2019 Albuquerque Isotopes Season In Review
The 2019 season saw record performances on the field for the Albuquerque Isotopes, both as a team and individually.
The 2019 season saw record performances on the field for the Albuquerque Isotopes, both as a team and individually.
Home runs were being hit at a record pace all across the Triple-A level and Albuquerque was no exception. The Isotopes hit a franchise record 212 home runs this season, surpassing the previous high of 197 by the 2008 club. The 2019 Isotopes, who finished the year with a 60-80 record, averaged 1.5 homers per contest with at least one long ball in 107 of 140 games.
Albuquerque hit nine grand slams, matching the single-season record established in 2004. The Isotopes had five pinch-hit home runs in 2019, after recording one between 2016-18. There were six back-to-back homers, three game-opening shots, one inside-the-park home run (
The Isotopes compiled 15 multi-homer games with
Weeks finished the year with 20 long balls and was one of nine Isotopes that established career highs in home runs: Pat Valaika (22),
Hilliard's 35 homers were tied for the second-most in team history and the most by an Isotope during the Rockies era. The outfielder also swiped 22 bags and was one of three players in Minor League Baseball with at least 30 home runs and 20 stolen bases (
MOST COMMON BATTING ORDER
Ramos was one of five Isotopes to hit over .300 for the year. Yonathan Daza's .364 batting average (141-for-387) surpassed Joe Dillon's .360 average from 2005 to establish the team record. Daza hit safely in 71 of the 89 games he played while racking up a team-high 49 multi-hit performances. The outfielder from Venezuela ranked third in the PCL in hitting while Brian Mundell's .333 average was fifth and Pat Valaika placed eighth at .320.
Elliot Soto had arguably the best year of his professional career, establishing highs in runs (79), hits (125), total bases (197), doubles (22), triples (10), home runs (10), RBI (50), stolen bases (8), batting average (.305), on-base percentage (.380), slugging percentage (.480) and OPS (.860). Soto was one of nine players in Minor League Baseball and one of two in the PCL to record double-digits in doubles, triples and home runs.
BATTING LEADERS
(min. 2.7 plate appearances/lg. game)
While the Isotopes offense was putting up a record number of long balls, Albuquerque pitchers also saw a spike in homers allowed. The Isotopes surrendered a team record 252 home runs which was the most in all of Minor League Baseball. It was also the most allowed by a PCL team since Sacramento allowed 301 in 1974. Prior to 2019, the only PCL teams to yield 200 or more homers since 1964 were Sacramento in 1974 and 1976 (206) and the Isotopes in 2004 (209). Isotopes pitchers also set team high this season in hits allowed (1545), earned runs (864), ERA (6.38) and opponents average (.309).
Despite the increase in home runs allowed in 2019, there were plenty of memorable performances on the mound for the Isotopes pitching staff.
Tim Melville won a team-best 10 games for the Isotopes in 2019. The right-hander's win total ranked seventh in Isotopes history and were the most since
Albuquerque relief pitchers converted 19 saves in 36 opportunities, the fewest saves in a season for the Isotopes.
PITCHING LEADERS
(min. 0.8 innings pitched/league games)
Thirty-one members of the Isotopes appeared for the Rockies this season. Of those promoted to Colorado, 14 were on the Isotopes Opening Day roster. Nine Isotopes Josh Fuentes, Yonathan Daza,
Overall, the Isotopes had 60 players suit up for them during the 2019 campaign and tallied 214 total transactions. Eight players: Ryan Castellani,
Yonathan Daza, Sam Hilliard, Roberto Ramos and Pat Valaika were selected to represent the Pacific Coast League at the Triple-A All-Star Game on July 10 at El Paso. Valaika did not play in the contest as he was with the Rockies at that time. Daza went 1-for-3 with an RBI triple in the second inning. Hilliard was 0-for-3 with a run while Ramos drew a walk and later scored in his lone plate appearance in the seventh inning.
Ramos also participated in the Triple-A Home Run Derby on July 8. The "Mariachi Masher" hit 17 home runs in the first round, but was eliminated by El Paso third baseman
Albuquerque reliever
Two Isotopes received end of the year honors from the league with outfielders Sam Hilliard and Yonathan Daza being named to the 2019 All-PCL Team. They became the 19th and 20th players in Isotopes history to be named to the All-PCL Team since the club's Inaugural Season in 2003.
Once again, Isotopes Park was recognized as one of the top ballparks in Minor League Baseball. Isotopes Head Groundskeeper Clint Belau received a Presidential Commendation from the Pacific Coast League and PCL President Branch Rickey for his excellence in sports turf management for the 2019 season. Belau worked his seventh season with the Isotopes, but second in his current role as Head Groundskeeper.
PROMOTED TO COLORADO (25)
* Major League Debut
Isotopes Park had 542,832 fans come through the turnstiles in 2019 for an average of 7,983 per game. The average attendance ranked fourth in the Pacific Coast League and was the team's highest since 2015.
The Mariachis de Nuevo México returned to La Plaza for five games this year and were as popular as their inaugural season of 2018. With a new look in 2019, the Mariachis added a touch of turquoise, the New Mexico state gem, to their logo and unveiled new uniforms featuring the color. The atmosphere at La Plaza was once again filled with Mariachi music and Ballet Folklórico dancers while also showcasing new themes each game such as Salute to Selena and Lowriders Night.
The Mariachis were voted by the fans as the best 2019 Copa de la Diversión identity in an online contest held by Minor League Baseball in July, beating out 71 other teams. The Mariachis survived three rounds of voting and defeated their fellow Pacific Coast League team, los Lowriders de Fresno (Fresno Grizzlies) in the championship round.
It was another honor for the Mariachis de Nuevo México, who won 2018's inaugural Copa de la Diversión, or "Fun Cup." The initiative is a season-long event series specifically designed to embrace the culture and values that resonate most with participating teams' local U.S. Hispanic/Latino communities. The 2019 Copa de la Diversión winner will be announced at the Baseball Winter Meetings in December.