River Cats’ Villar named PCL MVP 

West Sacramento, Calif. — Minor League Baseball announced Triple-A league awards and All-Star teams on Monday, with Sacramento River Cats infielder David Villar being named the PCL’s MVP, as voted by league managers.

In addition to MVP, Villar is also the PCL’s Post-Season All-Star third baseman after hitting .275 with 67 runs, 19 doubles, 27 homers, 82 RBIs, and a 1.021 OPS in 84 games with Sacramento.

Prior to receiving his first MLB promotion on July 4, Villar was first in the PCL with 20 homers, third with 57 RBIs, sixth with a .408 on-base percentage, second with a .631 slugging percentage, second with a 1.039 OPS, and fourth with 42 walks.

“I’m honored to receive the PCL MVP award,” Villar said. “Thank you to the San Francisco Giants and the Sacramento River Cats for this opportunity. Thank you to everyone who has helped and supported me.”

Villar was named a PCL Player of the Week May 10-15 at El Paso, going 8-for-20 (.400) with nine runs, two doubles, four homers, 10 RBIs, and a 1.620 OPS in six games.

After earning Double-A Richmond’s team MVP award in 2021, Villar followed that up with career-highs in home runs and RBIs in 2022 en route to winning the River Cats’ team MVP award in his debut Triple-A season.

The infielder made his MLB debut on July 4 with San Francisco, doubling off Arizona lefty Madison Bumgarner in his first career at-bat. He finished with 52 MLB games, batting .231 with 21 runs, six doubles, nine homers, and 24 RBIs.

Villar is the fifth PCL MVP in River Cats’ history, first since becoming an affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Past winners are infielders Jose Ortiz (2000), Graham Koonce (2003), Dan Johnson (2004), and Scott McClain (2006).