The New York Yankees today announced that right-handed pitcher Johnny Barbato is the recipient of the 2016 James P. Dawson Award, given annually to the outstanding Yankees rookie in spring training. Barbato will receive the award in a pre-game ceremony today, prior to the Yankees' 1:05 p.m. game vs. the St. Louis Cardinals at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
 
Barbato went 0-1 with two saves and a 1.74 ERA (10.1IP, 7H, 2ER, 1BB, 12K) in 10 relief appearances in Grapefruit League action. Over five minor league seasons, the 23-year-old has an 18-15 record with 36 saves, a 3.55 ERA (317.0IP, 125ER) and 326 strikeouts in 179 career appearances (20 starts). The Miami, Fla., native was acquired from the San Diego Padres in exchange for right-handed pitcher Shawn Kelley on December 29, 2014. Barbato was originally a sixth-round selection by the Padres in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft.
 
The award was established in honor of James P. Dawson (1896-1953), who began a 45-year career with The New York Times as a copy boy in 1908. Eight years later, he became boxing editor and covered boxing and baseball until his death during spring training in 1953.
 
Two winners of the honor, Tony Kubek in 1957 and Tom Tresh in 1962, went on to win the American League "Rookie of the Year" Award. The Dawson Award first was presented to rookie Norm Siebern by Manager Casey Stengel in St. Petersburg, Fla., at the conclusion of spring training in 1956. New York Yankees beat writers vote on the winner.
 
In conjunction with the award, Barbato will receive a watch from Betteridge Jewelers.
 
 
James P. Dawson Award winners:
 
·  1956…Norm Siebern OF
·  1957…Tony Kubek SS
·  1958…John Blanchard C
·  1959…Gordon Windhorn OF
·  1960… John James P
·  1961…Rollie Sheldon P
·  1962…Tom Tresh SS
·  1963…Pedro Gonzalez 2B
·  1964…Pete Mikkelsen P
·  1965…Arturo Lopez OF
·  1966…Roy White OF
·  1967…Bill Robinson OF
·  1968…Mike Ferraro 3B
·   1969…Jerry Kenney OF / Bill Burbach P
·  1970…John Ellis 1B/C
·  1971…None Selected
·  1972…Rusty Torres OF
·  1973…Otto Velez OF
·  1974…Tom Buskey P
·  1975…Tippy Martinez P
·  1976…Willie Randolph 2B
·  1977…George Zeber INF
·  1978…Jim Beattie P
·  1979…Paul Mirabella P
·  1980…Mike Griffin P
·  1981…Gene Nelson P
·  1982…Andre Robertson SS
·  1983…Don Mattingly 1B
·  1984…Jose Rijo P
·  1985…Scott Bradley C
·  1986…Bob Tewksbury P
·  1987…Keith Hughes OF
·  1988…Al Leiter P
·  1989…None Selected
·  1990…Alan Mills P
·  1991…Hensley Meulens OF
·  1992…Gerald Williams OF
·  1993…Mike Humphreys OF
·  1994…Sterling Hitchcock P
·  1995…None Selected
·  1996…Mark Hutton P
·  1997…Jorge Posada C
·  1998…Homer Bush INF
·  1999…None Selected
·  2000…None Selected
·  2001…Alfonso Soriano 2B
·  2002…Nick Johnson 1B
·  2003…Hideki Matsui OF
·  2004…Bubba Crosby OF
·  2005…Andy Phillips INF
·  2006…Eric Duncan INF
·  2007…Kei Igawa P
·  2008…Shelley Duncan INF/OF
·  2009…Brett Gardner OF
·  2010…Jon Weber OF
·  2011…Manny Banuelos P
·  2012…David Phelps P
·  2013…Vidal Nuno P
·  2014…Masahiro Tanaka P
·  2015…Slade Heathcott OF
·  2016…Johnny Barbato P