Hader Earns High Honor

Hooks lefty Josh Hader is the Astros' 2014 Minor League Pitcher of the Year, Houston announced Wednesday afternoon. The club also tabbed outfielder Brett Phillips as its Minor League Player of the Year.

Hader and Phillips will be honored at Minute Maid Park during pregame ceremonies Sunday. The Astros engage Seattle at 1:10.

Hader went 10-3 with a 3.28 ERA and two saves in 27 appearances (19 starts) between Lancaster and Corpus Christi. The 20-year-old southpaw struck out 136 against 54 walks in 123.1 innings, notching a WHIP of 1.18.

Most of Hader's success came in the California League, where he was tabbed the circuit's Pitcher of the Year. Hader is the first JetHawks pitcher to earn the Cal League's top honor in the club's 19-year tenure.

Prior to joining the Hooks in early August, he posted a 9-2 record and a 2.70 ERA in 22 outings (15 starts) for Lancaster. At the time of his promotion to the Texas League, Hader led the CL in ERA, batting average against (.206) and WHIP (1.10). He was tied for second in wins and ranked third in strikeouts (112).

Hader lost his final start with the JetHawks on August 2 against Lake Elsinore, allowing five runs on five hits (1 HR) in 4.1 innings. He had not allowed an earned run in his prior three appearances and had posted a 2.36 ERA in his first 21 performances.

He was acquired by the Astros in the Bud Norris trade with Baltimore last July. The Orioles selected Hader in the 19th round of the 2012 draft out of Old Mill High School in Millersville, Maryland.

Phillips, 20, hit .310 with 29 doubles, 14 triples, 17 home runs, 68 RBIs and 23 steals in 130 games at Quad Cities and Lancaster.

After starting the season with the River Bandits, Phillips was promoted to Lancaster, where he played a key role in the JetHawks championship season, hitting .339 with four homers and 10 RBIs in 27 games. Batting leadoff, he was 3-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBIs in Monday's title-clinching win over Visalia.

While at Quad Cities, Phillips was the youngest starter for the Western Division squad in the Midwest League All-Star Game. He was selected by the Astros in the sixth round of the 2012 draft out of high school in Seminole, Florida.