Delmon Young named Minor League player of the year
September 12, 2005 - International League (IL1)
Durham Bulls News Release
DURHAM, N.C.-The Durham Bulls today announced Outfielder Delmon Young was named Baseball America's 2005 Minor League Player of the Year, as selected by the magazine's staff. Young, who dominated at Double-A Montgomery before his promotion to Durham on July 15th, batted .285 with 13 doubles, six home runs and 28 runs batted in through 52 games with the Bulls.
"It's a great honor, since a lot of guys who have gotten the award went on to have success in the big leagues," Young said. "I don't think too much about awards, but it's definitely an honor to be recognized by Baseball America."
Young, 19, becomes the third Durham Bull to win the award since it's inception in 1981. Outfielder Rocco Baldelli won the award in 2002 when he helped guide the Bulls to their first International League Championship while Atlanta Braves MVP candidate Andruw Jones won the award as a teenager with the Bulls in 1996.
Young ranks second in the minor leagues in hits since the start of the 2004 season with 341; only Angels farmhand Erick Aybar (351) has more. He was on pace to win the triple crown at Double-A Montgomery this season, hitting .336-20-71 in 330 at-bats before being called up to Triple-A Durham. Young, who was named to this year's Futures Game for the second straight season, ranked No. 3 behind Joe Mauer (Twins) and Felix Hernandez (Mariners) on Baseball America's Top 100 prospect list at the beginning of 2005. He also won Best Hitting Prospect, Best Power and Best Outfield Arm in the Southern League this season in BA's Best Tools survey.
"It is obviously a tremendous honor for Delmon Young," Devil Rays GM Chuck LaMar said. "At his age, to be able to dominate at the Double-A and Triple-A level is a credit to his ability and his work ethic, and the manner in which he has handled all of this is a testament to his upbringing as well.
"He has the chance to become a tremendous major league player. The Devil Rays look forward to him joining what we think may be the best nucleus of young players in all of major league baseball."
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