Portland, Maine- The Portland Sea Dogs presented their annual team awards, presented by Northeast Delta Dental, before the final game of the regular season on Sunday at Delta Dental Park. Franklin Arias was awarded the team MVP while Blake Wehunt earned Pitcher of the Year honors. Arias was also named Defensive Player of the Year, and Brooks Brannon was voted the Charlie Eshbach Citizen of the Year Award. Fans vote on each award annually.
SEA DOGS MVP - FRANKLIN ARIAS
Franklin Arias earned Sea Dogs MVP after putting together an incredible 2026 campaign in Portland from Opening Day to the end of July. Arias, 20, started the season strong, earning Eastern League Player of the Month honors for April. Arias batted .375/.432/.764 and led the league in total bases (55), slugging percentage (.764) and OPS (1.196) during the month. He blasted seven home runs in nine games from April 14th to April 25th. At the time of his promotion to Triple-A Worcester on July 25th, Arias was batting .318 and leading Portland in runs (50), hits (90), home runs (19), RBI (52) and on-base percentage (.406). He was second on the team in slugging percentage (.587). Of his 19 homers, 12 were to tie or take the lead in a game. Arias led off the batting order every game he played, putting together 31 multi-hit performances in 75 total games for Portland. He was exceptional with runners in scoring position, batting .379 with a 1.231 OPS.
SEA DOGS PITCHER OF THE YEAR - BLAKE WEHUNT
Right-handed pitcher Blake Wehunt earned 2026 Portland Sea Dogs Pitcher of the Year honors. His tenure in Portland was highlighted by back-to-back Eastern League Pitcher of the Week recognitions June 22-28 and June 29-July 5, the first Sea Dog in franchise history to earn the honor in consecutive weeks. In those two outings, he tossed 11 consecutive scoreless innings, allowing just two hits with 17 strikeouts. Overall, Wehunt made 13 starts for Portland, going 5-4 with a 3.52 ERA. He allowed 21 earned runs on 47 hits with 16 walks and 72 strikeouts in 53.2 innings pitched before his promotion to Triple-A Worcester.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR - FRANKLIN ARIAS
Since Sea Dogs Team Awards began in 2001, Franklin Arias is the first player to earn multiple awards in a single season. Arias played 61 games in the field for Portland before his promotion. He played 56 games at shortstop and made just three errors on 210 total chances, good for a .986 fielding percentage. In five games at second base, Arias did not make an error, converting 14-of-14 total chances. Between the two positions, Arias turned 29 double plays with 72 putouts and 135 assists. His fielding percentage was the highest of any Sea Dog middle infielder this season.
CHARLIE ESHBACH CITIZEN OF THE YEAR AWARD - BROOKS BRANNON
Brooks Brannon has been named the Portland Sea Dogs’ recipient of the Charlie Eshbach Citizen of the Year Award, recognizing his outstanding commitment to the community and those around him. Throughout the season, Brannon consistently demonstrated a willingness to give back, including volunteering at the free youth baseball clinic hosted by the Red Sox Foundation at Delta Dental Park at Hadlock Field, where he worked directly with young players and signed autographs for kids. He also shared his personal experiences with fans during the Sea Dogs’ Faith & Family Night. Whether interacting with fans at the ballpark, supporting staff members, or encouraging his teammates, Brannon consistently displayed genuine care, compassion, and kindness, making a positive impact both on and off the field.
