Dragons Tyler Mahle Named Reds MiLB Player of the Year

Dayton, Ohio-Dayton Dragons 2015 starting pitcher Tyler Mahle has been selected as the winner of the Sheldon "Chief" Bender Award as the Cincinnati Reds Minor League Player of the Year, the top honor given to a Reds prospect. Mahle (pronounced to rhyme with Rally) was among four Reds Minor League player award winners announced Friday at RedsFest. All four award winners were former Dragons.

With the Dragons in 2015, Mahle posted a record of 13-8 with a 2.43 earned run average. He became the first starting pitcher in Dragons history to be selected to the Midwest League full-season all-star team (one player per position). Mahle also pitched in the MWL All-Star Game in June. 

Mahle led the entire Reds farm system in both victories and earned run average while finishing second in strikeouts. Mahle's 2.43 ERA was the second best in a season in Dragons history, and his 13 victories were tied for fourth highest for a single-season on the Dragons all-time list.

Mahle becomes the fourth Dragons player to win the Chief Bender Award over the 16-year history of the honor (players who won the award based on their season with the Dragons). He joins Austin Kearns (2000), Billy Hamilton (2011), and Seth Mejias-Brean (2013). Kearns won the first Chief Bender Award in 2000. Later winners have included Adam Dunn, Homer Bailey, Jay Bruce, Devin Mesoraco, and Chris Heisey, among others. Hamilton is the only player to win the award multiple times (2011-'12). 

Infielder Avain Rachal, who spent the entire 2015 season and most of 2014 with the Dragons, was given the Reds Minor League Community Service Award for his frequent participation as a volunteer in community events. Rachal visited local hospitals and elementary school classrooms and also participated in the Great American Clean-up, Dragons Youth Baseball Camp, Dragons Boy Scout Clinic, and Frisch's Kids Club events as well as numerous other activities.   

Rachal becomes the fifth consecutive Dragons player to win the Reds Minor League Community Service Award. Previous winners were Drew Hayes (2011); El'Hajj Muhammad (2012); Brent Peterson (2013); and Jon Matthews (2014).

Outfielder Jesse Winker was named Reds Minor League Hitter of the Year. Winker, an all-star with the Dragons in 2013, spent the entire 2015 season with Double-A Pensacola. His batting average of .282 led all Reds full-season Minor League players, and his 13 home runs were only one short of the organizational lead. 

Left-handed pitcher Amir Garrett was named Reds Minor League Pitcher of the Year. Garrett spent all of 2014 and much of 2013 with the Dragons before moving up to Advanced-A Daytona in 2015, where he earned the Florida State League Co-Pitcher of the Year Award. Garrett posted a record of 9-7 and his 2.44 ERA was only one point off Mahle's organization-leading mark.

The Reds Minor League Player of the Year award is named after Sheldon "Chief" Bender, who worked in professional baseball for 64 years, 39 of those with the Reds. Bender oversaw the Reds farm system from 1967-'88, producing stars such as Ken Griffey Sr., Dave Concepcion, Ron Oester, Mario Soto, Eric Davis, Barry Larkin, Chris Sabo, Paul O'Neill, and countless others. Bender passed away in 2008 at the age of 88. 

Sheldon "Chief" Bender Award winners:

2000 Austin Kearns

2001 Adam Dunn

2002 Brandon Larson

2003 Stephen Smitherman

2004 Richie Gardner

2005 Chris Denorfia

2006 Homer Bailey

2007 Jay Bruce

2008 Chris Valaika

2009 Chris Heisey

2010 Devin Mesoraco

2011 Billy Hamilton

2012 Billy Hamilton

2013 Seth Mejias-Brean

2014 Ben Lively

2015 Tyler Mahle

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