D-backs name Bauer and Eaton Organizational Pitcher and Player of the Year
PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks named right-handed pitcher Trevor Bauer and outfielder Adam Eaton the organization’s Pitcher and Player of the Year, respectively, according to D-backs’ Director, Player Development Mike Bell.
“Trevor and Adam have each developed tremendous foundations for their promising careers ahead,” said Bell. “It truly is a testament to our outstanding player development staff and how great our Minor League coaching and support staffs are at each level of the organization. They are able to teach our players how to reach their potential on the field, but also teach them how to become better people off the field. We are also grateful to our affiliates for creating an environment for these young players to be successful.”
Bauer, 21, went 12-2 with a 2.42 ERA (35 ER in 130.1 IP) and .223 opponents average (107-for-479) with 61 walks and 157 strikeouts in 22 starts between Double-A Mobile and Triple-A Reno. Among D-backs Minor Leaguers, he ranked first in strikeouts, tied for first in wins and second in ERA. He was named to Baseball America’s 2012 Minor League All-Star roster.
He opened the season with Mobile and in 8 starts, went 7-1 with a 1.68 ERA (9 ER in 48.1 IP) and .192 opponents average (33-for-172) with 26 walks and 60 strikeouts. He limited lefties to a .200 average with 13 walks and 25 strikeouts and righties to a .226 average with 13 walks and 35 strikeouts. Bauer was named the organization’s Pitcher of the Month for April, after going 5-0 with a 1.26 ERA (4 ER in 28.2 IP) and .184 opponents average (18-for-98) with 17 walks and 37 strikeouts.
On May 17, he was transferred to Reno and in 14 starts, went 5-1 with a 2.85 ERA (26 ER in 82.0 IP) and .241 opponents average (74-for-307) with 35 walks and 97 strikeouts. In 10 starts from May 18-August 6, he went undefeated, going 5-0 with a 2.59 ERA (16 ER in 55.2 IP) and .254 opponents average (54-for-213) with 27 walks and 65 strikeouts.
In 3 post-season starts for the Aces, Bauer went 2-0 with a 1.68 ERA (3 ER in 16.1 IP) with 17 walks and 17 strikeouts, leading the club to their first Pacific Coast League title and Gildan Triple-A National Championship.
On June 28, Bauer made his Major League debut, collecting a no-decision after giving up 2 earned runs in 4.0 innings, on 5 hits and 3 walks with 3 strikeouts in a 3-2 victory @ Braves. In 4 starts with the D-backs, he went 1-2 with a 6.06 ERA (11 ER in 16.1 IP) and .230 opponents average (14-for-61) with 13 walks and 17 strikeouts.
The D-backs’ first-round, third-overall pick from the 2011 First-Year Player Draft entered 2012 ranked by Baseball America and MLB.com as the D-backs’ No. 1 prospect. In 2011 as junior at UCLA, he earned the Golden Spikes Award and National Player of the Year honors by Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball.
Eaton, 23, hit .375 (198-for-528) with 47 doubles, 5 triples, 7 home runs, 48 RBI, 44 stolen bases and 130 runs scored in 130 games between Double-A Mobile and Triple-A Reno. Among D-backs farmhands, he ranked first in average, hits, doubles and runs scored. His 198 hits led all of Minor League Baseball and is second highest total since 1997 (Mike Stoner, 203). He became the second player in Pacific Coast League history to earn Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year honors (Robb Quinlan, 2002). He was named to Baseball America’s 2012 Minor League All-Star team.
He began the year in Mobile and in 10 games, batted .300 (12-for-40) with a double, 3 RBI, 6 stolen bases and 11 runs scored.
On April 18, he was transferred to Triple-A Reno where he hit .381 (186-for-488) with 46 doubles, 5 triples, 7 home runs, 45 RBI, 38 stolen bases and 119 runs scored in 119 games for the Aces. In addition to PCL MVP and Rookie of the Year honors, he was selected to both the PCL Mid-Season All-Star Team and All-PCL Team. Eaton’s 186 hits were 24 more than any other player in the PCL and his .381 average was good for the league batting crown, by a margin of 30 points. He reached base safely in 41 straight games from May 14-June 27, the third-longest streak in Triple-A this season. Eaton was named the organization’s Player of the Month for July after batting .393 (42-for-107) with 10 doubles, a triple, 4 home runs, 10 RBI, 9 stolen bases, 23 runs scored and a 1.080 OPS.
He had his contract selected by the D-backs on September 4 and in his Major League debut went 2-for-6 with double and run scored in an 8-6 victory @ Giants. In 22 games with the D-backs, Eaton hit .259 (22-for-85) with 3 doubles, 2 triples, 2 home runs, 5 RBI, 2 stolen bases and 19 runs scored. His season came to an end on September 29 vs. Cubs when he suffered a fractured right hand after being hit by a pitch in the seventh inning. A native of Springfield, Ohio, Eaton was drafted by the D-backs in the 19th round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft from Miami University of Ohio.
At the end of each season, the D-backs Player Development staff chooses the player and pitcher most deserving of the honor based on nominations from coaches at each affiliate along with input from the Minor League coordinators.