ARLINGTON -- Outfielder Nomar Mazara has been selected as the 2015 Tom Grieve Rangers Minor League Player of the Year, the club announced Tuesday.
Mazara, the Rangers' No. 2 prospect, according to MLBPipeline.com, combined to play in 131 games with Double-A Frisco and Triple-A Round Rock last season, hitting .296 with 26 doubles, two triples, 14 home runs and 69 RBIs. Mazara, 20, was a midseason Texas League All-Star.
Ariel Jurado, a 19-year-old right-hander from Panama, has been selected as the Nolan Ryan Minor League Pitcher of the Year. Jurado, the club's No. 17 prospect, made 15 starts and seven relief appearances at Class A Hickory last season and was 12-1 with a 2.45 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP.
Outfielder Lewis Brinson was named the Minor League Defender of the Year. Brinson, ranked No. 4 in the system, besides being an outstanding defender, hit .332 with 31 doubles, eight triples, 20 home runs and 69 RBIs in 100 games with Class A Advanced High Desert, Frisco and Round Rock.
Left-hander Andrew Faulkner, who finished the season with the Rangers, was the Minor League Reliever of the Year. Faulkner, ranked No. 12 on the prospect list, was 7-4 with a 3.86 ERA in 15 starts and 19 relief appearances for Frisco and Round Rock. He had a 1.82 ERA as a reliever and did not allow a run in his last 19 2/3 innings in the Minor Leagues. He had a 2.79 ERA in 11 games with the Rangers.
Corey Ragsdale, who led Hickory to the South Atlantic League championship, was named the Bobby Jones Player Development Man of the Year. Ragsdale was promoted this offseason to Minor League field coordinator.
Rafic Saab, who has spent the last two seasons as the Rangers' director of Latin American operations, is the organization's Scout of the Year. Saab has been with the Rangers since 2006, and second baseman Rougned Odor and pitcher Martin Perez were among his signings.
All honorees will receive their awards at the 2016 Dr Pepper Texas Rangers Awards Dinner on Friday, Jan. 22, at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas. Tickets are on sale at texasrangers.com/awards.