Milwaukee Brewers pitching prospect Johnny Hellweg was named the Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Year on Wednesday, earning more than half of the votes cast by the league's managers and media members.
Hellweg is 11-5 with a 3.16 ERA for Triple-A Nashville, ranking second in the PCL in wins and ERA. The 24-year-old hit his stride in June and July, allowing just one earned run over 38 innings of work.
His ERA has jumped of late due to a 6.48 ERA in five August starts, but the hard-throwing Hellweg still is in line to rejoin the Brewers when rosters expand Sunday.
Called up for the first time in late June, Hellweg went 0-3 with a 10.97 ERA in three starts and one relief appearance for the Brewers. Command issues caught of to Hellweg at the big-league level, as he walked 13 and struck out just three in 10 2/3 innings.
There's no doubt the stuff is there for Hellweg to become a top of the rotation starter, but his battle with command and walks will be the deciding factor. In 119 2/3 innings in Triple-A this season, the right-hander has 79 walks and 84 strikeouts.
The return Brewers general manager Doug Melvin was able to get back in the trade of Zack Greinke to the Angels last July continues to look promising for Milwaukee. It was evident Greinke was going to move on after the season and Melvin was able to get a significant haul.
Shortstop Jean Segura made the All-Star team in his first full season in the big leagues, while Hellweg has turned into one of the organization's top prospects. Ariel Pena, the other pitcher acquired in the deal, has a 3.87 ERA and 125 strikeouts in 26 starts for Double-A Huntsville this season.
Hellweg, who will make his final start for Nashville on Friday against Iowa, is the first member of the Brewers organization to take home this honor since R.A. Dickey in 2007.
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