Aurora Announces 2030 Minor League Players of the Year
by Francis Ferry,
NLN baseball beat writer
Arturo Vega was a 6th round selection for the Borealis in the 2022 draft - 203rd overall, out of Wilson Springs HS and spent the bulk of the past six seasons at SLRC, with stints at Mokule'ia ('24-'25) and Gatineau ('27-'28), before settling in Quebec with the Balloonists last season. In 2029 he finally had a chance to be the primary starter and in 384 at bats hit a measly .185, but with 20-2B, 11 HR, and 51 RBI, he showed some promise. That all came to fruition this year where in 134 games he hit .261 - still not great, but his .504 SLG was reflective of career highs in 2B (24), HR (28) and RBI (82) - good enough for 4th in the PCAL in SLG, and 6th in HR and RBI and highs for the Aurora Organization. He was named to the PCAL All-Star team, he was the MVP of the Divisional Series win over Medicine Hat (7-24, 3 HR, 5 RBI) and won the Platinum Stick for LF.
All in all, it was a productive year for Arturo, and though his window of opportunity may be closing quickly, he will get a chance to move a step closer, as it'll be likely he'll begin 2031 at AAA - maybe after a chance at Spring Training.
Last year it was former Win-D minor leaguer Pedro 'Sukoshi Netsu' Morales who was Aurora's Organizational Pitcher of the Year and this years selection is an easy one. Henry Cluett, who also came to Aurora as part of the infamous 'Fudd' deal (since moved on to San Juan), had one of the more impressive minor league seasons in club history. After posting a 2.35 ERA in his first year with Aurora (2028), 25 starts at SLRC, and a 2.73 ERA last year at Gatineau (29 starts), Cluett found himself back at AA this year - more a result of his age than any other factor. Instead of being disgruntled, he put his nose to the grindstone and posted a 7-5 mark, with a 2.20 ERA in 14 starts with the Balloonists, with 83 K and 12 BB in 98 IP. Once the All-Star Game passed (he was named to the All-Star team for the second straight year, but did not pitch), he was promoted to AAA Thornton, where he continued without missing a beat in 15 starts, going 8-5 for the considerably weaker FasTrax club, with a 2.66 ERA, 76 K and 13 BB over 101.2 IP. As the AAA season came to a close, Aurora, left with the choice of a September call-up, sitting at home, or a 'demotion' back to Gatineau to pitch in the GNL playoffs, chose the latter - and in four starts he was 2-2 with a 1.15 ERA, with 30 K, 7 BB in 31.1 IP and a .131 OAVG. His efforts moved the Balloonists past Sherwood Park (BAK) and the heavily favored Medicine Hat Drillers (DUL) before losing out to Toyohira (TOY).
The organization feels pretty strongly that Henry has nothing left to prove in the minors, and it anticipates he will have every opportunity to win a job in spring training - and even then having an Opening day rotation spot - barring changes happening during the offseason. There's even been rumors that Mr. Cluett's season isn't quite over, and with the injuries Aurora has suffered during this current playoff run, Henry
might just see his first major league action as playoff action. Either way, fans on The Front Range can definitely expect to see this young star sooner than later - much sooner.
Previous Winners:
Aurora Minor League Hitter of the Year
2029: LF Arturo Vega (AA)
2029: RF Stewart 'Litterbug' Arundale (AA/AAA)
2028: 3B Jorge Soto (AA)
2027: LF Ricardo Zamora (AAA)
2026: DH Michizane Shini (AAA/AA)
2025: LF Roberto 'Fudd' Martinez (AAA/AA)
2024: LF Roberto 'Fudd' Martinez (AA/A)
2023: C Manny 'Fido' 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 'Big Whiskey' Britt (AA)
2014: 2B John 'Gypsy' Foster (AA)
2013: 1B Ken Coleman (AAA)
Aurora Minor League Pitcher of the Year
2030: SP Henry Cluett (AAA/AA)
2029: SP Pedro 'Sukoshi Netsu' Morales (A/AA)
2028: SP Andres Canales (A)
2027: SP Jesus Solis (AAA)
2026: SP Robert Thomas (AA)
2025: SP Billy Taylor (AAA)
2024: SP Sam Gordon (AAA)
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.