Per Reds
CINCINNATI - Today at the annual Reds on Radio Affiliate Luncheon in the Bally Sports Club at Great American Ball Park, the Reds announced their 2023 Minor League Award winners.
OF Blake Dunn (124 games, .312 BA, 23 HR, 79 RBI, 54 SB .425 OBP, .522 SLG, .947 OPS) was named winner of the Sheldon "Chief" Bender Award as the organization's Minor League Player of the Year. The 2023 Southern League batting champion led all Reds minor league batters in home runs, hits (143), total bases (239), runs (107) and stolen bases.
In 2023, Dunn, 25, began the season at Advanced-A Dayton where he was named the Midwest League's Player of the Month for April. After 47 games with the Dragons, he was promoted to AA-Chattanooga where he was twice selected as the Southern League's Player of the Week. He earned the league's Player of the Month award for July.
OF Jacob Hurtubise (HURT-uh-bees) received the Position Player of the Year award. He led all Reds full-season minor leaguers in batting average (.330), on-base percentage (.479), and OPS (.961). The 2023 MiLB.com Organization All-Star appeared in 83 games for AA-Chattanooga before he was promoted to AAA-Louisville in August (36g).
Following the 2023, season, Hurtubise, 26, played for the Surprise Sagueros in the prestigious Arizona Fall League. On November 14, he was added to the Reds' 40-man roster.
Julian Aguiar, 22, was awarded the organization's Pitcher of the Year. He led all Reds full-season minor league pitchers in ERA (2.95), innings pitched (125.0), batting average against (.216), WHIP (1.10), and winning percentage (.615).
In 25 total starts between Advanced-A Dayton and AA-Chattanooga, Aguiar went 8-5 with 138 strikeouts and 37 walks. He was the Midwest League's Pitcher of the Month for May and was selected as a league all-star.