Tyler Glasnow, Andrew Lambo win Pirates minor league awards

The Pirates announced their minor league Player and Pitcher Of The Year awards this afternoon.

Andrew Lambo won the Player-of-the-Year award. Lambo hit a combined 32 home runs, collected 99 RBI, and compiled a .574 slugging percentage between Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis. The Pirates’ Director of Minor League Operations, Larry Broadway, made the announcement and said of Lambo:

“Andrew has overcome a lot of adversity over the last few years and showed up this year in Spring Training determined to take the next step in his career. He did that and much more to earn a promotion from Altoona to Indianapolis then Pittsburgh, where he is doing everything he can to impact that club down the stretch.”

The Dodgers drafted Lambo in the fourth round in 2007. The Pirates acquired him along with James McDonald from the Dodgers in 2010 for Octavio Dotel and cash.

Tyler Glasnow won the Pitcher Of The Year award. Glasnow went 9-3 with a 2.18 ERA in 24 starts while spending the entire season with Single-A West Virginia. He also finished the season with 164 strikeouts, the most by a Pirates minor leaguer since Tom Gorzelanny struck out 167. The 20-year-old right-hander also set the West Virginia Power's club record of 134 strikeouts. Of Glasnow's season, Broadway said:

"Tyler has worked extremely hard since we drafted him two years ago. He continues to want to get better every day and puts in the effort to do so. He had a really nice season under the lights for the first time this year while helping the West Virginia club to a playoff berth.”

The Pirates selected Glasnow in the fifth round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft from Hart (CA) High School.

Glasnow's comments before tonight's game

Tyler Glasnow met with the press before being honored on the field tonight. Here is an abbreviated transcript of his comments:

How does it feel to receive this award?

I’m extremely honored. When I got called by Larry Broadway I was ecstatic. It felt really good. I was upstairs watching TV and, yeah, it was just a really, really good moment.

What did you learn this year?

I learned a lot this year. If things don’t go your way, don’t change things. I was really working on downward angle and really working on my changeup a lot this year, I really didn’t have one last year. The main thing was that, even if it was uncomfortable to throw, I had to get my game reps in and I think that really helped. Forced me to throw it and it came along really well.

Did the transition to full-season baseball seem easy?

At the beginning of the year I wasn’t sure how I would take this (pitching a full season). Early in high school I always had a little something wrong with my arm because I was so skinny. I feel like throwing that amount really helped me and I felt great all year.  I think throwing every day really helped me with that.

Goals for next season?

Definitely first pitch strikes and command. Really getting on top of the ball. Keeping my form consistent. Not changing anything if the going gets tough. Staying focused … I don’t really want to think about stats or anything like that.

What’s it like seeing the parent team doing so well?

Watching the team do well is always really good motivation. The Pirates are a very close-knit organization. At every single level you really feel a part of it.

Do see yourself making the leap to the next level next year?

I hope so. I can’t control it, but I really hope. We’ll see what happens.