Former Dragons Earn Reds Minor League Player Awards

Dayton, Ohio-The Cincinnati Reds have announced their 2019 Minor League Player awards, and all four players who were honored are former Dayton Dragons.   

Aristides Aquino - Sheldon "Chief" Bender Award (Reds Minor League Player of the Year)
Packy Naughton - Reds Minor League Pitcher of the Year
Jose Garcia - Reds Minor League Hitter of the Year
Michael Siani - Reds Minor League Community Service Award
Siani, who spent the entire 2019 season with the Dragons, was selected among all minor league players in the Reds organization for his community service efforts. Siani participated in numerous charitable events and visits and also received the 2019 Dayton Dragons Community Service Award as well as the Reds organizational honor. Since the Reds initiated their Minor League Community Service Award in 2011, eight of the nine annual winners have been Dayton Dragons players.
Aquino, who spent the 2015 season with the Dragons, becomes a two-time winner of the highest honor given to a Reds minor league player. He also won the Sheldon "Chief" Bender Award in 2016. In 2019, Aquino played with Triple-A Louisville and blasted 28 home runs in 78 games, batting .299. He spent the final two months of the season in the Major Leagues with the Reds and added another 19 homers to give him 47 for the year in 134 games. Aquino was the National League Player of the Month in August when set numerous all-time MLB records for most home runs within a specific number of games to start a big league career. Aquino hit eight home runs in his first 12 career games and 14 in his first 28 games, both MLB records.
Naughton spent the 2018 season with the Dragons. In 2019, he split the year between Daytona and Chattanooga, posting a 3.38 earned run average that led the Reds organization. 
Garcia also spent the 2018 season with the Dragons. He played at Daytona in 2019 and batted .280 with 37 doubles, eight home runs, and 15 stolen bases.
Sheldon "Chief" Bender Award winners:
2000 Austin Kearns, Dayton
2001 Adam Dunn, Chattanooga/Louisville
2002 Brandon Larson, Louisville
2003 Stephen Smitherman, Chattanooga/Louisville
2004 Richie Gardner, Potomac/Chattanooga
2005 Chris Denorfia, Chattanooga/Louisville
2006 Homer Bailey, Sarasota/Chattanooga
2007 Jay Bruce, Sarasota/Chattanooga/Louisville
2008 Chris Valaika, Sarasota/Chattanooga
2009 Chris Heisey, Carolina/Louisville
2010 Devin Mesoraco, Lynchburg/Carolina/Louisville
2011 Billy Hamilton, Dayton
2012 Billy Hamilton, Bakersfield/Pensacola
2013 Seth Mejias-Brean, Dayton
2014 Ben Lively, Bakersfield/Pensacola
2015 Tyler Mahle, Dayton
2016 Aristides Aquino, Daytona
2017 Nick Senzel, Daytona/Pensacola
2018 Ibandel Isabel, Daytona
2019 Aristides Aquino, Louisville
Reds Minor League Community Service Award winners:
2011 Drew Hayes, Dayton
2012 El' Hajj Muhammad, Dayton
2013 Brent Peterson, Dayton
2014 Jon Matthews, Dayton
2015 Avain Rachal, Dayton
2016 Barrett Astin, Pensacola
2017 Aaron Fossas, Dayton
2018 Leandro Santana, Dayton
2019 Michael Siani, Dayton
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