Indianapolis Indians Announce 2025 Team Award Recipients
IL Indianapolis Indians

Indianapolis Indians Announce 2025 Team Award Recipients

Published on September 13, 2025 under International League (IL)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


INDIANAPOLIS - The Indianapolis Indians today announced that utilityman Nick Solak has been named the team's 2025 Most Valuable Player after ranking among IL leaders in batting average (3rd, .325), on-base percentage (5th, .407), hits (5th, 127) and OPS (9th, .901) through Friday, Sept. 12. Right-handed pitchers Bubba Chandler and Eddy Yean, outfielder Matt Fraizer and infielder Tsung-Che Cheng were also recognized as award winners.

MVP - Nick Solak

Solak, 30, was a core member of the Indians roster as he led the team in batting average, games played (105), runs (68), hits, total bases (193), doubles (22), home runs (14), RBI (70) and walks (46). His .901 OPS is the best of his career when logging at least 120 at-bats.

The utilityman's season began with being named the Indians April Player of the Month with a .394 batting average (28-for-71) and 1.070 OPS, both of which were the highest marks by an Indians hitter through April since Gregory Polanco hit .400 with a 1.089 OPS through April 2014. The performance led to his contract being selected by Pittsburgh on May 16, but he appeared in just four games before being outrighted back to Indianapolis on June 3.

After returning from Pittsburgh, Solak began an International League-leading 39-game on-base streak from June 10-Aug. 6. The latter of two team-high tying 14-game hitting streaks also came during that stretch, and in total he reached base safely in 94 of his 105 games played.

Solak owns both Indianapolis pinch-hit homers this season, joining Will Robertson as the only minor leaguers with two pinch hit homers on the campaign. Solak is the first Indians player with two-plus pinch-hit longballs in a single season since Brendt Citta hit a pair in 2022.

Pitcher of the Year - Bubba Chandler

Chandler, 22, began the season with Indianapolis and made 24 starts for the club, posting a 5-6 record, 4.05 ERA (45er/100.0ip) and league-leading 121 strikeouts at the time his contract was selected by Pittsburgh on Aug. 22. Among all minor league starting pitchers at the time of his promotion, Chandler's 50 pitches at 100.0 mph or faster trailed only Nashville's Jacob Misiorowski (68).

The Pirates former No. 1 prospect was named the 2025 International League April Pitcher of the Month after he led all minor league pitchers with at least 20.0 innings in fewest hits allowed (seven) and batting average against (.106, 7-for-66), becoming the first Indians pitcher to win a league monthly award since Zach Duke in May 2005. He built on his impressive April with a season-high nine strikeouts across 5.0 innings on May 1 at Omaha.

Across his two seasons with Indy, Chandler compiled a 9-6 record, 3.42 ERA (53er/139.1ip) and 175 strikeouts in 31 starts. Among Indians pitchers since at least 2005 with 30-plus starts, Chandler currently ranks eighth in ERA.

Chandler made his major league debut on Aug. 22 vs. Colorado, tossing 4.0 scoreless innings out of the bullpen to finish a Pirates win and earn the save. He then earned the win in his next outing, tossing another 4.0 scoreless on Aug. 27 at St. Louis. Since saves became an official stat in 1969, Chandler is one of just five MLB pitchers to earn both a save and win in his first two appearances.

Fireman Award - Eddy Yean

Yean, 24, was one of the most reliable arms out of the Indianapolis bullpen while ranking among International League pitchers in games (T-4th, 47) and saves (T-8th, 7). In total, he went 7-5 with a 3.20 ERA (23er/64.2ip) with 51 strikeouts in 47 appearances (three starts).

The right-hander's season was highlighted by a team-best 10 consecutive scoreless appearances from June 27-July 27 in which he logged a 0.94 WHIP and held opposing batters to a .118 batting average (4-for-34) across 11.2 innings.

Yean's best outing came on Sept. 9 vs. Iowa as he struck out seven batters across a season-high tying 3.0 innings, marking his most punchouts since a career-high nine on June 25, 2021 (2) with Single-A Bradenton vs. Jupiter. Prior to that outing, he had not struck out more than two batters in an outing since Aug. 7, 2024, with Double-A Altoona at Portland.

Heart and Hustle Award - Tsung-Che Cheng

Cheng, 24, appeared in 101 games for the Indians between shortstop, third base and second base as a utility infielder. He was the primary shortstop for Indianapolis, posting a team-leading 61 starts at the position with a .972 fielding percentage (six errors in 213 total chances) in 537.1 innings.

Cheng's season was highlighted by his MLB debut on April 9 - in which he became the 18th Taiwanese player in MLB history - and two performances in which he tied a career high with four RBI (July 4 vs. Louisville, Aug. 19 at Syracuse). He hit his first Triple-A home run on July 8 vs. Gwinnett.

Teammate of the Year - Matt Fraizer

Fraizer, 27, was a steady contributor for the club, hitting .305 (60-for-197) with 18 doubles, one triple, three homers and 14 stolen bases. His batting average was his best since hitting .306 in 2021 across 112 games with High-A Greensboro and Double-A Altoona.

He was recognized not only for his positive presence in the clubhouse, but also for his generosity and commitment to the Circle City community. Across the season, Fraizer attended community events at Little Red Door Cancer Agency, Riley Children's Hospital, Victory Field and local Indianapolis schools.

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