Owens was named the pitcher of the year for the second year in a row.
The Pittsburgh Pirates have named Alex Presley their 2010 Minor League Player of the Year, and Rudy Owens their 2010 Minor League Pitcher of the Year. Both players will be honored before the home game tomorrow against the Houston Astros.
Presley had a breakout season, going from high-A at the end of last year, all the way to the majors at the end of the 2010 season. Presley started with a .350/.399/.533 line in 246 at-bats with Altoona, before getting promoted to Indianapolis. The hitting didn’t stop at the next level, as Presley put up a .294/.349/.460 line in 272 at-bats with Indianapolis. This all comes after Presley combined for a .257/.313/.379 line in 704 at-bats in high-A between the 2008 and 2009 seasons. Presley received a September call-up, and to date is 3-for-13 in the majors.
Owens was the Minor League Pitcher of the Year last year, when he combined for a 2.10 ERA in 124 innings between West Virginia and Lynchburg, with an 8.2 K/9 and a 1.2 BB/9. Owens was just as good in Altoona this year, with a 2.46 ERA in 150 innings, along with a 7.9 K/9 and a 1.4 BB/9. Owens, who turns 23 years old this off-season, is expected to start the 2011 season in Indianapolis, and could be in the majors as soon as June 2011.
