Brewers announce 2012 Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Year Awards
INF Hunter Morris and RHP Hiram Burgos Named Recipients of the Robin Yount Performance Player and Pitcher of the Year Awards, Respectively
The Milwaukee Brewers today announced the recipients of the 2012 Robin Yount Performance Awards, which recognizes the Brewers’ Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Year. Infielder Hunter Morris was named Minor League Player of the Year and right-handed pitcher Hiram Burgos (pronounced HI-rum BUR-gose) was named Minor League Pitcher of the Year.
Morris, 23, batted .303 with 28 home runs and 113 RBI in 136 games with Double-A Huntsville. He was named the Southern League’s Most Valuable Player on Monday, becoming the first Huntsville player to win the award since Brewers first baseman Corey Hart in 2003.
Morris, who made a run at the Triple Crown, led the Southern League in home runs, RBI, hits (158), slugging percentage (.563) total bases (294) and extra-base hits (74) and ranked among the leaders in doubles (2nd, 40), runs (T3rd, 77) and batting average (4th). Additionally, he led all qualifying Southern League first basemen with a .995 fielding percentage as he committed just six errors all season. His 40 doubles tied Huntsville’s single-season record (tied D.T. Cromer, 1997 with Oakland Athletics organization and Corey Hart, 2003).
The Huntsville, Alabama native was named to the Southern League All-Star team and earned TOPPS Southern League Player of the Month honors in June and July. Morris was drafted by the Brewers in the fourth round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft out of Auburn University.
Burgos, 25, went a combined 10-4 with a 1.95 ERA in 28 games (27 starts) between Class-A Brevard County, Double-A Huntsville and Triple-A Nashville. He struck out 153 batters compared to 49 walks and allowed 128 hits in 171.0 innings pitched. His 1.95 ERA was tops among Brewers minor leaguers and ranked 10th-best overall in the minors this season.
Burgos was named to the Florida State League Midseason All-Star team but did not play due to his promotion to Huntsville. He earned Brewers Pitcher of the Month honors in April (Co-Pitcher with RHP Drew Gagnon), June and July. Burgos was drafted by the Brewers in the sixth round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft from Bethune-Cookman University. He was signed by area scout Tim McIlvaine.