Moreland named minor league Player of the Year

From Scout.com, in a year where Chad Tracy knocked in a Frisco-record 107 runs and Mike Bianucci led the organization with 30 home runs, Danville Dan 2005 alumni Moreland got the nod for minor league Player of the Year because of his remarkable consistency.

Moreland didn’t post a batting average below .296 in any of the minor league regular season's five months. In fact, his next lowest monthly average was .325, which he accomplished in his first full month at Double-A Frisco.

In all, Moreland combined to bat .331 with 38 doubles, 16 home runs and 85 RBIs between High-A Bakersfield and Double-A Frisco.

The 24-year-old had little problem sustaining his success after he was promoted to Frisco. Moreland played in 73 games with the RoughRiders, hitting .326 with 19 doubles, three triples, and eight home runs.

Moreland has a line-drive stroke, but he also has above-average home run power. Even with the power, the Mississippi State product is patient and he doesn’t often swing at pitches out of the zone. In 471 official at-bats this season, Moreland struck out just 68 times–seemingly a rarity in today’s game.

For the second consecutive year, the left-handed hitter was more than effective against his fellow southpaws. Between the two levels, Moreland posted a .350/.430/.561 slash line against lefties. More specifically, he had 16 walks and 16 strikeouts in 123 official at-bats.

Moreland’s outstanding 2009 season turned him into one of the top position prospects in the Rangers’ system, and he could get a shot at the Major Leagues at some point next season.

For the time being, Moreland will try to raise his stock even more in next month’s Arizona Fall League. As Moreland told Lone Star Dugout in his interview yesterday, he expects to play about 75 percent of his games with the Surprise Rafters as an outfielder.

Year Team AVG AB 2B HR RBI R SB BB SO OBP SLG
2009 BAK (A+)/FRI (AA) .331 471 38 16 85 85 2/3 44 68 .391 .527

11-1-09, Mitch is currently hitting .397 playing for the Surprise Rafters in the Arizona Fall League.