116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Locals in the Minors (Final stats)
N/A
Sep. 24, 2014 10:15 pm
The minor league baseball regular season is over for the 11 players representing the Metro, area and University of Iowa.
My 2014 Player of the Year is an easy pick. It's outfielder Scott Schebler.
The former Cedar Rapids Prairie prep had another awesome offensive season, hitting .280 in 135 games for Double-A Chattanooga, though that doesn't tell much of the story.
The Los Angeles Dodgers prospect hit 28 home runs to lead the Southern League and had 73 RBIs. He also added 23 doubles, 14 triples and 10 stolen bases.
His OPS (on base plus slugging) was a stellar .921. He had a three-homer game this season and another game in which he hit for the cycle.
The 23-year-old lefty swinger (a 26-round draft pick in 2010 out of Des Moines Area Community College) burst onto the scene last season with a monster season at high-Class A Rancho Cucamonga. His 2014 follow up has placed him among the Dodgers' top-10 minor league prospects, according to everyone.
He has been invited to play in the prestigious Arizona Fall League later this month.
The 2014 Pitcher of the Year is a lot tougher to pick.
Former Cascade prep Colin Rea had a consistent season as a member of the starting rotation for the Lake Elsinore Storm (Padres), winning 11 games. Cedar Rapids Xavier graduate Mitch Keller was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the second round in June an compiled a 1.98 earned run average in nine games.
But the POY pick here is Jon Keller, Mitch's older brother. Before going down in August with a muscle injury in his side, Jon Keller was 3-0 with five saves and a 2.07 ERA at two Class A stops in the Baltimore Orioles system (Delmarva and Frederick).
Keller allowed just 47 hits in 61 innings, striking out 71. He was a 22nd-round draft pick in 2013 out of the University of Tampa.
This is a final look at everyone's 2014 numbers. These statistics are final.
- Chad Christensen (Cedar Rapids Washington): Played in 127 games, mostly at first base, for low-Class A Cedar Rapids Kernels (Twins), hitting .272 with 24 doubles, seven triples, nine homers and 73 RBIs. He also stole 30 bases.
- Andrew Hanse (Linn-Mar): Pitching for Bowling Green of low-A Midwest League (Rays), he went 1-3 with a 4.96 ERA. In 32 games, he allowed 80 hits in 65.1 innings, striking out 45.
- Jon Keller (Cedar Rapids Xavier): Shelved late by injury, he finished 3-0 with five saves and a 2.07 ERA at low-A Delmarva and high-A Frederick (Orioles). Struck out 71 in 61 innings, allowing just 47 hits.
- Mitch Keller (Cedar Rapids Xavier): Second-round pick of Pirates in June, had 1.98 ERA in his first seven pro appearances (six starts). Allowed just 19 hits in 27.1 innings and struck out 29 for Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Pirates.
- Sasha Kuebel (Iowa): Split time between Rookie teams Johnson City and GCL Cardinals. Had 2-1 record, two saves and 3.34 ERA in 17 games.
- Derrick Loveless (Solon): Played in 119 games as outfielder for Lansing in Midwest League (Blue Jays). Hit .264 with 18 doubles, nine triples, six homers and 55 RBIs, stealing 17 bases.
- Colin Rea (Cascade): Made 28 starts as pitcher for high-A Lake Elsinore (Padres), compiling 139 innings. Struck out 118 and had 3.88 ERA, more than acceptable in hitter-friendly California League.
- Scott Schebler (Cedar Rapids Prairie): Headed to the prestigious Arizona Fall League after a superb season at Double-A Chattanooga (Dodgers). His .280, with Southern League-leading 28 home runs, 23 doubles, 14 triples and 73 RBIs. Also had double digits in stolen bases (10).
- Justin Toole (Iowa): Former Hawkeye infielder played 78 games, 77 of them for Double-A Akron (Indians). His .275 with 13 doubles, a triple and 25 RBIs.
- Jake Yacinich (Iowa): 2014 draft pick played in only six games at Rookie-level Orem (Angels) before going on the Reserve List. Went 3-for-17 at the plate with two RBIs.
- Taylor Zeutenhorst (Iowa): Outfielder finished with .191 average for Rookie-level Pulaski (Mariners). Played in 46 games, with seven doubles, a home run and 11 RBIs.