J.D. Martinez named Tiger of the Year

DETROIT- J.D. Martinez has been selected the Tiger of the Year in voting conducted by the Detroit Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America. Martinez earned 19 of a possible 22 first place votes to capture the award for the first time in his career. Miguel Cabrera received two first place votes and Ian Kinsler received one vote.

Martinez, 28, won the award after establishing career highs in games played (158), at-bats (596), runs scored (93), hits (168), doubles (33), home runs (38), RBI (102) and walks (53) in 2015. Martinez ranked tied for third in the American League with 15 outfield assists, while he was fifth with 319 total bases and 73 extra base hits, seventh with 102 RBI and eighth with 38 home runs and a .535 slugging percentage.

He became the seventh player in Tigers history to hit 38-or-more home runs and drive in 100-or-more runs in a season, joining Miguel Cabrera (2010, 2012, 2013), Norm Cash (1961), Rocky Colavito (1961), Cecil Fielder (1990, 1991), Hank Greenberg (1937, 1938, 1940,1946) and Dean Palmer (1999). Additionally, he became the first Tigers outfielder to record 100-or-more RBI in a season since Magglio Ordoñez had 103 RBI in 2008. Martinez was also selected to the American League All-Star Team for the first time in his career in 2015.

Since joining the Tigers in 2014, Martinez has batted .296 (307x1037) with 150 runs scored, 63 doubles, 61 home runs and 178 RBI in 281 games.

Victor Martinez won the award in 2014 and Miguel Cabrera was the recipient in 2012-13.  

Recipients of the Tiger of the Year Award:

1965 - Don Wert
1966 - Al Kaline
1967 - Bill Freehan
1968 - Denny McLain
1969 - Denny McLain
1970 - Tom Timmerman
1971 - Mickey Lolich
1972 - Ed Brinkman
1973 - John Hiller
1974 - Al Kaline
1975 - Willie Horton
1976 - Mark Fidrych
1977 - Ron LeFlore
1978 - Ron LeFlore
1979 - Steve Kemp
1980 - Alan Trammell
1981 - Kirk Gibson
1982 - Lance Parrish
1983 - Lou Whitaker
1984 - Willie Hernandez
1985 - Darrell Evans
1986 - Jack Morris
1987 - Alan Trammell
1988 - Alan Trammell
1989 - Lou Whitaker  
1990 - Cecil Fielder
1991 - Cecil Fielder
1992 - Cecil Fielder
1993 - Tony Phillips
1994 - Kirk Gibson
1995 - Travis Fryman
1996 - Travis Fryman
1997 - Tony Clark and Bobby Higginson (tie)
1998 - Damion Easley
1999 - Dean Palmer
2000 - Bobby Higginson
2001 - Steve Sparks
2002 - Randall Simon
2003 - Dmitri Young
2004 - Ivan Rodriguez
2005 - Placido Polanco
2006 - Carlos Guillen
2007 - Magglio Ordonez
2008 - Miguel Cabrera
2009 - Justin Verlander
2010 - Miguel Cabrera
2011 - Justin Verlander
2012 - Miguel Cabrera
2013 - Miguel Cabrera
2014 - Victor Martinez
2015 - J.D. Martinez