Slugger Joey Gallo, who smashed 42 home runs in 2014, was named the Tom Grieve Minor League player of the year for the Texas Rangers.
Gallo will be honored at the Dr Pepper Awards dinner Jan. 23 as will the club's other minor league award winners.
Alex Gonzalez was tabbed the organization's Nolan Ryan pitcher of the year while Hanser Alberto was named the defender of the year. Phil Klein, who pitched some for the Rangers in 2014, was tabbed the organization's reliever of the year.
Gallo, 21, set an organizational minor league record with his 42 homers. He batted .271 between Frisco and Myrtle Beach and has 106 RBI in 126 games. Gonzalez also played for both Myrtle Beach and Frisco, going a combined 12-6 with a 2.66 ERA.
Klein started the season with Frisco and ended it with the Rangers. He had a 2.84 ERA in 17 outings for the Rangers.
The Rangers also added some minor-league depth Thursday, signing right-hander Mason Tobin and first baseman Mike McDade to minor league contracts. Both players will be in minor-league camp.
Tobin pitched briefly for the Rangers in 2011 before having his season cut short by a second Tommy John surgery. He was with the San Francisco organization in 2014, pitching in 27 games in Triple A.
McDade, 25, split the 2014 season between Double A and Triple A for Toronto. He has been with three organizations but has never made it to the majors.
