Hunter Brown Named PCL Pitcher of the Year

(SUGAR LAND, Texas) – Sugar Land Space Cowboys right-hander Hunter Brown was named the Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Year, Minor League Baseball announced.

David Hensley was selected to the PCL All-Star Team as the league’s shortstop representative and Enoli Paredes was named to the team as the PCL’s top reliever.

Along with being named Pitcher of the Year, Brown was selected as the PCL’s top right-handed pitcher.

Brown, who finished the season with the Houston Astros and was a part of the team’s roster throughout the postseason, went 9-4 with a 2.55 ERA in 23 games (14 starts) with the Space Cowboys. Brown struck out 134 batters through 106 innings pitched.

At the time of his promotion to the Astros on Sept. 1, Brown led the PCL with his 2.55 ERA and was also atop the league in strikeouts and opponent’s batting average (.186). His 11.38 strikeouts-per-nine-innings were the most of any Triple A pitcher (min. 100 IP).

Hensley, who also finished the season with the Astros and was a member of their postseason roster, hit .298 with 10 home runs and 57 RBI in 104 games with the Space Cowboys. Hensley led the PCL with a .420 on-base percentage, was second in walks (80), fourth in batting average, fifth in OPS (.898) and tied for eighth with 30 doubles. He stole a career-high 20 bases as part of his All-Star campaign as well.

Paredes went 5-4 with a 2.63 ERA and logged 12 saves in 50 appearances with the Space Cowboys, striking out 81 batters through 54 2/3 innings pitched. He was tied for third in the PCL in saves and was tied for eighth in appearances. Paredes’ 2.63 ERA was fourth lowest of PCL pitchers with at least 50 innings pitched. His 13.34 strikeouts-per-nine-innings was best of PCL pitchers with at least 50 innings.

A member of the Space Cowboys has won the league’s Pitcher of the Year for the second straight season, with right-hander Peter Solomon receiving the award in 2021.