2022 Minor League Awards

[Duane]

GM Rudis would like to announce the Kentucky system Minor league player and pitcher of the 2022.

The player of the year is a slam dunk ... no other farm hand came close to the performance of AA Parma RF Brandon Graham. Graham is 23 years old and in his first full season of AA ball. He was a 4th round pick in 2020 and was a very unusual pick for Ky, being that he did not fit the mold GM Rudis prefers. Well, in 2022 Brandon officially went on the radar of Ky front office with his performance - 63 home runs, 147 runs batted in, 13 stolen bases all going with a .341 batting average.

Pitcher of the year was not as easy of a decision, and will be shared this year between AA SP Eduardo Gonzales and A (now in AA) SP Ramon Tellez. Gonzales was just solid in his 27 games started producing a 2.68 era and a 12 - 6 win loss record. Tellez, on the other hand, grew up this year sporting a 3.17 era with an 8 - 11 win loss record while pitching for Roanoke which did not fare well as a team.

Congratulations to these bright stars on the Kentucky farm.

[Akira]

Wow. An impressive season. Wouldn't expect that based on his ratings. Struck out 110 times and still hit .341.

[Borealis]

Aurora Announces 2022 Minor League Players of the Year
by Francis Ferry, NLN baseball beat writer

Minor League Hitter of the Year

2B Pablo Medrano (AAA)

Medrano was Aurora's first pick, the 25th overall selection, in the 2020 draft out of Rice University. He was a four-year starter at Rice, with a career .383 average - hitting .446 as a freshman and .406 as a senior. In 207 collegiate games he hit 25 HR and drove in 145. After the draft he split time at Mokule'ia and SLRC where he hit .399 and .321, respectively. After a down year at Gatineau in 2021 (.246, 5 HR, 35 RBI in 492 AB), he found himself nonetheless promoted to AAA for the 2022 season, and he impressed. His .304 average led the team and his 9 HR (3rd) and 62 RBI (2nd, behind Jeff Parson's 63) were amongst the team leaders.

Medrano was drafted with a posse of second-sackers ahead of him in the system, but like last years MBOY winner, Gabe McIntyre, he's benefitted from the trading of Dickson and Speed. Where Medrano stands in the organization is yet to be seen. With Jose Rivera all but gone, there is a spot open on the roster, and who knows if another will open up if long-term back-up Juan Toro is released, or Rod Martin is simply out-played. All things being equal, it looks like Pablo will get invited to spring training and given a shot at competing with Gabe McIntyre for that one spot - with the hope of forcing someone else off the roster. Working against Medrano is his limited defense - mostly a 'right-side' guy, like McIntyre - who has the advantage of also playing a decent short. Expect there to be a spirited competition.

Minor League Pitcher of the Year

CL Júlio Martínez (AA)

Júlio Martínez is the second straight closer to win Aurora's award, and his credentials are eerily similar to last years winner, Manuel Gallorca - drafted in the 3rd round of the 2021 draft, out of Washington State, he really caught scouts eyes his senior year after posting a 1.26 ERA with 13 saves in 17 chances. The hard-throwing right-hander had a 7:1 K:BB ratio and he instantly continued his success at Mokule'ia after the draft (1.93 ERA, 18 saves). For 2022, he was promoted directly to Gatineau, where he had 56 appearances, with a 2.23 ERA and 36 saves. He struck out 62 and walked 25, while holding teams to a .180 OAVG.

It's pretty fair to think that Thornton is in the cards for 2023, where he will either take on the closer role there or battle with Gallorca - who may find himself stuck at AAA with the in-season signings of Romano and Latour. It seems within reason that he may get a spring invite and get a chance to show what he's got. Either way, the 22-year old closer has, at this moment, time on his side.



Previous Winners:
Aurora Minor League Hitter of the Year
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
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. Edited 7/13/15 to add 2013 winners

[Zephyrs]

Reno Minor League Hitter of the Year: RF Miguel Morales (Single A)

Reno Minor League Pitcher of the Year: SP Jorge Torres (Single A)

[Rory]

Tempe Knights

Minor League Player of the Year:
AA 24 yr old 3B Reginald Marsh
He hit .298 overall in the minors in 2022 with 19 HR's and 81 RBI's
He's expected to be promoted to AAA in 2023.



Minor League Pitcher of the Year:
AAA 27 yr old RP Sergio Tinker
He was 6-2 on the year with 10 saves and 15 holds. He had a 1.59 ERA and a 0.75 WHIP
He's expected to join the Knights bullpen in 2023.

[roncollins]

• LUPIN/TOYAMA Minor League Hitter of the Year: 3B Marcox David (A) [Full Write-up]
• LUPIN/TOYAMA Minor League Pitcher of the Year: SP Sotastu Hirano (AA) [Full Write-up]

[Morris Ragland]

• Okinawa Minor League Hitter of the Year: CF Dave MacIntosh (AA) (.294/.313/.449, WAR 2.9)
• Okinawa Minor League Pitcher of the Year: P Hirohisa Shimada (A) (2.40 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, WAR 2.6)

[Simon]

San Antonio Minor League Hitter of the Year: C Vincent Ward (AA) (.300/.361/.605, 3.4 WAR, 54.2 CS% in only 61 started games)

He was definitely the best batter out there last year with great glove as well. He's been developing pretty good so far and next year will spend in AAA Joplin.

San Antonio Minor League Pitcher of the Year: P Marvin Mooney (A) (3.18 ERA, 16-3 win-lose, 1.10 WHIP, 2.6 WAR)

Pitcher of the year was thougher choice.
The other two candidates were Danny Burgess (AAA), but he already is 26yo and after few ML episodes (3.32 ERA, 4.0 WAR).
And Dan McClain (AA) (3.56 ERA, 3.3 WAR)

[Evas]

Shin Seiki Minor League Hitter of the Year: RF Rowan 'Bleeder' Stuart (SS-A)

• Stuart continued his steady progression in 2022 posting a solid .293/.445/.844 line. His offensive performance improved consistently across the board. Combine that with solid defensive play and he should be able to be a starting RF in PEBA in by 2025. If his power live up to the huge potential the scouts are seeing, he could be an impact player.

Shin Seiki Minor League Pitcher of the Year: RP Juro 'Tempo' Sumita (SS-A)

• Sumita was stellar again in 2022. The #9 prospect in PEBA lived up to his lofty ranking by posting a 2.18 ERA in 45.1 IP with a WHIP of only 0.88. The #17 pick in the 2021 draft seems poised to burst in to majors by the end of 2024, maybe even 2023. After the Ricardo "Puddi" Perez fiasco, Sumita can't get to SS fast enough.

[Leones]

Havana Minor League Hitter of the Year: 2B Yeong_hun Kim (AAA) (54 BB, 44 SB, ZR +14.6, WAR 5.6)

The 2022 All Star and Glove Wizard Award winner is well known for his shaving cream pies delivered to unsuspecting team mates. At only 22 he still doesn't need the stuff to shave with. He's fully deserving of a Major League roster spot but the club has a lot of depth at the 2B spot and would like him to get a little more experience before bringing him up. He'll likely be a September call up this year.

Havana Minor League Pitcher of the Year: SP Jonathan Sherwin (AA) (174.2 IP, 123 K, 122 ERA+ WAR 3.6)

The second of Havana's 2021 first round picks, the native of Derby England has risen quickly through the farm system. He threw two shutouts in 2021 and continues to impress with his control, both of his pitches and in the clubhouse. Other players look up to him and his fearless, steadying personality which he says he got from his grandfather who flew a de Havilland Mosquito for No. 100 Group RAF in WWII.

[roncollins]

Havana Minor League Hitter of the Year: 2B Yeong_hun Kim (AAA) (54 BB, 44 SB, ZR +14.6, WAR 5.6)

Upon promotion, Kim will immediately become the top candidate for the next five 2B All Leather Awards. :)

[Denny]

Belatedly, the front office of the Palm Springs Codgers has gotten around to selecting the club's minor league awards for 2022.

Minor League Hitter of the Year:

LF Thomas Woods (Edmonton Mall Ratz, AA)
Drafted just a year ago in the second round of the draft (67th overall), Woods has rocketed through the Palm Springs system. After a promising debut at Lanai'i City in 2021, Woods began 2022 at Single-A National City, where he displayed such an advanced ability at the plate (racking up a 1.073 OPS) that he was promoted to AA halfway through the season. His success continued at Edmonton, where he hit .331 and socked 12 home runs to help the 'Ratz win the Alberta Division title.
The precocious youngster (just barely 23) will likely begin 2023 at AAA Provo and might even make an appearance in Palm Springs if all goes well.


Minor League Pitcher of the Year:

SP Victor McKay (Provo Missionaries, AAA)
A fourth-round pick of the Codgers in 2020, the 94th pick overall, McKay spent most of the season at AA Edmonton, where, despite only a 9-10 record, he had a 3.22 ERA and racked up 163 strikeouts to only 37 walks. The 24-year old also enjoyed success after promotion to AAA at the end of the season, gaining a victory in his only start with just a single run surrendered.
Though scouts do not rate him all that highly, particularly with regard to his weaselly facial hair, there is a chance we could see Victor and his 101-mph fastball in Palm Springs at some point in 2023.

[roncollins]

Interesting set of players. Wonder how many other teams will actually name players of the year?

[Evas]

Interesting set of players. Wonder how many other teams will actually name players of the year?

I am thinking this thread is an accurate barometer of league participation. If so, we are in trouble.

[roncollins]

Only two-thirds of the league voted on awards as best I can tell. The CP files shows how few are even getting full forum posting credits, better yet writing.