AFL batting champ Engel named league MVP

In 2013, it was the Cubs' Kris Bryant. In 2014, it was the Yankees' Greg Bird. This year, it's White Sox outfield prospect Adam Engel.

Chicago's No. 17 prospect was named the Arizona Fall League's Joe Black Most Valuable Player ahead of the circuit's Championship Game on Saturday. Engel led the league with a .403 batting average in 19 games for the Glendale Desert Dogs.

The 23-year-old center fielder becomes the second player to win both the AFL batting title and Joe Black Award, joining the Yankees' Dustin Ackley, who did it as a Mariner prospect in 2010. Engel is also the first to hit above .400 since the Angels' C.J. Cron batted .413 in 2013.

Improving as a hitter was Engel's stated purpose coming into the autumn campaign.

"It's something they've always been trying to get me to do, and something I want to do obviously," the native of Loveland, Ohio, said in October. "But hitting's not exactly the easiest thing to do. Obviously, the more balls I put in play, especially on the ground, the better I'll be. That strategy works better for me than it would, say, a power-hitting first baseman. Anything I can do to utilize my speed tool is going to make me a better player."

He also led the loop in on-base percentage (.523) and slugging percentage (.642), and he was second with 10 steals and third with 19 runs scored.

The 2013 19th-round pick out of the University of Louisville spent the regular season with Class A Advanced Winston-Salem, hitting .251/.335/.369 while leading the Carolina League with 65 stolen bases and 90 runs scored.

Yadiel Rivera, who started at shortstop and batted first for Surprise against Scottsdale in the Championship Game, was honored with the AFL's Dernell Stenson Sportsmanship Award as the player who best exemplifies unselfishness, hard work and leadership. The award is named for an AFL player and Red Sox prospect killed in Arizona in 2003 while playing in the AFL.

Brewers' No. 18 prospect joins the company of the Mariners' Patrick Kivlehan (2014 honoree) and the Red Sox's Garin Cecchini (2013). He batted .315 and stole seven bases over 21 AFL games.