Minor Leagues Beat Writer
Chicago Sports Online
The Carolina Flight have named Catcher Spencer Hillson as their hitter of the year for 2043.
Spencer Hillson
The team’s best hitter, actually, was 1B Aarnoud Budding, who was sent from Chicago to AAA a couple of times during the year in hopes he could find his batting stroke (as he struggled to even hit .200 at the major league level). He found his hitting in AAA, slashing .322/.421/.601 in 56 games, but appeared to leave it in the overhead bin at O’Hare International when he returned to Chicago. Budding wound up slashing .174/.271/.357 in the BBA this past season.
Under the circumstances, awarding “Hitter of the Year” to a major leaguer who played fewer than half of Carolina’s games was a non-starter for Carolina team management.
So, Hillson it was!
And that decision was hardly an embarrassment: Hillson was called to the majors in September when rosters expanded, and he did well: .273/.333/.545. Chicago executives expect Hillson to move to Chicago permanently in 2044 and platoon with Diesel Dave behind the plate. He also won the Granville Sub-League Platinum Stick award at catcher.
It doesn’t hurt, either, that Hillson is a captain.
Scouts rate his overall potential at 45/50 and say he has “roughly average” BBA talent and should have little trouble slotting in as a regular starter.
“Spencer is the real deal – he was solid as could be for us all year,” said Carolina manager Paco Creteles. “We know he’ll do the same for the Black Sox when the time comes.”
Hillson, meanwhile, said he was flattered by the team honor.
“Awards aren’t really my thing,” he said, “but it does mean something when your team says you were important to its success. It was a rewarding year, and I look forward to Spring Training!”