Lambo, Glasnow receive Minor League honors

PITTSBURGH -- Outfielder Andrew Lambo, who recovered from an injury-wrecked 2012 season to rank fifth among all Minor Leaguers with 32 home runs, and right-hander Tyler Glasnow, who emerged from the shadows to go 9-3 with a 2.18 ERA at Class A West Virginia, on Monday were named the Pirates' Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Year.

Both players were presented with their plaques in an on-field ceremony before Monday night's game against the Padres.

Lambo, a big bat on the Bucs' bench during this month's stretch drive, combined to hit .282 while splitting the season between Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis. He also combined to drive in 99 runs in 120 games, a leap in production and playing time from his 22 RBIs in 35 games last season.

"Andrew has overcome a lot of adversity over the last few years and showed up this year in Spring Training determined to take the next step in his career," Pirates director of Minor League operations Larry Broadway said in announcing the awards. "He did that and much more to earn a promotion from Altoona to Indianapolis then Pittsburgh, where he is doing everything he can to impact that club down the stretch."

"Guys try to be perfect in this game and hang 'em up when they're overcome by the negativity," Lambo, alluding to the challenge of a sport in which 30 percent success defines stardom, said before Monday night's game. "I try to stay positive and always believed. I couldn't imagine this -- but I prepared last offseason to be as consistent as possible."

Glasnow, a 20-year-old right-hander who was the club's fifth-round pick in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft, broke into pro ball last year by going 0-3 in 11 starts at the bottom rungs of the Pirates' system.

"Tyler has worked extremely hard since we drafted him," Broadway said. "He continues to want to get better every day and puts in the effort to do so."