZR in center-field, supporting the lofty expectations coming in to the year. He made his ML debut as well and is set to enter next spring as the presumptive starting CF for the Dinosaurs.
2024 Minor League Pitcher of the Year
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SP José Ríos (AA)
SP José Ríos had a strong season, though the pitching across the board in the Fargo minors failed to compare as favorably to the hitting, and his overall numbers are perhaps only a little better than mediocre. The key though is to consider that he was an above average starting pitcher at AA at the age of 20. In 27 starts for the Toronto Phantoms, Ríos went 12-8 with a 3.17 ERA (112 ERA+), and 2.3 WAR following a 4.93 K/BB ratio and 98 FIP-. Ríos was acquired in a 2021 trade with Shin Seiki for MR Ming-hou Gu.
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Re: 2024 Minor League Players of the Year

#10 Post by Simon »

San Antonio's Minor League Pitcher of the Year:
SP Mario Martinez (AAA)
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Former 15th overall pick Martinez had great year in both AA and AAA teams: 2.33 ERA in 8 started games and 2.60 ERA and 12-5 win-loss record in 21 started games in AAA. Helped Joplin make playoffs, but didnt play in 0-3 lost series in first round vs MMO.

San Antonio's Minor League Hitter of the Year:
CF Raúl Ortega (A)
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Former 11th overall pick in contraction draft, Ortega immediately became San Antonio's best prospect and he showed it on the field. His numbers on A level last year .255/.291/.504, 45 doubles, 22 homeruns in 125 games. He led Drumright to League Championship, sadly lost 2-3 vs Rosarito.

On the side note SA's every minor league team except for S-A made playoffs last year, Joplin and Monterey both lost in Division Series (and both 0-3 !+) ) and its already been said Drumright lost in League Championship.
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Re: 2024 Minor League Players of the Year

#11 Post by Duane »

Kentucky Minor League Hitter of the Year:
LF Bartolo Mora (AA although pictured in his new AAA uniform)
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A 2nd round pick by Kentucky in the 2020 draft, the now 23yo Bart has spent his entire career in the Kentucky farm system. In 2021 he was named the #5 prospect in the PEBA, in 2022 he was named the #10 prospect in the PEBA, in 2023 he was named the #4 prospect in the PEBA, and in 2024 he was named the #22 prospect in the PEBA. 2024 was definitely a breakout year as his awards demonstrate: GNL AA ATAL Player of the Week Award in early May, GNL AA ATAL Batter of the Month Award for June, selected to the 2024 Great Northern League All-Star Game. And after leading his team to the playoffs he is awarded the following: 2024 GNL AA ATAL Division Series MVP Award, 2024 GNL AA ATAL Championship Series MVP Award, 2024 Great Northern League Maple Leaf Classic with the Bowling Green Rebels, and finished 2nd in 2024 GNL AA ATAL Outstanding Hitter Award voting. We are anxious to have him patrol the Kentucky Thoroughbred's green pastures soon.

Kentucky Minor League Pitcher of the Year:
CL Michael Vincent (AAA)
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A 2018 Supplemental pick by Kentucky, the now 24yo closer has spent his entire career in the Kentucky farm system. He wasn't really acclaimed by the media nor OSA until 2022 when he was named the #50 prospect in the PEBA. 2024 saw him step up as he was selected to the 2024 Global Baseball Brotherhood All-Star Game, and his overall stats make him a standout - 64 games, 34 saves, 1.13ERA, 23 BB / 122 Ks, and a 2.6 WAR all in relief. Michael continues the tradition of strong relievers coming out of the Kentucky farm system, and hopes to land a job in the very crowded Thoroughbred pen in in 2025.
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Re: 2024 Minor League Players of the Year

#12 Post by Leones »

Havana Minor League Hitter of the Year
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Vito started the season at the A level and was quickly promoted to the AA club where he posted a 3.1 WAR and 157 OPS+ for the Bokors. Vito has been active in the community promoting his guide dog training program. Vito's favorite drink is Blue Gatorade.
Havana Minor League Pitcher of the Year
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'Old Nick' has an old head atop his young mercurial frame. In 2023 he was in his final season of college ball. He shot up through the farm system to find himself pitching in the playoffs for the Leones. He spent the bulk of 2024 in the AAA club where he rung up a 11-6 record with a 2.77 ERA in 159.1 IP alongside a 1.05 WHIP and 134 ERA+. A native of Vermont, Enrique grew up working on the family maple sugar farm. Nick wanted to be a hockey player growing up and is a huge fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs. He once sang the 'Hockey Song' alongside Stompin' Tom Connors at a local pub. He says that was his greatest sports related moment.
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Re: 2024 Minor League Players of the Year

#13 Post by Akira »

*Neo-Tokyo Minor league Hitter of the Year 1B Koshiro Nakashima AAA

*Neo-Tokyo Minor League Pitcher of the Year Dave Weber S-A

Koshi Nakashima, a former 1st round pick, had 29 HR for AAA Niigata. He has steadily risen through the minor league ranks and looks to make the jump to the big leagues next season.

Weber, a 3rd round pick in the 2023 amateur draft, had 28 saves in 44 appearances as the closer for the Shirakawa Halberds. He won the Pitcher of the Month award in September
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Re: 2024 Minor League Players of the Year

#14 Post by Reg »

New Orleans Trendsetters GM Reg LeBlanc is proud to announce the team's 2024 Minor League players of the year.
  • New Orleans Minor League Hitter of the Year: SS Shiro Sakai (SS-A)
  • New Orleans Minor League Pitcher of the Year: SP Thomas Cole (AAA)
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Hitter : Shiro Sakai (SS-A)
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For the first time ever, a Short-A Anchorage Mighty Moose player is named hitter of the year. Some say that Shiro "The Walkman" Sakai's stats are average, but they are great when you know where to look. At first glance, his .251 average and a very tame 4 home runs was respectable at best, but he also walked 78 times in 339 plate appearances (an impressive 23% frequency, 4th highest BB% in the league, and 3rd most overall walks). Thanks to this, he posted the SS-A's 4th-best OBP (.425). Clearly, he has a maturity and patience at the plate which extends beyond his 22 years of age. But, to add to this, even though it is not purely offense-related, Sakai is not a one-trick pony. He is also the best defensive Shortstop in Short-A ball : leading the league at SS in both Zone Rating (+11.2 runs) and Defensive Efficiency (1.087).

For 2025, Sakai will move up to New Orleans' Single-A team in Ensenada, Mexico.
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Pitcher : Thomas Cole (AAA)
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Thomas Cole was one of those rare gems lurking in minor league free agency in the spring. The then-24-year-old was a dominant pitcher in Charleston's minor league system, most recently in AAA in Raleigh. But, when the team switched to the new WIL, they didn't bring Cole with them... which clearly was a mistake. In March of this year, he signed a deal with New Orleans to continue his momentum towards the big show on their AAA team, and it was impressive. Fans in Fayetteville were treated to the "Tom and Gene Show" (along with fellow starter, the quirky knuckleballer Angel Ramos). However, it was Tom who was the true star. Sure, the pair combined for 25 wins, but Cole's 97-mph fastball and major-league control was unhittable. He finished the year with a 12-7 record, a 2.76 ERA, a 0.91 WHIP, and an incredible 208 K's (3rd-most at the AAA level).

He has the tools to be in the major leagues, and the team resisted the urge to throw him into the PEBA lion's den mid-season in 2024 after injuries creeped up, but he will be part of the Trendsetters' exciting new pitching crew for 2025 spring training.
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Previous New Orleans Minor League Hitter of the Year Winners
2023 : Felix Zavala (AAA / AA)
2022 : Felix Zavala (A)
2021 : Bob Swift (AAA)
2020 : No Selection
2019 : Raúl Flores (A)
2018 : Wilson Muñóz (AAA / AA)
2017 : Wilson Muñóz (A)
2016 : Allen Chandler (AA)
2015 : Rob McGrath (AA)
2014 : Rob McGrath (A)

Previous New Orleans Minor League Pitcher of the Year Winners
2023 : Jorge Medina (A)
2022 : Christopher McGee (A)
2021 : Loren Gary (AA)
2020 : No Selection
2019 : José Martínez (AAA)
2018 : José Martínez (SS-A / A)
2017 : Paco Rodríguez (AA)
2016 : Ryan Lee (AAA / AA)
2015 : Artie Herman (AA / A)
2014 : Edgardo Rodríguez (A)
Reg LeBlanc
General Manager, New Orleans Trendsetters
(2021 - 2037)
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Nigel
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Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire UK

Re: 2024 Minor League Players of the Year

#15 Post by Nigel »

2024 Minor League Player Awards wrote:
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SS Barry Wallace
22-yr-old Barry was a second round draft pick (46th overall) in 2021 at the age of 18 out of Chatsworth HS where he won the Interscholastic Federation Super Prep Championship twice. He spent the next two years in SS-A Kailua learning his role as a professional where in 2022 he won the HL Wild Card MVP Award before progressing through A-Ball in 2023 and arriving at Double-A Mississauga in 2024. In 114 games for the Cherries he hit .260/.335/.401 with 13 homers and 45 RBI; he also stole a career high 15 bases and had a +11.8 ZR at SS whilst posting a 5.2 WAR. Hardly missing at beat with his offensive output at A ball & AA while dramatically improving his defence has impressed the management team and they are now hopeful that he might just make it all the way to the PEBA. He will start 2025 in Triple-A, his third straight promotion in as many years.

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SP Mike Thompson
The organisation is not overly blessed with pitching prospects but 24-yr-old Thompson stood out. After an unspectacular college career at Rutgers he was drafted 274th overall in the 9th round by Duluth in 2022 at the age of 21. He made 44 appearances in A ball Rapid City in 2022 & 2023 compiling a 17-16 record with a 3.92 ERA and a 210/58 K/BB ratio. Moving on to Double-A Mississauga this year he made 27 starts posting an 11-7 record with a 3.20 ERA, a 133/40 K/BB ratio and 1.12 WHIP; leading the Cherries in Wins and ERA. The scouting team aren't very hopeful that he's going to make it all the way to the top but given a lot of luck, a bit of fairy-dust and a whole load of injuries he might yet get his cup of coffee
Nigel Laverick

GM San Antonio Calzones de Laredo 2035 - . . .

Former Commish, PEBA & LRS GM

nigel3123@gmail.com
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