Orioles infielder Gunnar Henderson wanted to signal simply his first title below the Green Monster at Fenway Park on Tuesday. For one, he’s the one “Gunnar” he is aware of, and he joked that if one other comes alongside, they will signal their final title subsequent to their shared first title.
But in one other method, Henderson is quickly changing into the type of participant identified by only one title. The 21-year-old has rapidly taken to Major League Baseball since his promotion Aug. 31, however his popularity precedes even the gaudy numbers posted for the Orioles. Henderson was named Baseball America’s Minor League Player of the Year on Wednesday, and for good purpose.
Henderson, the youngest place participant to make his Baltimore debut since Manny Machado in 2012 and youngest to debut in MLB this season, has skilled a speedy rise. He entered the season as Baseball America’s No. 57 general prospect however is now listed No. 1 after posting a .297 batting common and .947 OPS with 19 residence runs, 79 walks and 116 strikeouts in 112 video games between Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk this yr.
“It’s just a great honor and can’t thank God enough for blessing me with the ability to be in this situation and to bless me with the awards that come with this stuff,” Henderson mentioned. “It’s an honor to be considered this, but the work keeps going and this is ultimately a stepping stone.”
The groundwork started with Double-A Bowie, the place he hit .312/.452/.573 — good for an OPS of 1.025 — with extra walks than strikeouts. Those numbers earned him a promotion in June to Triple-A Norfolk, the place he hit .288 with an OPS of .894 in 65 video games.
“I felt like the beginning of the year, being able to establish it early and have the confidence going through the full year was the biggest thing,” Henderson mentioned. “Just having the good start and then just rolling off of that.”
Since arriving within the majors on the finish of August, Henderson holds a .269 batting common with 4 homers and an .830 OPS. In his first look at Fenway Park on Monday, Henderson clobbered the toughest hit ball of his profession (111.1 mph) 428 toes to heart area to interrupt out of the primary minor stoop of his profession.
Henderson, a Selma, Alabama, native, was chosen by Baltimore within the second spherical of the 2019 draft. He joins catcher Adley Rutschman and outfielder Kyle Stowers within the majors this yr — Baltimore’s first and third alternatives in that draft — and represents a powerful pillar for the way forward for the Orioles.
“From what I’ve seen up here is that this guy’s got a chance to be extremely special,” supervisor Brandon Hyde mentioned. “The fact of how he can play defense and the way he can handle the bat with power, his running ability, we’re really excited about him and his future.”
Henderson is the second Orioles participant to win the highest honor from Baseball America, becoming a member of catcher Matt Wieters in 2008. Since 1981, the award has been given to 1 minor league participant judged by a Baseball America panel of consultants as having had probably the most excellent season.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com