KANSAS CITY PROSPECT MIKE MOUSTAKAS HAS BEEN NAMED AS ONE OF FIVE FINALISTS FOR THE USA TODAY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD.
THE THIRD BASEMAN IS ONE OF THREE POSITION PLAYERS NOMINATED FOR THE HONOR, JOINING OUTFIELDER DOMONIC BROWN OF THE PHILLIES ORGANIZATION AND BRAVES’ FIRST BASE PROSPECT FREDDIE FREEMAN.
RIGHT-HANDED PITCHERS JEREMY HELLICKSON (RAYS) AND MICHAEL PINEDA (MARINERS) COMPLETE THE GROUP OF FINALISTS.
FANS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE FOR MOUSTAKAS IN AN ONLINE POLL AT WWW.MINORLEAGUEPLAYER.USATODAY.COM.
THE WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN SEPTEMBER.
MOUSTAKAS, 21, WAS KANSAS CITY’S FIRST-ROUND PICK IN 2007 (SECOND OVERALL). HE IS BATTING A COMBINED .318 WITH 28 HOME RUNS AND 99 RBI IN 106 GAMES WITH DOUBLE-A NORTHWEST ARKANSAS AND TRIPLE-A OMAHA.
THE CALIFORNIA NATIVE LED THE TEXAS LEAGUE IN ALL THREE "TRIPLE CROWN" CATEGORIES AT THE TIME OF HIS PROMOTION TO OMAHA ON JULY 15.
MOUSTAKAS PLAYED IN BOTH THE TEXAS LEAGUE ALL-STAR GAME AND THE FUTURES GAME.
