Globe iconLogin iconRecap iconSearch iconTickets icon
Scores
All Scores Triple-A Scores Double-A Scores High-A Scores Single-A Scores Rookie Scores
Schedule
Complete Game Schedule Triple-A Schedule Double-A Schedule High-A Schedule Single-A Schedule Rookie Schedule Downloadable Schedules
Teams
Teams by Affiliate Teams by Name Teams by Class Teams by League Rookie Leagues Ballparks
Watch
Watch Games Subscribe Highlights Prospect Highlights Streaming FAQ Help Center Gameday Audio Podcast Bally Sports Live
Tickets
Tickets
Shop
MiLB Store Auctions Shop Copa Shop Marvel
Standings
Full Season Rookie Leagues Playoffs
Stats
Full Season Rookie Leagues Trending Players Top Prospect Stats
News
Pipeline Transactions Copa de la Diversión Baseball Traveler MiLB App MiLB Newsletters
Prospects
Top 100 Top 30 by Team Top 50 International Draft Top 250 Trending Players
Playoffs
MLB

Clifton wins Carolina League Pitcher of the Year

Right-hander becomes first Pelican to earn award since 2011
By Scott Kornberg
August 27, 2016

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (August 27, 2016) - Myrtle Beach Pelicans right-hander Trevor Clifton has been named the Carolina League's Pitcher of the Year, the league office announced Saturday. Clifton becomes the first Pelican to win the honor since Robbie Ross in 2011, and the fourth Myrtle Beach pitcher to take the award.

Clifton leads the Carolina League in ERA at 2.87, nearly a full run better than second-place Jordan Stephens of Winston-Salem. Clifton paces the circuit in WHIP (1.19) and, among starters, strikeouts per nine innings (9.7). The right-hander is also second in the league in batting average against (.229).

The Chicago Cubs' 12th-round pick out of Heritage High School (Tenn.) in 2013, Clifton won the organization's Minor League Pitcher of the Month award for May. He made five starts during the month, going 3-1 with a 1.29 ERA in 28.0 innings. Clifton struck out 35 and walked only seven, which helped him put together a string of 21 consecutive scoreless innings from May 5-30. The Maryville, Tenn. native finished May second in the league in ERA and strikeouts, and in a tie for third in wins.

A Carolina League midseason All-Star, Clifton had a 10-start stretch from April 21-June 18 in which he allowed just nine earned runs in 51.2 innings for a 1.57 ERA. During that span, he whiffed 55 against 18 walks and 41 hits allowed. In addition, during his August 3 start in Frederick, Clifton took a no-hitter into the eighth inning before departing after Jomar Reyes' leadoff double.

The Carolina League has recognized one Pitcher of the Year in every season since 1979. The aforementioned Ross was the last Myrtle Beach hurler to win the award, with Christian Parra and Trey Hodges also accomplishing the feat in 2000 and 2001, respectively.

With help from Clifton, the Pelicans have won 26 out of their last 33 games, clinching their league-best sixth consecutive postseason appearance in the process. Myrtle Beach currently owns a 1.0 game lead on Salem for the Southern Division's second half title.

The 2016 season is the 18th season for the Pelicans franchise and second as the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. For information on tickets to see the Pelicans in 2016, please call (843) 918-6000, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.MyrtleBeachPelicans.com.

ABOUT THE PELICANS: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans are the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs and play their home games at TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The park has ranked in the top eight in all of Minor League Baseball by Stadium Journey in each of the last five seasons. The same publication also placed the Pelicans in the Top 100 Stadium Experiences in all of sports in each of the last five years and the best in the Carolina League for five straight seasons as well. In May 2015, TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark won the 2015 TripAdvisor.com Certificate of Excellence award. The Pelicans are the defending Mills Cup Champions, winning the title in 2015 as well as 2000 and co-Mills Cup championship honors in the inaugural 1999 season. The Pelicans have made nine postseason appearances behind 11 half-season Southern Division championships, including the first half of the 2015 season, as well as five Southern Division titles, most recently in 2015. For more information on the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, please contact the Pelicans at (843) 918-6000 or emailing [email protected].