Orioles announce 2015 award winners for player development and scouting

The Orioles today announced the winners of their player development and scouting awards for 2015, including infielder Trey Mancini as the club's top minor league player and right-handers Oliver Drake and Mychal Givens as the club's top minor league pitchers. The winners will be honored in an on-field ceremony before Friday's game against the New York Yankees, with awards presented by Orioles Director of Minor League Operations Kent Qualls and Director of Scouting Gary Rajsich.

Mancini, the Brooks Robinson Minor League Player of the Year, hit a combined .341/.375/.563 (182-533) with 43 doubles, six triples, 21 home runs, and 89 RBI in 136 games between Double-A Bowie and Class A-Advanced Frederick. He led all Orioles minor leaguers in batting average (.341), home runs (21), and RBI (89), and won the Eastern League batting title with an adjusted .330 (117-355) batting average, while ranking fourth among Eastern League competitors with 45 extra-base hits despite playing in just 84 games with the Baysox. Mancini was named a three-time Organizational Player of the Month (May, June, and August) by the Orioles Player Development Department as well as the Carolina League's Player of the Month in May. He also garnered Eastern League Player of the Week honors (June 15-21), was a USA Today Minor League Player of the Year finalist, and was named to Baseball America's Minor League Second Team. Mancini was originally selected by the Orioles in the eighth round of the 2013 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Notre Dame.

Drake, the co-Jim Palmer Minor League Pitcher of the Year, went 1-2 with a 0.82 ERA (44.0IP, 4ER) and 23-for-23 in save opportunities over 42 games with Triple-A Norfolk, ranking second in saves and tied for fourth in games finished (34) among International League pitchers. Drake led all Orioles minor leaguers in saves and logged a 26-game scoreless streak (26.0IP) from April 27-August 6 with the Tides. He was also named an International League Mid-Season and Post-Season All-Star and rated by Baseball America as the Best Reliever in the International League. He was originally selected by the Orioles in the 43rd round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft out of the United States Naval Academy. Drake made his Major League debut with the Orioles on May 23.

Givens, also the co-Jim Palmer Minor League Pitcher of the Year, went 4-2 with a 1.73 ERA (57.1IP, 11ER) and 15 saves in 35 games with Double-A Bowie this season. He was named to Baseball America's Minor League All-Prospect Mid-Season Team, Minor League First Team, and rated by the publication as the Best Reliever in the Eastern League. Givens was named the Organizational Pitcher of the Month in April after going 2-0 with a 0.71 ERA (12.2IP, ER) and two saves, while striking out 19 over seven games before being selected as an Eastern League Mid-Season All-Star. Givens was originally selected in the second round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft out of H.B. Plant High School (Tampa, FL). He made his Major League debut on June 24.

Outfielder Glynn Davis has been named this year's recipient of the Elrod Hendricks Minor League Community Service Award. Davis, signed by the Orioles as a non-drafted free agent in 2010 out of the Community College of Baltimore County, displayed outstanding dedication to the community while spending his season with the Baysox. Davis made numerous appearances throughout the community including medical centers, youth baseball camps, and hitting and fielding clinics as part of his outreach efforts, while also serving as a guest instructor at youth fitness day at API Fitness in Gambrills, MD. In one instance, Davis met with a patient at Anne Arundel Medical Center and the two were later reunited prior to an Eastern League Championship Series game.

Norfolk manager Ron Johnson has been named the winner of the Cal Ripken Sr. Player Development Award, presented to a minor league staff member that exemplifies the qualities of the late Oriole who is regarded as the architect of "The Oriole Way." Johnson earned the award due to his success in player development, including being named International League Manager of the Year, producing four International League Mid-Season All-Stars, two Post-Season All-Stars, guiding the Tides to their first division title since 2005 after claiming the International South Division crown, and becoming the winningest manager in Tides history following his 285th career victory on August 14 at Louisville. This season, 25 different players appeared on the active roster for both the Tides and the Orioles.

International Scout Ernst Meyer and Area Scout Rich Morales will receive Jim Russo Scout of the Year Awards, named in honor of the man who spent 33 years in various scouting capacities with the Orioles beginning with their move from St. Louis in 1954. Meyer has been an Orioles scout for 21 years, having started with the organization in 1995. He has recommended and signed over 15 players from Curacao for the Orioles, including current Orioles second baseman Jonathan Schoop who was signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2008. Morales has been an Orioles scout for 10 drafts, having started with the organization in 2006. His draft signings as an Area Scout include current Orioles catcher Caleb Joseph who was selected in the seventh round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft out of Lipscomb University. Orioles Director of Scouting Rajsich will present the awards.

The Orioles will also recognize the 2015 Eastern League Champion Bowie Baysox managed by Gary Kendall. Baysox General Manager Brian Shallcross and Assistant General Manager Phil Wrye will present the championship trophy to members of the team. The Baysox won the first Eastern League title in franchise history after defeating the Reading Fightin Phils, 3-2, in the best-of-five game Eastern League Championship Series.

Additionally, Delmarva Athletic Trainer Trek Schuler, Bowie Baysox Head Groundskeeper Matt Parrott, and Frederick Keys Head Groundskeeper Mike Soper will be honored for winning the 2015 South Atlantic League Trainer of the Year Award, Eastern League Diamond Pro Sports Field Manager of the Year Award, and Carolina League Diamond Pro Sports Field Manager of the Year Award, respectively. Schuler completed his 16th season in the Orioles organization, receiving his second league award after also being named the Carolina League Trainer of the Year in 2006. Parrott also won the Eastern League Diamond Pro Sports Field Manger of the Year Award in 2011 and 2014, and just completed his 13th season with the Baysox. Soper will be honored with the award for the first time after completing his second season with the Keys. Orioles Director of Minor League Operations Qualls will present Schuler with his award and Head Groundskeeper Nicole McFadyen will present Parrott and Soper with their awards.

2015 AWARD WINNERS
Brooks Robinson Minor League Player of the Year: Trey Mancini (Bowie/Frederick)
Jim Palmer Minor League Pitchers of the Year: Oliver Drake (Norfolk) and Mychal Givens (Bowie)
Elrod Hendricks Minor League Community Service Award: Glynn Davis (Bowie/Aberdeen)
Cal Ripken, Sr. Player Development Award: Ron Johnson (Norfolk)
Jim Russo Scout of the Year Award: Ernst Meyer and Rich Morales