Texas Rangers Announce 2023 Minor League Award Winners

The honorees will be presented with awards in pregame ceremony on Saturday vs. Seattle at Globe Life Field.

The Texas Rangers announced the organization’s 2023 minor league award winners:

2023 Minor League Award Winners

The Texas Rangers awarded five players in the organization:

Tom Grieve Player of the Year – 1B/OF Abimelec Ortiz

Ortiz, 21, batted .294/.371/.619/.990 (115-391) with 33 home runs, 20 doubles, 101 RBI, and 49 walks in 109 games between Down East (A) and Hickory (A+) in 2023, leading all Texas farmhands in home runs and RBI. He finished the campaign ranked among all minor leaguers (min. 300 PA) in slugging pct. (4th), home runs (T4th), RBI (T7th), and OPS (11th), while his 33 home runs were the most by any Rangers minor leaguer since Matt Davidson in 2019 (33). Following a promotion to High-A on May 23, the Puerto Rico native went on to earn South Atlantic League Most Valuable Player honors after slashing .290/.363/.624/.988 (84-290) with a league-high 26 home runs and 81 RBI for Hickory. He was signed by Texas as a non-drafted free agent on July 28, 2021.

Nolan Ryan Pitcher of the Year – RHP Jose Corniell

Corniell, 20, combined to go 8-3, 2.92 ERA (33 ER/101.2 IP) with 119 strikeouts/31 walks across 23 appearances/17 starts with Down East and Hickory in 2023. His career-high 119 strikeouts were the second-most among Texas minor leaguers (140-Robert Dugger), while his 8 wins ranked T3rd in the organization to Grant Wolfram (10) and Cody Bradford (9). The right-hander was named SAL Pitcher of the Month for August after posting a 3-0 record, 1.55 ERA (5 ER/29.0 IP), and 32 strikeouts/5 walks in 5 games/starts. He recorded a career-high 10 strikeouts in the Crawdads’ 3-2 defeat in Game 1 of the SAL Divisional Series on Sept. 12 vs. Greenville (L, 6.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R-1 ER, 1 BB, 10 SO), which was his first-ever postseason outing. The Dominican Republic native was acquired by the Rangers from Seattle, along with a player to be named later (shortstop Andres Mesa), in exchange for right-handed pitcher Rafael Montero on Dec. 15 2020.

Reliever of the Year – LHP Antoine Kelly

Kelly, 23, went 3-1 with 11 saves, a 1.96 ERA (12 ER/55.0 IP), and 76 strikeouts in 47 relief outings between Frisco (AA) and Round Rock (AAA) in 2023. He ranked among Texas minor league pitchers (min. 50.0 IP) in ERA (1st), saves (1st), and strikeouts per 9.0 innings (5th, 12.44). The left-hander spent most of the campaign with Frisco, where his 1.95 ERA (11 ER/50.2 IP) in 43 appearances placed second in the Texas League (min. 50.0 IP). The Chicago native was acquired by the Rangers from Milwaukee in a three-player trade involving right-handed pitcher Matt Bush on Aug. 2, 2022.

Defender of the Year – OF Daniel Mateo

Mateo, 22, made 106 starts in center field (104) and right field (2) with Hickory in 2023, committing errors on just two of 255 total chances for a .992 fielding percentage while recording six outfield assists. He was named the organization’s Minor League Defender of the Month for July after converting each of his 42 chances in the field (41 PO, 1 A) during the month. Mateo was signed by Texas as a non-drafted free agent out of the Dominican Republic on May 14, 2019.

True Ranger Award – INF Blaine Crim

The True Ranger award, which was established in 2019, highlights a player who represents the core values of the organization in a positive light both on and off the field. Crim, 26, spent the entire season with Round Rock, batting .293 (137-468) with 20 home runs and 79 RBI over 127 games in his fourth professional campaign. The Mobile, Ala. native was originally selected by the Rangers in the 19th round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of Mississippi College in Clinton, Miss.

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