Stott and Cabrera named 2021 Paul Owens Award winners
The Phillies have selected infielder Bryson Stott and right-handed pitcher Jean Cabrera as the recipients of the 2021 Paul Owens Award, presented annually to the organization’s top minor league player and pitcher.
Stott, 23, is batting .294 (111-377) with 26 doubles, two triples, 15 home runs, 46 RBI, 64 runs, 55 walks, nine stolen bases, a .381 on-base percentage and a .493 slugging percentage in 100 combined games this season between high-A Jersey Shore (22 G) and double-A Reading (78 G). Stott, who started at second base for the National League squad in this summer’s Futures Game at Coors Field, has posted a .296/.361/.480 slash line with 22 doubles, two triples, 10 homers and 36 RBI with Reading after beginning the year with Jersey Shore. He enters play today with the third-highest batting average among qualifying Double-A Northeast hitters this season. The left-handed hitter was named Phillies Minor League Hitter of the Month in both May and August, collecting the most hits (42) across the minors during the latter month. Stott leads all Phillies minor leaguers in hits, on-base percentage (min. 220 PA) and total bases (186). He reached base safely in 31 of 32 games from July 31 through Sept. 14, which included a 19-game on-base streak (8/15-9/14) during which he posted a .411/.477/.630 slash line. The Las Vegas, Nev., native was recently named the No. 100 prospect in all of baseball by MLB.com. Stott was selected by the Phillies in the first round (No. 14 overall) of the 2019 MLB Draft out of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Cabrera has gone 3-1 with a 1.37 ERA (7 ER, 46.0 IP) in 11 starts this year with the rookie-level Dominican Summer League Phillies White. During his first professional season, he has posted a 0.85 WHIP while holding opponents to a .196 batting average (32-163). Additionally, he has 57 strikeouts to only seven walks and has surrendered just one home run to the 172 batters he has faced. The right-hander enters play today with the following rankings among qualifying DSL pitchers in 2021: sixth in ERA, tied for seventh in strikeouts, eighth in WHIP and tied for 10th in innings pitched. He tossed 24.0 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run from July 23 through Aug. 21. He is the first 19-year-old pitcher to win the Paul Owens Award since righty Carlos Carrasco in 2006. Cabrera, a native of Venezuela, was signed by the Phillies as an amateur free agent in July 2019.
“Bryson has played consistently great baseball all season long on both sides of the ball,” Phillies General Manager Sam Fuld said. “His ability to use the whole field, control the zone and impact the game with his athleticism makes him a unique player. He continues to impress as a teammate and as a worker. We’re excited to see Bryson progress through our system.”
Added Fuld: “Jean has dominated hitters this season and put himself on the radar within the organization. He fills up the strike zone with his fastball, slider and changeup, and has flashed some exciting stuff for a 19-year-old. Jean possesses meaningful upside with his combination of stuff, command and competitiveness. He is very well-deserving of this award.”
The Paul Owens Award was instituted in 1986 and is named for the late Paul Owens, who spent 48 years in the Phillies organization as a scout, farm director, general manager, manager and senior advisor. The players will receive their awards on the field on Monday, Sept. 20, prior to the Phillies’ 7:05 p.m. game against the Baltimore Orioles.