Tony Gonsolin, Gavin Lux named the Minor League Pitcher/Player of the Year

The Los Angeles Dodgers today named right-handed pitcher Tony Gonsolin as the Branch Rickey Minor League Pitcher of the Year and infielder Gavin Lux as the Branch Rickey Minor League Player of the Year.

September 17th, 2018

The Los Angeles Dodgers today named right-handed pitcher Tony Gonsolin as the Branch Rickey Minor League Pitcher of the Year and infielder Gavin Lux as the Branch Rickey Minor League Player of the Year. 
In 26 combined starts this season with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga and Double-A Tulsa, Gonsolin has a 10-2 record with a 2.60 ERA (37 ER/ 128.0 IP), striking out a combined 155 batters against just 42walks. Gonsolin started his season in the California League, posting a 2.69 ERA (25 ER/83.2 IP) in 17 starts and was named a Mid-Season All-Star before his promotion to Tulsa on July 14. The 24-year-old then dominated in nine starts for the Drillers, going a perfect 6-0 with a 2.44 ERA (12 ER/44.1 IP), a 1.08 WHIP and a .203 opponent's batting average.
The Vacaville, California native was selected in the ninth round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of St. Mary's College where he split playing time as an outfielder and pitcher before he transitioned to pitching full-time with the Dodgers. In 87 career minor-league games (26 starts), the right-handed pitcher went 18-10 with 10 saves, 3.14 ERA (80 ER/229.0 IP) and struck out 265 batters against 68 walks.  
Lux started 2018 with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga batting .312 (72-for-231) with eight home runs and 35 RBI and was named a Mid-Season All-Star. The 20-year-old continued his dominance in the second half of the season, slashing .346/.396/.528 and was selected as a post-season California League All-Star, to finish ranked among league leaders in average (.324, 3rd), OBP (.396, 2nd), SLG (.520, 3rd) and OPS (.916, 2nd). After 88 games with the Quakes, the Kenosha, Wisconsin native was promoted to Double-A Tulsa where he hit .324 (34-for-105) with four home runs, nine RBI and a .408 on-base percentage in 28 appearances.
Since being selected as the first-round pick by the Dodgers in the 2016 draft, the shortstop has appeared in 283 career minor league games, slashing .288/.368/.432 with 22 homers, 54 doubles, and 117 RBI.   
Gonsolin and Lux will both be presented their respective awards and honored in a pregame ceremony at Dodger Stadium on Sept. 18 vs. Colorado. 

Branch Rickey Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Year: 1989-2018
Year | Player of the Year | Pitcher of the Year
1989 | Mike Huff, Albuquerque (OF) | Jim Poole, Vero Beach (LHP)
1990 | Henry Rodriguez, San Antonio (OF) | Jamie McAndrew, Bakersfield/San Antonio (RHP)
1991 | Eric Karros, Albuquerque (IB) | Pedro Martinez, San Antonio/Albuquerque (RHP)
1992 | Mike Piazza, San Antonio/Albuquerque (C) | Todd Williams, Bakersfield/San Antonio (RHP)
1993 | Billy Ashley, Albuquerque (OF) | Kip Gross, Albuquerque (RHP)
1994 | Billy Ashley, Albuquerque (OF) | Greg Hansell, Albuquerque (RHP)
1995 | Adam Riggs, San Bernardino (IF) | Gary Rath, San Antonio/Albuquerque (LHP)
1996 | Paul Konerko, San Antonio/Albuquerque (IF) | Billy Neal, Vero Beach (RHP)
1997 | Paul Konerko, Albuquerque (IF) | Dennys Reyes, San Antonio/Albuquerque (LHP)
1998 | Angel Peña, San Antonio (C) | Luke Prokopec, San Bernardino/San Antonio (RHP)
1999 | Chin-Feng Chen, San Bernardino (OF) | Eric Gagné , San Antonio (RHP)
2000 | Joe Thurston, San Bernardino (IF) | Carlos Garcia, San Bernardino (RHP)
2001 | Phil Hiatt, Las Vegas (IF) | Ricardo Rodriguez, Vero Beach (LHP)
2002 | Joe Thurston, Las Vegas (IF) | Edwin Jackson, South Georgia (RHP)
2003 | Franklin Gutierrez, VB/Jacksonville (OF) | Greg Miller, Vero Beach/Jacksonville (LHP)
2004 | Joel Guzman, Vero Beach/Jacksonville (OF) | Chad Billingsley, Vero Beach/Jacksonville (RHP)
2005 | Andy LaRoche, Vero Beach/Jacksonville (IF) | Chad Billingsley, Jacksonville (RHP)
2006 | James Loney, Las Vegas (1B) | Mark Alexander, Jacksonville/Las Vegas (RHP)
2007 | Chin-lung Hu, Jacksonville/Las Vegas (IF) | James McDonald, Inland Empire/Jacksonville (RHP)
2008 | Ivan De Jesus, Jr., Jacksonville (IF) | James McDonald, Jacksonville/Los Angeles (RHP)
2009 | Dee Gordon, Great Lakes (IF) | Scott Elbert, Chattanooga/Albuquerque/Los Angeles (LHP)
2010 | Jerry Sands, Great Lakes/Chattanooga (IF/OF) | Rubby De La Rosa, Great Lakes/Chattanooga (RHP)
2011 | Scott Van Slyke, Chattanooga (IF/OF) | Shawn Tolleson, Great Lakes/Rancho/Chattanooga (RHP)
2012 | Joc Pederson, Rancho Cucamonga (OF) | John Ely, Albuquerque (RHP)
2013 | Scott Schebler, Rancho Cucamonga (OF) | Zach Lee, Chattanooga (RHP)
2014 | Joc Pederson, Albuquerque (OF), Corey Seager, Rancho Cucamonga/Chattanooga (IF) | Julio Urias, Rancho Cucamonga (LHP)
2015 | Alex Verdugo, Great Lakes/Rancho Cucamonga (OF) | Zach Lee, Oklahoma City (RHP)
2016 | Edwin Rios, Great Lakes/Rancho Cucamonga/Tulsa (IF) | Brock Stewart, Rancho Cucamonga/Tula/Oklahoma City/LA (RHP)
2017 | Keibert Ruiz, Great Lakes/Rancho Cucamonga (C) | Walker Buehler, Rancho Cucamonga/Tulsa/Oklahoma City (RHP)
2018 | Gavin Lux, Rancho Cucamonga/Tulsa (INF) | Tony Gonsolin, Rancho Cucamonga/Tulsa (RHP)