Cantillo & Edwards Earn More Midwest League Honors

FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- Joey Cantillo and Xavier Edwards capped off sensational 2019 seasons by being named to the Midwest League's Post-Season All-Star Team, the league announced Friday. Cantillo was awarded Left-Handed Pitcher of the Year, while Edwards was named Second Baseman of the Year. They were selected by the league's 16 field managers.

During his time with the TinCaps this season, Cantillo put up some of the best pitching numbers across all of Minor League Baseball. The 19-year-old from Hawaii had a 1.93 ERA in 19 starts. Cantillo racked up 128 strikeouts in 98 innings pitched with a 0.87 WHIP and an opposing batting average of .173.
Cantillo was no stranger to Midwest League accolades this season. The Padres' 16^th-round selection in the 2017 MLB Draft won the Pitcher of the Week award three different times, marking the first time a Fort Wayne player has ever won a weekly honor more than twice in a season. Cantillo was also named the Midwest League's Player of the Month in June.
Cantillo earned a much-deserved call up to the High-A Lake Elsinore Storm on Aug. 8. After beginning the season outside of the Padres' Top 30 prospects, MLB.com now rates him as the 18th best prospect in San Diego's farm system. (See more stats below.)

Beyond blessed for these opportunities🙏🏻. Huge thank you to the @tincaps for the 🎥. Let's finish this year off strong 👊🏽 pic.twitter.com/XNG70Zyywv

— Joey Cantillo (@joeyycantillo) July 31, 2019

Edwards, who was called up to Lake Elsinore on July 9, started the Midwest League All-Star Game at second base and hit leadoff for the Eastern Division. The recently turned 20-year-old posted a .336 batting average in 77 games with the TinCaps, an average that led the league at the time of his departure. The former second-round pick also had an on-base percentage of .392, stole 20 bases, scored 44 runs, and had a swinging strike% of just 4.2%.
Edwards has kept hitting since moving up to High A. In 38 games with Lake Elsinore (through Aug. 22), he's posted a .307 batting average with 27 runs scored and 11 more stolen bases. The Florida native is the No. 5 prospect in San Diego's farm system according to MLB.com. (See more stats below.)

🗣@espn @SportsCenter @KoltenWong pic.twitter.com/gMZi1WOOQj

— Xavier Edwards (@xedwards9) June 24, 2019

A TinCaps lefty has now won the Left-Handed Pitcher of the Year award in consecutive seasons, as Osvaldo Hernandez won last season. Meanwhile, Edwards is the first Fort Wayne middle infielder to earn such an honor. (In 2017, Bo Bichette of Lansing claimed the spot at shortstop over Fernando Tatis Jr. ) The last TinCaps position player to make the Post-Season All-Star Team was catcher Austin Allen in 2016.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2019 MIDWEST LEAGUE POST-SEASON ALL-STAR TEAM
The TinCaps will conclude their 2019 season with a six-game homestand against the South Bend Cubs and Lansing Lugnuts from Wednesday, Aug. 28 through Labor Day.
Joey Cantillo Midwest League Stats & Rankings (at time of promotion on Aug. 8)

• 1.93 ERA (1^st)
• 128 Strikeouts (1^st)
• 0.87 WHIP (1^st)
• .173 Average Against (1^st)
• 2.15 FIP (1^st)
• 2.46 xFIP (1^st)
• 11.76 K/9 (1^st)
• 34.7% K% (1^st)
• 27.4% K-BB% (1^st)
• 4.74 K/BB (2^nd)
• 15.7% Swinging Strike% (2^nd)
• 0.28 HR/9 (2^nd)
• 2.48 BB/9 (9^th)

Xavier Edwards Midwest League Stats & Rankings (at time of promotion on July 9)

• .336 Batting Average (1^st)
• 103 Hits (1^st)
• 4% Swinging Strike % (2^nd)
• .392 On-Base Percentage (3^rd)
• 20 Stolen Bases (4^th)
• 10% K% (4^th)
• 0.86 BB/K (6^th)
• 4 Triples (Tied for 9^th)