| Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Year Award | |
| Sport: | Baseball |
| League: | Pacific Coast League |
| Givenfor: | Best regular-season pitcher in the Pacific Coast League |
| Country: | United States Canada |
| Presenter: | Pacific Coast League |
| First: | Leo Kiely (1957) |
| Mostwins: | Charlie Hough (2) |
| Mostrecent: | Cody Bradford (2023) |
The Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Year Award is an annual award given to the best pitcher in Minor League Baseball's Pacific Coast League based on their regular-season performance as voted on by league managers.[1] Broadcasters, Minor League Baseball executives, and members of the media have previously voted as well.[2] Though the league was established in 1903,[3] the award was not created until 1957.[4] It was issued sporadically through 1974 before being discontinued from 1975 to 2000.[4] After the cancellation of the 2020 season,[5] the league was known as the Triple-A West in 2021 before reverting to the Pacific Coast League name in 2022.[6] [7]
From 1927 to 2000, pitchers were eligible to win the Most Valuable Player Award (MVP). Eleven pitchers won the MVP Award: Bobo Newsom (1933), Willie Ludolph (1936), Fred Hutchinson (1938), Yank Terry (1941), Bob Joyce (1945), Johnny Lindell (1952), Dick Hall (1959), Dennis Lewallyn (1980), Mike Campbell (1987), Donne Wall (1995), and Steve Mintz (1996).[4] Five pitchers have also won the league's Top MLB Prospect Award (formerly the Rookie of the Year Award): George O'Donnell (1953), Lino Donoso (1954), Bob Garber (1955), Bob Anderson (1956), and Félix Hernández (2005). Hernández is the only pitcher to win both awards in the same season.[4] Charlie Hough, the winner in 1970 and 1972, is the only pitcher to win the award on multiple occasions.
Five pitchers from the Tacoma Rainiers have been selected for the Pitcher of the Year Award, more than any other team in the league, followed by the Nashville Sounds, Oklahoma City Dodgers, and Round Rock Express (3); the Albuquerque Dukes, Iowa Cubs, and Sugar Land Space Cowboys (2); and the Albuquerque Isotopes, Denver Bears, Edmonton Trappers, Fresno Grizzlies, Hawaii Islanders, Memphis Redbirds, New Orleans Zephyrs, Omaha Storm Chasers, Phoenix Giants, Sacramento River Cats, Salt Lake Bees, San Francisco Seals, Spokane Indians, and Vancouver Mounties (1).
Seven players from the Houston Astros Major League Baseball (MLB) organization have won the award, more than any other, followed by the Los Angeles Dodgers organization (5); the Chicago Cubs organization (4); the Milwaukee Brewers organization (3); the Los Angeles Angels, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, and Texas Rangers organizations (2); and the Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins, Oakland Athletics, St. Louis Cardinals, and Washington Nationals organizations (1).
| The pitcher's win–loss record during the regular season | ||
| Saves | The number of saves earned by the pitcher, if any, during the regular season | |
|---|---|---|
| ERA | The pitcher's earned run average (ERA) during the regular season | |
| SO | The number of strikeouts recorded by the pitcher during the regular season | |
| Number of wins by pitchers who won the award multiple times |
Active Pacific Coast League teams appear in bold.
| Team | Award(s) | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Tacoma Rainiers (Tacoma Giants/Cubs/Rainiers) | 5 | 1961, 1969, 1971, 2001, 2005 |
| Nashville Sounds | 3 | 2007, 2013, 2014 |
| Oklahoma City Dodgers (Oklahoma City 89ers/RedHawks) | 1967, 2010, 2017 | |
| Round Rock Express | 2006, 2009, 2023 | |
| Albuquerque Dukes | 2 | 1972, 1974 |
| Iowa Cubs | 2015, 2019 | |
| Sugar Land Space Cowboys (Sugar Land Skeeters) | 2021, 2022 | |
| Albuquerque Isotopes | 1 | 2012 |
| Denver Bears | 1966 | |
| Edmonton Trappers | 2004 | |
| Fresno Grizzlies | 2016 | |
| Hawaii Islanders | 1962 | |
| Memphis Redbirds | 2018 | |
| New Orleans Zephyrs | 2002 | |
| Omaha Storm Chasers | 2011 | |
| Phoenix Giants | 1968 | |
| Sacramento River Cats | 2003 | |
| Salt Lake Bees | 2008 | |
| San Francisco Seals | 1957 | |
| Spokane Indians | 1970 | |
| Vancouver Mounties | 1960 |
Active Pacific Coast League–Major League Baseball affiliations appear in bold.
| Organization | Award(s) | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Houston Astros | 7 | 1967, 2002, 2006, 2009, 2016, 2021, 2022 |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 5 | 1970, 1972, 1974, 2012, 2017 |
| Chicago Cubs | 4 | 1969, 1971, 2015, 2019 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | 3 | 2007, 2013, 2014 |
| Los Angeles Angels | 2 | 1962, 2008 |
| San Francisco Giants | 1961, 1968 | |
| Seattle Mariners | 2001, 2005 | |
| Texas Rangers | 2010, 2023 | |
| Baltimore Orioles | 1 | 1960 |
| Boston Red Sox | 1957 | |
| Kansas City Royals | 2011 | |
| Minnesota Twins | 1966 | |
| Oakland Athletics | 2003 | |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 2018 | |
| Washington Nationals (Montreal Expos) | 2004 |