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Pacific Coast League 2013 Year In Review: Johnny Hellweg is Top Pitcher, Chris Owings Tagged as MVP

By Tom Froemming

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Jul 10, 2013; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Johnny Hellweg pitches in the 1st inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Pitcher of the Year Johnny Hellweg, Nashville Sounds (MIL)

Hellweg, who the Milwaukee Brewers acquired in the Zack Greinke trade, ranked second in the PCL with a 3.15 ERA while leading the league in batting average against with a .228 mark. The 24-year-old was rated as the Brewer’s sixth-best prospect heading into the season by Baseball America.

Walks are still an issue for Hellweg, who averaged 5.7 BB/9, and he’s been beat around in his 10 ⅔ innings in the majors, giving up 20 runs (13 earned) while issuing 13 free passes. Taller pitchers tend to take more time to find their control, and at 6-foot-9 Hellweg definitely qualifies for that designation.

Most Valuable Player Chris Owings, Reno Aces (ARI)

Owings, 21, led the PCL in hits (180), runs (104), total bases (263) and fell just one point shy of the batting title, hitting .330. He hit 12 home runs while stealing 22 bases, and after reaching the 130 strikeout-plateau the past two seasons, he kept his Ks just shy of triple digits at 99.

Owings also showed he could handle shortstop, making his power potential especially alluring (he also hit 31 doubles and eight triples). The Arizona Diamondbacks gave him a callup, but he’s not likely to see much playing time behind Didi Gregorious

Rookie of the Year Chris Owings, Reno Aces (ARI)

Manager of the Year Keith Johnson, Salt Lake Bees (LAA)

PCL All-Stars

Best Record

  • 82-62 (.569) Oklahoma City RedHawks
  • 81-63 (.563) Las Vegas 51s (NYM)
  • 79-65 (.549) Sacramento River Cats (OAK)

Home Runs

Batting Average

  • .331 Dean Anna, Tucson Padres (SD)
  • .330 Chris Owings, Reno Aces (ARI)
  • .329 Kensuke Tanaka, Fresno Grizzlies (SF)
  • .326 Grant Green, Salt Lake Bees (LAA)
  • .325 Efren Navarro, Salt Lake Bees (LAA)

On-Base Plus Slugging Percentage

  • .910 Eric Campbell, Las Vegas 51s (NYM
  • .895 Brock Peterson, Memphis Redbirds (STL)
  • .894 Abraham Almonte, Tacoma Rainiers (SEA)
  • .892 Dean Anna, Tucson Padres (SD)
  • .888 Nick Buss, Albuquerque Isotopes (LAD)

Earned Run Average

  • 2.80 Brian Flynn, New Orleans Zephyrs (MIA)
  • 3.15 Johnny Hellweg, Nashville Sounds (MIL)
  • 3.35 Chris Rusin, Iowa Cubs (CHC)
  • 3.42 Sonny Gray, Sacramento River Cats (OAK)
  • 3.48 Angel Castro, Albuquerque Isotopes (LAD)

Strikeouts

Walks and Hits Per Innings Pitched

  • 1.16 Chris Rusin, Iowa Cubs (CHC)
  • 1.18 Nick Additon, Memphis Redbirds (STL)
  • 1.19 Asher Wojciechowski, Oklahoma City RedHawks (HOU)
  • 1.21 Brian Flynn, New Orleans Zephyrs (MIA)
  • 1.29 Bruce Billings, Sacramento River Cats (OAK)
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