A Mat-Su Miners outfielder who stands 5-foot-8 but wields a big bat has been named the Player of the Year in the Alaska Baseball League.
Erik Webb, who plays college baseball for Central Missouri, led the ABL in batting and RBIs this summer. He earned the league’s Silver Slugger Award and a first-team spot on the all-ABL team announced Thursday.
Webb hit .368 and drove in 33 runs for the Miners, who clinched second place in the league Wednesday night by beating the Chugiak Chinooks.
Bryan Woo, a right-handed pitcher for the Peninsula Oilers from Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo, was named the league’s Top Prospect. Woo struck out 36 batters in 25 1/3 innings for the Oilers.
Other top end-of-season award-winners were Skylar Messinger of the Oilers, who won the Gold Glove award, and Grant Palmer of the Bucs, who was named Coach of the Year.
The Bucs and the Miners are both hosting best-of-3 playoff series that will wrap up Friday or Saturday. The Miners are playing the third-place Anchorage Glacier Pilots, and the first-place Bucs are playing the fourth-place Oilers.
Top of the World Tournament
Friday’s games
Oilers at Bucs, 7 p.m., Mulcahy Stadium
Pilots at Miners, 6 p.m., Hermon Brothers Field
Saturday’s games (if necessary)
Oilers at Bucs, 2 p.m., Mulcahy Stadium
Pilots at Miners, 6 p.m., Hermon Brothers Field
ABL all-league honors
Player of the Year — Erik Webb, Miners
Top Prospect — Brian Woo, Oilers
Gold Glove — Skylar Messinger, Oilers
Silver Slugger — Erik Webb, Miners
Coach of the Year — Grant Palmer, Bucs
First-team selections
First base — Ryan Sullivan, Bucs
Second base — Malcom Tipler, Pilots
Shortstop — Matt Ottino, Pilots
Third base — Cole Tate, Bucs; Bobby Goodloe, Oilers
Catcher — Zach Morgan, Pilots
Utility — Kody Huff, Miners
Outfield — Erik Webb, Miners; Issac Barrera, Bucs Chad Castillo, Bucs; Camden Vasquez, Oilers.
Starting pitcher — Randy Abshier, Miners; Kyler Bush, Miners; Matt Sanchez, Pilots; Brian Woo, Oilers
Relief pitcher — Grant Sloan, Miners; Hunter Rigsby, Pilots; Keaton Chase, Bucs
Closer — Colton Rendon, Bucs
Designated hitter — Ethan English, Chinooks; Chaney Rogers, Bucs
Statistical leaders
Batting averages
Erik Webb, Miners, .368
Bobby Goodloe, Oilers, .339
Chad Castillo, Bucs, .335
Cole Tate, Bucs, .302
Travis Bohall, Oilers, .297
RBIs
Erik Webb, Miners, 33
Ryan Sullivan, Bucs, 31
Matt Ottino, Miners, 31
Haden Keller, Chinooks, 26
3 with 25
Earned-run average
Kyler Bush, Miners, 1.32
Randy Abshier, Miners, 1.52
Matthew Sanchez, Pilots, 1.77
Michael Frias, Bucs, 2.52
Connor McCord, Oilers, 2.54
Strikeouts
Matthew Sanchez, Pilots, 51
George Arias, Miners, 47
Connor McCord, Oilers, 45
Randy Abshier, Miners, 42
Tyler OClair, Chinooks, 41