Kansas City Royals

Royals prospects Schwindel, Griffin earn top organization 2017 honors

Published Feb. 13, 2018 1:29 p.m. ET

Kansas City Royals prospects Frank Schwindel and Foster Griffin have been honored as the organization's 2017 player and pitcher of the year, respectively, the team announced Tuesday.

Schwindel, 25, was tabbed the George Brett Hitter of the Year, while Griffin, 22, was named the Paul Splittorff Pitcher of the Year. Both players will be recognized during spring training.

Schwindel was previously named Triple-A Omaha's Player of the Year for 2017. The first baseman hit 43 doubles, 23 home runs and 97 RBIs in 133 games with Double-A Northwest Arkansas and Omaha. An 18th-round draft pick in 2013, Schwindel had three hitting streaks of 10-plus games, including an 18-gamer. He had at least one hit in 47 of his last 50 games.

Griffin went 11-5 with a 3.61 ERA in 18 starts following his promotion from Class A Wilmington to Northwest Arkansas, where he was named Pitcher of the Year in 2017. The left-hander's 15 victories between the two levels were the most by a Royals minor league pitcher since Jake Odorizzi had 15 in 2012. Griffin, a 2014 first-round draft selection, was named a Carolina League All-Star and selected to the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game in Miami last season.