RubberDucks Tanner Bibee named Pitcher of the Year; George Valera and Joey Cantillo also earn All-Star honors
(AKRON, OHIO) November 8, 2022 – Minor League Baseball announced Akron RubberDucks pitcher Tanner Bibee as the 2022 Eastern League Pitcher of the Year and the right-handed starter on the 2022 Eastern League All-Star team. Outfielder George Valera and left-handed starter Joey Cantillo were also named to the Eastern League
(AKRON, OHIO) November 8, 2022 – Minor League Baseball announced Akron RubberDucks pitcher Tanner Bibee as the 2022 Eastern League Pitcher of the Year and the right-handed starter on the 2022 Eastern League All-Star team. Outfielder George Valera and left-handed starter Joey Cantillo were also named to the Eastern League All-Star team.
Votes for these awards were cast by league managers.
After being promoted to Akron on July 2, Bibee made 13 starts for the RubberDucks going 6-1 with a 1.83 ERA and 81 strikeouts over 73.2 innings pitched. He became the first Akron pitcher to win Eastern League Pitcher of the Year since Jeanmar Gomez in 2009.
The Guardians’ No. 6 prospect according to MLB.com earned Eastern League Pitcher of the Month honors in August after going 4-0 with a 1.32 ERA. Bibee led the Eastern League in August with 34 innings pitched and struck out 37 (third-most in the league). He took home Eastern League Pitcher of the Week honors for Week 16, July 25-31, after tossing six scoreless innings against Harrisburg on July 27 allowing just two hits while striking out four.
In 90 games with the RubberDucks in 2022, Valera hit .264 with 15 homers and 59 RBI. While with Akron, Valera, Cleveland’s No. 2 prospect, was selected to the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game where he started in left field.
Cantillo made 14 appearances (13 starts) for the RubberDucks in 2022, going 4-3 with a 1.93 ERA and 87 strikeouts over 60.2 innings pitched. The Guardians’ No. 23 prospect earned Eastern League Pitcher of the Month honors in May after tossing 22.0 scoreless innings in five appearances (four starts) during the month. The left-hander went 2-0 in May and struck out 33 batters while allowing just 10 hits and four walks.
The RubberDucks pitching staff set the Akron franchise and Eastern League record for strikeouts in a season with 1,408. Akron starting pitchers led all of Minor League Baseball this season with 742 strikeouts.
The Akron RubberDucks are the Double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians. The RubberDucks season at Canal Park begins on Thursday, April 6 against the Erie SeaWolves at 6:35 p.m. Fans can purchase tickets by calling 330-253-5151 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, or visit akronrubberducks.com/. For more information about the team, please call 330-253-5151, visit the website at akronrubberducks.com, Facebook page facebook.com/AkronRubberDucks, or on Twitter @AkronRubberDuck, and Instagram @akronrubberducks.