Estevez Named Manager of the Year; Adams & Areinamo Named All-Stars
ZEBULON, N.C. – Minor League Baseball™ (MiLB™) today announced that Carolina Mudcats manager Victor Estevez was named the 2023 Carolina League Manager of the Year and that infielders Jadher Areinamo and Luke Adams were both named 2023 Carolina League All-Stars at second and third base, respectively. Votes were cast by
ZEBULON, N.C. – Minor League Baseball™ (MiLB™) today announced that Carolina Mudcats manager Victor Estevez was named the 2023 Carolina League Manager of the Year and that infielders Jadher Areinamo and Luke Adams were both named 2023 Carolina League All-Stars at second and third base, respectively. Votes were cast by league managers, and final decisions were determined by the Commissioner’s Office.
Estevez is the first manager in Carolina Mudcats franchise history to earn a league Manager of the Year Award. Meanwhile, the All-Star nomination is the second of Areinamo’s career, as he was also named to the Arizona Complex League’s All-Star team in 2022. The All-Star nod is the first for Adams in his professional career.
Estevez, in what was his second year with Carolina, led the 2023 Mudcats to the Carolina League North second-half title with a record of 39-25 while clinching the franchise’s first postseason berth since 2008. Carolina’s quest for the Carolina League title came to end, however, when the team fell two games to one in the best-of-3 North Division series to the Down East Wood Ducks.
The 35-year-old Estevez also led his Mudcats to a second-place finish in the first half at 33-30 and the league’s second-best overall record for the 2023 season at 72-55. The Distrito Nacional, Dominican Republic born Estevez just finished his second straight season with the Mudcats and his 11th overall in the Brewers organization. Estevez was also recently named the new Manager of Leones del Escogido for the 2023-24 Liga de Béisbol Profesional de la República Dominicana (LIDOM) winter season.
Areinamo earned All-Star honors at second base and finished his breakout season as the 2023 Carolina League leader in doubles (26) and multi-hit games (41). The 19-year-old Areinamo also finished 2023 tied for first in the league in batting average (.306), second in hits (121), fourth in total bases (161) and seventh in slugging (.407).
In all, Areinamo slashed .306/.333/.407 with a .740 OPS, 52 runs, 121 hits, 26 doubles, one triple, four home runs, 52 RBI, 17 walks, 52 strikeouts and 16 stolen bases over 103 games with the Mudcats. Areinamo was also named the Mudcats' Willie Duke – Team Most Valuable Player - Award winner this season. The Brewers signed the Maracay, Venezuela born Areinamo in 2021.
Adams earned Carolina League All-Star honors at third base and finished his stellar season ranked second in the league in on-base percentage (.400), fifth in OPS (.801), first in runs (74), second in walks (76), first in hit-by-pitches (21) and tied for 10th in RBI (54).
In all, Adams slashed .233/.400/.401 with a .801 OPS, 74 runs, 79 hits, 18 doubles, three triples, 11 home runs, 54 RBI, 76 walks, 99 strikeouts and 30 stolen bases over 99 games in 2023. The 19-year-old Adams was also named the Carolina League’s Player of the Week for the Week of July 17 through July 23 earlier in the season. The Brewers selected Adams in the 12th round of the 2022 Draft from Hinsdale Central High School in Hinsdale, Ill.
The Carolina Mudcats recently announced the club's 2024 regular-season schedule beginning on Friday, April 5 with the season opener in Salem against the Red Sox. The first home game of the 2024 season schedule is set for Tuesday, April 9 against the Down East Wood Ducks at Five County Stadium.
Full and half season ticket packages, as well as renewals for suite reservations, the DRB Homes Sky Lounge and additional fun group options for the 2024 season are available now by visiting www.carolinamudcats.com, by calling (919) 269-2287, and by visiting the Five County Stadium front office in Zebulon.
The Carolina Mudcats are the officially licensed Class-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. First established in 1991, the Mudcats have provided affordable family fun for over 30 years at Five County Stadium in Zebulon, N.C. Follow the Mudcats online at www.carolinamudcats.com, and on social media at www.facebook.com/carolinamudcats, www.twitter.com/carolinamudcats, www.tiktok.com/@carolinamudcats and www.instagram.com/carolinamudcats.