Just out from the Nationals …
The Washington Nationals today named catcher Derek Norris as their Minor League Player of the Year and righthander Brad Meyers as their Minor League Pitcher of the Year. Nationals Senior Vice President and General Manager Mike Rizzo and Vice President of Player Development Bob Boone made the joint announcement.
Norris, 20, hit .286 with 30 doubles, 23 home runs, 84 RBI and 78 runs scored in 126 games with Hagerstown of the Single-A South Atlantic League. He paced full-season Washington farmhands in home runs, walks (90), on-base percentage (.413), slugging percentage (.513) and OPS (.926).
For his efforts, the right-handed hitting slugger earned both mid-season and post-season SAL All-Star honors. Last week, Norris was named by the South Atlantic League as its Most Outstanding Major League Prospect. He was recently cited in Baseball America’s annual Best Tools survey voted upon by league managers as the Best Batting Prospect and Best Power Prospect in the SAL. He was selected by Washington in the fourth round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft.
Meyers, Washington’s fifth-round selection in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft, went a combined 11-3 with a 1.72 ERA in 24 games (23 starts) with Harrisburg of the Double-A Eastern League and Potomac of the Single-A Carolina League. Meyers’ 1.72 ERA led all full-season minor league pitchers. He allowed two earned runs or less 20 of 23 starts (87%) this season.
The 24-year-old went 5-1 with a 2.25 ERA (12 ER/48.0 IP) and a 3.9/1 strikeout-to-walk ratio (43 K/11 BB) in nine starts with Harrisburg. Prior to his July 7 promotion to Harrisburg, Meyers dominated the Carolina League, going 6-2 with a league-best 1.43 ERA (14 ER/88.1 IP) in 15 games (14 starts) with Potomac. He was selected as a mid-season Carolina League All-Star. The Loyola Marymount (CA) University product twice earned MiLB.com Carolina League Pitcher of the Week honors (May 4-10 and June 29-July 5).
#1 by Bill Wanner - September 8th, 2009 at 16:23
Glad for both of them. Hope Norris recovers in time for the AZL… It was good to watch him this year in Hagerstown.
#2 by Will - September 8th, 2009 at 16:34
It’s great to see actual prospects win this award for a change.
#3 by jon - September 8th, 2009 at 18:00
Brian, where do these guys start out next year? Norris @ Pot, Meyers @ Harrisburg?
#4 by RD - September 9th, 2009 at 00:30
I would hope Meyers gets the bump to Syracuse. He pitched well in AA(albeit for only a partial season) but it also 24 years old.
#5 by Kirkie - September 9th, 2009 at 02:02
And both of them were in the broadcast booth at tonight’s Phillies game:
http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200909086536823&c_id=was
#6 by Jane - September 9th, 2009 at 07:19
Congratulations, Brad Meyers, on receiving this recognition!!!!!!!!
#7 by mcgalinmd - September 9th, 2009 at 13:30
I hope Norris starts at Potomac. We’ll miss his bat, although cold toward the end of the season. I want to see a new catcher in Hagerstown that can actually block the ball. :o)
I’d be more curious now to who will be the coach in Hagerstown next year. I do not think matt Lecroy will come back (seemingly not a good fit) and i’ve been told that Tony Tarasco is definitely done. Hmmm….