Arencibia wins PCL MVP award
Arencibia, a prized catching prospect in the Toronto Blue Jays system, batted .301 with 32 home runs and 85 runs batted in for the 51s this season. He led all of professional baseball with 25 long balls at the All-Star break, and represented the PCL in both the Triple-A All-Star Game and Home Run Derby.
The 24-year-old Miami, Fla., native made his Major League debut on August 7, belting his first-career pitch for a home run and following with a double, single and another homer. He became the first Major Leaguer in the modern era (1901-present) to have four hits and two homers in a debut, and holds the all-time record for total bases in a first-career game with 11.
Arencibia, the No. 19 overall pick in the 2007 first-year player draft out of the University of Tennessee, has 85 home runs and 294 RBI in less than four professional seasons, including 53 long balls and 160 RBI in 220 games over the past two years at the Triple-A level. With his recent call-up to the Blue Jays, Arencibia will try to add to his career totals at the Major League level through the remainder of this season.
The PCL postseason awards are given based on the voting of the league's field managers, general managers, broadcasters and media. The field manager and general manager from each of the 16 PCL clubs submit one ballot, while the broadcasters and media from each of the 16 markets submit a second ballot, for a total of 32 ballots.
Arencibia received 12 Most Valuable Player votes, with Mark Trumbo of Salt Lake coming in second with seven votes. Other players receiving votes included John Lindsey of Albuquerque, Brad Snyder of Iowa, Peter Bourjos of Salt Lake, Kila Ka'aihue of Omaha, Chris Carter of Sacramento and Michael Kirkman of Oklahoma City.