Sykora Wins Carolina League Pitcher of the Year

FREDERICKSBURG, VA - FredNat starting pitcher Travis Sykora has been named the Carolina League's Pitcher of the Year in 2024, Minor League Baseball announced today. Sykora and the FredNats aim to finish off the campaign with the first league championship in Fredericksburg franchise history tonight.

Sykora, Washington's third round draft pick in 2023 out of Round Rock HS (TX), dominated full-season baseball in his first professional season. The 20-year-old finished fourth in the league in ERA (2.33) among pitchers with at least 80 innings, and led the league in strikeouts with 129 in the regular season. He also led the league in FIP (1.87), expected FIP (2.14), strikeouts per nine (13.66), strikeout-to-walk percentage (31.0%), home runs per nine (0.21), opponent average against (.167) and WHIP (0.91).

In 90 innings so far this year including the playoffs, Sykora has allowed 51 total hits and has only walked 28. Sykora allowed eight earned runs in his first month of professional baseball in May, and then allowed just 14 earned runs the final three months of the regular season.

In addition to this season-long award, Sykora won three other weekly and monthly awards during the season. He was named Carolina League August Pitcher of the Month and was also Pitcher of the Week in back-to-back weeks to open that month.

The FredNats play game two of the Carolina League Championship Series tonight at home in a 5:05 doubleheader game one. If Fredericksburg wins that game, they are the league champions and the second game will not be played.

The Fredericksburg Nationals are the Carolina League affiliate of the Washington Nationals. They play their home games at the state-of-the-art Virginia Credit Union Stadium, located at 42 Jackie Robinson Way next to the Fredericksburg Convention Center in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Stay up to date with the team online at www.frednats.com and follow the Fredericksburg Nationals on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @FXBGNats.