Dylan Carlson and Angel Rondon Named 2019 Cardinal Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Year

TEXAS LEAGUE STANDOUTS SWEEP HONORS

           ST. LOUIS, Mo., December 5, 2019– The St. Louis Cardinals announced today their 2019 Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Year selections, honoring outfielderDylan Carlson and right-handed pitcher Angel Rondon (pronounced ahn-hell) for their accomplishments on the field.

“We are very pleased to recognize Dylan Carlson and Angel Rondon for their selections as the organization’s Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Year,” said John Mozeliak, Cardinals President of Baseball Operations.

Carlson combined to slash .292/.372/.542 with 26 home runs, eight triples, 28 doubles, 20 stolen bases, and a .914 OPS in 126 games between Springfield (AA) and Memphis (AAA). One of 10 minor leaguers with at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases and the first Cardinal to do so since Terry Evans (22-26) and Tyler Greene (20-33) in 2006, the switch-hitting Carlson ranked among Cardinals minor league leaders in hits (143, 1st), triples (1st), total bases (265, 1st), home runs (2nd), runs scored (95, 2nd), slugging (2nd), OPS (2nd), doubles (4th), RBI (5th), stolen bases (5th), and walks (58, 5th).

As the Texas League’s 4th-youngest player (2nd-youngest position player) on Opening Day at age 20, Carlson was named a Mid-Season All-Star, where he led all of Double-A baseball in runs scored (53), while ranking T6th in extra-base hits (31), 6th in total bases (132), and 10th in hits (75) at the All-Star Break.

Carlson finished his 2019 campaign in Memphis in mid-August, slashing .361/.418/.681 with five homers and nine RBI in 18 games. After August 15, Carlson ranked among PCL leaders in hits (T3rd, 26), total bases (49, T4th), and extra-base hits (11, T5th), where he hit safely in 13 games, with nine multi-hit efforts.

“Dylan’s season was highlighted by being named Texas League Player of the Year, and his promotion to Memphis,” said Gary LaRocque, Cardinals Director of Player Development.

Additionally recognized as a Post-Season All-Star, Carlson joins Matt Adams (2011) and Oscar Taveras (2012) as Springfield (AA) Texas League Player of the Year winners. Following the season Baseball America selected him as their Double-A Player of the Year, one of three outfielders on the Double-A and Minor League All-Star First Teams, and recognized him as the Texas League’s No. 2 overall prospect and “Best Defensive Outfielder” in their Best Tools Survey.  He also appeared in Major League Baseball’s SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at Progressive Field in Cleveland for the National League team.

The 21-year-old Carlson enters next season ranked by Baseball America as the No. 1 prospect and “Best Hitter for Average” in the Cardinals organization. At No. 1, Carlson is the highest-rated position player in the Cardinals organization since Taveras (No. 1 from 2013-14).

Rondon, who recently turned age 22 on December 1, was 11-7 with a 2.93 ERA (160.0 IP) and 159 strikeouts in 28 starts between Palm Beach (High-A) and Springfield (AA), all career bests that placed him among Cardinals organizational leaders in wins (T2nd), strikeouts (2nd), starts (T1st), innings pitched (2nd).

His 28 starts tied for the most across all of minor league baseball while his innings pitched ranked 6th. The Higuey, Dominican Republic native recorded 13 quality starts, pitching 6.0 innings or more in 15 starts, including season-high 7.0 frames in three outings. He allowed two or fewer runs in 19 starts.

“Angel started 2019 in Palm Beach with a promotion to Springfield in May,” commented LaRocque. “He finished the season leading the Texas League in ERA, earning the selection as the Organization Pitcher of the Year.”

The 6-feet-1, 195-lb. right-hander was named to the Florida State Mid-Season All-Star team after going 5-1 with a 2.20 ERA (45.0 IP) and 47 strikeouts in eight starts. He made his Double-A debut in mid-May, finishing 6-6 with a 3.21 ERA (115.0 IP) and 112 strikeouts in 20 starts, leading the Texas League in ERA and average against (.230) and ranking 2nd in WHIP (1.23), and 10th in strikeouts.

A day after rejoining Springfield on June 29 for a second stint, Rondon struck out a season-high 10 over 7.0 frames, allowing one run on one hit vs. Northwest Arkansas (AA-Royals) on his way to being named Texas League Pitcher of the Week for the June 24-30 period.

Carlson was the Cardinals Supplemental first round draft pick (33rd overall) in the June, 2016 First Year Player draft out of Elk Grove (Calif.) High School, while Rondon was signed by the Cardinals as an International free agent on January 6, 2016.

Both players will be presented with their awards at the 62nd annual St. Louis Baseball Writers Association of America Awards Dinner on Sunday, January 19, 2020.

  1. LOUIS CARDINALS MINOR LEAGUE AWARD WINNERS

PLAYER OF THE YEAR                              PITCHER OF THE YEAR

YEAR      NAME                            TEAM(S)                                  NAME                                      TEAM(S)                                                       

1995      Mike Gulan, 3B             Louisville/Arkansas                Mike Busby, RHP                 Louisville/Arkansas

1996      Dmitri Young, INF         Louisville                                 Britt Reames, RHP                  Peoria

1997      Brent Butler, INF           Peoria                                      Cliff Politte, RHP                     Prince Wm./Arkansas

1998      Pablo Ozuna, INF          Peoria                                      Rick Ankiel, LHP                      Peoria/Prince Wm.

1999      Adam Kennedy, INF      Memphis                                Rick Ankiel, LHP                 Arkansas/Memphis

2000      Albert Pujols, 3B           Peoria/Potomac                     Bud Smith, LHP                 Arkansas/Memphis

2001      Covelli Crisp, OF            Potomac                                 Jimmy Journell, RHP                 Potomac/New Haven

2002      John Gall, 1B                 New Haven                             Tyler Johnson, LHP                 Peoria

2003      John Gall, 1B                 Tennessee/Memphis             Dan Haren, RHP                 Tennessee/Memphis

2004      Reid Gorecki, OF           Palm Beach/Tenn.                  Anthony Reyes, RHP              Palm Beach/Tenn.

2005      Travis Hanson, 3B         Springfield                              Mark Worrell, RHP                 Palm Beach

2006      Colby Rasmus, OF         Quad Cities/PB                       Blake Hawksworth, RHP        Palm Beach/Springfield

2007      Colby Rasmus, OF         Springfield                              P.J. Walters, RHP                    QC/Palm Beach/ Springfield

2008      Daryl Jones, OF             Palm Beach/Springfield         Jess Todd, RHP                 PB/Spfd./Mem.

2009      Allen Craig, OF              Memphis                                Lance Lynn, RHP                 PB/Spfd./Mem.

2010      Matt Carpenter, 3B      Palm Beach/Springfield         Shelby Miller, RHP                 Quad Cities

2011      Matt Adams, 1B            Springfield                              Shelby Miller, RHP                 Palm Beach/Springfield

2012      Oscar Tavares, OF         Springfield                              Seth Maness, RHP                  Palm Beach/Springfield

2013      Kolten Wong, 2B           Memphis                                Zach Petrick, RHP                   Peoria/PB/ Springfield

2014      Magneuris Sierra, OF    GCL Cardinals                         Marco Gonzales, LHP             PB/ Springfield/Memphis

2015      Stephen Piscotty, OF    Memphis                                Austin Gomber, LHP*            Peoria

Alex Reyes, RHP*                   Palm Beach/GCL/ Springfield

2016      Carson Kelly, C              Springfield/Memphis            Luke Weaver, RHP                 Springfield/Memphis

2017      Harrison Bader, OF       Memphis                                Jack Flaherty, RHP                 Springfield/Memphis

2018      Tyler O’Neill, OF            Memphis                                Dakota Hudson, RHP             Memphis

2019      Dylan Carlson, OF         Springfield/Memphis            Angel Rondon, RHP                Palm Beach/Springfield

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