Minor Leagues Beat Writer
Chicago Sports Online
Monclova, Mexico – The Monclova Aqua Sox featured a talented group in the starting rotation this past season.
Rob Winters
But even so, third-round draft pick Rob Winters stood out.
The 19-year-old right-hander went 6-1 with a 3.17 ERA and 89 strikeouts and finished third in the voting for the Horizon Sub-League’s Leonard Puckett Award, which goes annually to the best pitcher in the HL.
This week, Monclova honored Winters with the team’s own Best Pitcher Award.
Winters was almost – but not quite – speechless.
“Any chance you guys would be willing to print this ou t on card stock or something a little sturdier than this recycled stuff? It’s already got a little rip in it,” he said.
Team officials were non-committal on a new printout, but were enthusiastic in their praise of Winters.
“We liked him in the draft and he did nothing but repay our faith in him this season,” said Frank H. Pabodie, director of scouting for the Black Sox. “We have him penciled in to move up to Class A Grand Junction next season, and it will be exciting to see how he does there.”