Former Kernel Buxton named minor league player of year

Minor League Baseball and the Topps Company announced Tuesday that former Cedar Rapids Kernels outfielder Byron Buxton has been named the 54th-annual J.G. Taylor Spink Award winner as minor league player of the year.

Buxton, 19, finished among the top 12 minor league player in six offensive categories, including a minor league-leading 18 triples. His 109 runs were second.

Buxton is the fourth teenager to win the prestigious award, following former Kernel Mike Trout (2010), Delmon Young (2005) and Andruw Jones (1996).

“I am proud and honored to receive this award from the Topps Company,” Buxton said.  “I hope I can follow in the footsteps of the talented list of past winners and reach my ultimate goal of playing for the Minnesota Twins.”

Buxton began the season with Cedar Rapids and was promoted to high-Class A Fort Myers in June. Combined, he hit a combined .334 with 12 home runs and 77 RBI.  With the Kernels he hit .341 with 55 RBIs, 68 runs and 32 stolen bases in 68 games.

Other recent Spink winners include Wil Myers (2012) and Matt Moore (2011) of the Tampa Bay Rays and Buster Posey (2009) of the San Francisco Giants.