Indians Announce Minor League Player of the Year Award Winners
CLEVELAND, OH - The Cleveland Indians today named INF JOE WENDLE the Lou Boudreau Award winner (top organizational position player) and RHP CODY ANDERSON the Bob Feller Award recipient (top pitcher) for the 2013 Minor League season.
Wendle, 23, spent the entire season with the Single-A Carolina Mudcats where he hit .295 (122-413) with 32 doubles, 5 triples, 64 RBI and an .885 OPS (.372 OBP/.513 SLG). Wendle also hit 16 home runs which was just one shy of tops in the Indians Minor League system while his .295 average was 3rd best in the organization. The 5-11, 190-pound second baseman also ranked among Carolina League Leaders in slugging percentage (2nd, .513), extra-base hits (2nd, 53) and total bases (4th, 212).
The Lincoln University, PA native hit .426 (20-47) with a 1.104 OPS (.508 OBP/.596 SLG) through the first 14 games of the season before suffering a fractured orbital on April 20th that sidelined him until May 21. At the time of the injury, the left-handed hitting infielder ranked 6th in all of Minor League baseball with a .426 average, and was leading the Carolina League in on-base pct. (.508) and OPS (1.104). The Carolina League Postseason All-Star Team selection recently batted .311 (19-61) with 7 extra-base hits, 12 RBI and an .863 OPS (.371 OBP/.492 SLG) for Surprise in the Arizona Fall League. He was originally selected by the Indians in the 6th round (203rd overall) of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft out of West Chester (PA) University.
Anderson, 23, was named the 2013 Cleveland Indians Minor League Pitcher of the Year after going 9-4 with a 2.34 ERA (32 ER/123.1 IP) in 23 starts for the Single-A Advanced Carolina Mudcats. The 6-4, 220-pound righty struck out 112 Single-A batters, issued just 31 walks and registered the second-lowest WHIP (1.10) in the Carolina League. Anderson was promoted to the Double-A Akron Aeros on August 15 where he made his final 3 starts of the season to finish the 2013 campaign with the best ERA (2.65) in the entire Indians Player Development System. Cody also allowed just 10.29 base runners per nine innings, the second-best rate in the Carolina League.
Anderson was named to both the Midseason and Postseason CL All-Star teams before being tabbed the Carolina League Pitcher of the Year at year's end. Cody was also named the 2013 winner of the Matt Minker Community Service Award, an award that is presented to a Carolina League player who best serves his club's community during each regular season. A native of Quincy, CA, Anderson was originally drafted by the Indians in the 14th round (428th overall) of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft out of Feather River (CA) College.