Gamel Wins Spink Award as Topps/Minor League Player of the Year

Published on October 29, 2008 under Southern League (SL1)
Huntsville Stars News Release


ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.-Mat Gamel of the Milwaukee Brewers' organization, who finished among the top five in nine offensive categories in the Southern League, is the 2008 winner of the J.G. Taylor Spink Award as the Topps/Minor League Player of the Year. The best performances in all classifications of Minor League Baseball again this year are being honored by the Topps Company of New York, NY, in conjunction with Minor League Baseball.

Gamel, 23, led the Double-A Southern League (SL) with 96 RBIs, 61 extra base hits and 273 total bases while playing for the Huntsville Stars. His .329 batting average, 96 runs and 167 hits were second best in the circuit. The left-handed hitting third baseman was fourth in the league with 35 doubles and a .933 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage). Gamel's .537 slugging percentage was fifth best in the SL.

The Neptune Beach, Fla., resident had hitting streaks of 16, 14 and 13 games during the season's first three months. Gamel hit .379 in April; .387 in May, when he was named the SL's Topps Player of the Month; and .381 in June. Gamel also reached base in a league-best 53 consecutive games.

Milwaukee's fourth round pick in 2005 out of Chiploa (FL) Junior College also excelled in the field. Gamel paced all SL third baseman in games (126), chances (364), putouts (89), assists (245) and double plays (27).

The Brewers promoted Gamel to Triple-A Nashville for five games in late August, before calling him up to the Majors in September. Gamel went 1-for-2 with a double in a couple of pinch hit appearances for Milwaukee.

Gamel joins a group of former Spink winners that includes Steven Pearce (2007); Alex Gordon (2006); Josh Beckett (2001); Andruw Jones (1996); Derek Jeter (1994); and Cliff Floyd (1993).

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Southern League Stories from October 29, 2008


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