Space Cowboys, MVP Whitcomb wrangle Triple-A National Championship

LAS VEGAS -- Shay Whitcomb was not the first to celebrate his birthday in Las Vegas. But he was the first to do so while winning Triple-A National Championship MVP honors.

“It's the best birthday I've ever had, winning a championship," he said. "I mean, come on."

The Astros’ No. 14 prospect rang in his 26th birthday by tallying three hits and three RBIs to help Triple-A Sugar Land top Omaha, 13-6, in the final game of the 2024 MiLB season on Saturday at Las Vegas Ballpark.

The big game came just two days after Whitcomb was optioned to Triple-A following his first stint in the Majors. He responded by hitting to all fields. Whitcomb singled to center field and swiped a base in the first inning, laced a 109.6 mph three-run double to left in the third and knocked a single to right in the fifth.

"It was just nice to be back in the box. That's where my comfort zone is, so being able to be out there and just relax was really special," the UC San Diego product said. "I take everything in stride. Everything that happens to me in my career is a learning experience. I think that's something that I take a lot of pride in as a player, just being able to adapt and grow and learn from everything. So I'm totally good, and there's just always a lot of joy coming from me."

Prior to his callup to Houston on Aug. 16, the 2020 fifth-round Draft pick tallied 25 homers, 91 RBIs and 26 stolen bases in 108 games during the regular season with the Space Cowboys. Whitcomb was one of three Minor Leaguers to join the 25/25 club in 2024.

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Sugar Land left fielder Cooper Hummel took advantage of the desert air and delivered the furthest traveling homer in the title game, 439 feet to right-center. The switch-hitter also laced an RBI double to pad the Space Cowboys’ lead in the 5th. His teammates lauded Hummel's clutch night by hoisting him in the air during the on-field celebration. Astros No. 3 prospect Brice Matthews added his first Triple-A homer in the fourth, a line-drive wallop to straightaway center.

The night started out as a powerful contest by both sides with Royals shortstop Cam Devanney going yard and catcher Brian O’Keefe slugging a pair as part of a five-RBI game for Omaha. The hits kept coming, and the score was 13-6 after five innings.

At that point, players in the Space Cowboys dugout started to feel like they had the game in hand.

And with the two best bullpens in Triple-A, runs reached a premium. Logan VanWey, Forrest Whitley, Luis Contreras and Wander Suero combined for 4 1/3 scoreless innings, holding the Storm Chasers to two hits and four walks in the second half of the game. Suero fittingly threw the last pitch of the season after leading the Minor Leagues with 37 saves and 67 appearances.

Sugar Land claimed the Pacific Coast League's first-half title with a 49-26 record, and set a team goal to claim 90 wins. They did just that, leading the Minors with a 93-56 (.624) record overall. This coming a year after the Space Cowboys finished in last place in the league. Throughout all the transactions and player movement this season, team traditions remained. After every game, the club picked a best pitcher, best hitter and a gold glove winner.

"It keeps us in the moment, it keeps us present, it keeps us acknowledging one another," Sugar Land manager Mickey Storey said. "All year, all we did was acknowledge each other's achievements. I won a certain amount of games, they acknowledged it. Suero set the save record, they acknowledged it. Guys get called up to the big leagues. I mean, it was a collective group.

"I've never been around a group of guys so selfless and so willing to point to one another and congratulate them. And this is exactly what we deserve."

Sugar Land joined affiliated baseball in 2021 after starting in independent ball in 2012. The club won Atlantic League titles in 2016 and 2018 as well as a Constellation Energy League crown in 2020. Since the Triple-A National Championship became a single-game showdown in 2006, the Pacific Coast League has gone 10-7 overall.

Before the clubhouse celebration began, Storey told his players to look around and appreciate all the goals they've accomplished this year together.

"We got nothing left to prove. This was our last dance," he said. "It's not likely we'll get to be with each other in this room again. What do I keep telling us all year? Finish the job?

"We finished the job."