Mariners honor top Minor Leaguers

SEATTLE -- An All-Star regular season with the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers has landed outfielder Adam Jones the Mariners' Minor League Player of the Year Award, it was announced Wednesday.

"I think it's self-explanatory; he put up big numbers," said Greg Hunter, the Mariners director of Minor League and scouting operations. "He got better as an outfielder and ended up in the big leagues."

Jones, the Mariners' 2003 first-round draft pick out of Morse High School in San Diego, spent the first four months of the season with the Rainiers, batting .314 with 25 home runs and 85 RBIs and was selected to the Pacific Coast League All-Star team as a starter.

The 22-year-old was promoted to Seattle in early August and appeared in 41 games, batting .246 with two homers and four RBIs. Even with those so-so numbers, the Mariners are convinced that Jones is a future star and have him penciled in as the starting right fielder next season.

Joining Jones at the top of the Minor League award winners was right-handed pitcher Chris Tillman, selected as the organization's Pitcher of the Year. The Mariners' second-round draft pick in 2006 out of Fountain Valley, Calif., had a 7-11 combined record with Class A Wisconsin (Midwest League) and Class A Advanced High Desert (California League). He struck out 139 batters in 135 2/3 innings.

"He pitched well at Wisconsin and again at High Desert, which is a tough place to pitch," Hunter said. "He's a young kid and did a very nice job."

Two players from each of the Mariners' eight Minor League affiliates were rewarded for their efforts during the '07 season.

• Tacoma: Jones was selected as Tacoma's top player while left-hander Robert Rohrbaugh (6-3, 2.95 ERA) landed the top pitcher award.

• Double-A West Tennessee: Outfielder Charlton Jimerson (.276, 23, 73) and right-hander Joe Woerman (7-7, 3.74).

• High Desert: Catcher Adam Moore (.307, 22, 102) and right-handed reliever Roman Martinez (6-3, 4.48, 8 saves).

• Wisconsin: Outfielder/designated hitter Carlos Peguero (.263, 9, 50) and former University of Washington right-hander Kyle Parker (5-10, 3.46).

• Short-Season Everett: Outfielder Gregory Halman (.307, 16, 37) and left-hander Edward Paredes (7-6, 3.99).

• Rookie-league Peoria: Outfielder Daniel Carroll (.323, 0, 24) and right-hander Jake Wild (3-1, 1.88).

The award-winners included outfielder Joel Mendez and right-hander Michael Pineda from the Dominican Summer League and outfielder Jose Rivero and left-hander Jose Jimenez from the Venezuelan Summer League.

The annual Ellis Award, presented to the Minor League player(s) and organization for community service, went to Tony Butler and Justin Souza of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. It was the second consecutive Ellis Award for the Wisconsin club, which provided the Appleton, Wis., area with 352 hours of community service.