Wil Myers Named AL Rookie of the Year

The Baseball Writers' Association of America has named Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Wil Myers the 2013 American League Rookie of the Year. Myers, a High Point, NC native, joins Evan Longoria and Jeremy Hellickson as the third Bulls player to earn the honor during Durham's affiliation with Tampa Bay.

Myers received 23 of 30 first-place votes, besting Detroit's Jose Iglesias. Clayton, NC native Chris Archer, who also started the season in Durham, finished third in the voting.

Myers led AL rookies with 53 RBI, while hitting .293 with 13 home runs to help lead Tampa Bay to their fourth postseason appearance in six years. The Rays were three games over .500 when he arrived (36-33) and 56-38 after his Big League debut.

The 2012 Minor League Player of the Year, who entered the season as the Rays' top rated prospect, powered the Bulls for the first two and a half months of the season. Despite playing in only 64 games with Durham, his 14 home runs were good enough for a share of the team lead. After a sluggish start, Myers caught fire in June, blasting five homers in 14 games to earn a June 16 call up. He finished his Bulls tenure with a .286 average and 57 RBI, which also lead the team for a majority of the year. Myers was the subject of two well-received promotions during his stint in the Bull City, including the "Wil He Won't He?" ticket package and the WilVille seating section at the DBAP.

The Durham Bulls open their Governors' Cup title defense at the newly renovated Durham Bulls Athletic Park on April 3, 2014 versus the Gwinnett Braves. Season Ticket and Mini Plan packages for the 2014 season, which include the ability to secure Triple-A All-Star Game and Home Run Derby tickets, can be purchased by calling 919.956.BULL or visiting durhambulls.com.