Steven Brault, Jordan Luplow Named as Pirates Minor League Pitcher and Player of the Year

INDIANAPOLIS - The Pittsburgh Pirates named left-hander Steven Brault and outfielder Jordan Luplow as their Minor League Pitcher and Player of the Year on Saturday, Sept. 23, in an on-field ceremony at PNC Park.

Brault, 25, produced a 10-5 record and league-leading 1.94 ERA in 21 games (20 starts). His .198 average against and 1.07 WHIP ranked second and third among his International League peers. He was named both an IL mid- and postseason All-Star and joined Fred "Fritz" Ackley (1963), Ben Hendrickson (2004) and Zach Duke (2005) as the only pitchers in Indians history to garner IL Most Valuable Pitcher honors.
With the Pirates, Brault owns a 1-0 mark and 4.25 ERA in nine games (three starts). He earned his first career major league win after throwing six scoreless innings and allowing just one hit on Sept. 11 at Milwaukee.
Luplow, 24, hit .325 with seven home runs and 19 RBI in 44 games for the Tribe. The Eastern League midseason All-Star mashed 16 long balls in 73 contests with Double-A Altoona, a total that was tied for the fifth-most in the league at the time of his promotion to Indy on June 30. His 23 dingers between both levels were the most by a Pirates minor leaguer since 2014.
Luplow made his MLB debut with the Pirates on July 28 to become the organization's first big leaguer from the 2014 draft class. He has hit three home runs while totaling 10 RBI in 23 games for Pittsburgh this year.