DES MOINES, Iowa - The Pacific Coast League has announced that Iowa Cubs first baseman Bryan LaHair is the 2011 PCL MVP. LaHair was named to the all-PCL team on Monday, was named the Iowa Cubs team MVP on Tuesday, and hit his 38th home run on Tuesday night to set a new franchise record for home runs in a season. LaHair was also selected to the PCL All-Star team at mid-season and participated in the Triple-A Home Run Derby.

LaHair, in his ninth season of professional baseball, leads the league in home runs, RBI (109), extra-base hits (76), total bases (303), and intentional walks (9). He's also second in the league in slugging (.664) and OPS (1.070), fourth in doubles (38), fifth in runs scored (91), and seventh in batting (.331).

His 38 home runs lead all of minor league baseball. Ian Gac of Winston-Salem (Chicago White Sox) and Tim Wheeler of Tulsa (Colorado Rockies) are tied for second with 33. The minor league home run leader receives the Joe Bauman Award and a check for $200 for every home run during the Awards Luncheon at the Baseball Winter Meetings. LaHair's 76 extra-base hits are tied for the most in all of the minors and his 303 total bases rank second.

In addition to surpassing the former franchise home run record of 37 set by Joe Hicks in 1984, LaHair ranks second on the Iowa single-season list in total bases, tied for third in doubles, and fourth in RBI. He joins Mel Hall (1982) as the only Iowa players to have 30 doubles and 30 home runs in the season. After tying for the team lead with 25 home runs last season, LaHair is tied with Robin Jennings (1996-99) for fifth on the Iowa career home run list with 63.

LaHair is the second Iowa Cubs player to be named PCL MVP. Geovany Soto also won the award in 2007. LaHair is the third Iowa player to win a league MVP award. Eddie Zambrano as named MVP of the American Association in 1993.