Kansas City Royals Minor League Players of the Year

From www.minorleaguebaseball.com:

01/23/2008 8:50 PM ET
Aviles, Hardy win Kansas City awards
Infielder, left-hander named Minor League Players of 2007
By Dick Kaegel / MLB.com


Rowdy Hardy was 15-5 with a 2.48 ERA in 26 games for the Blue Rocks in 2007. (Ben Platt/MLB.com)

KANSAS CITY -- Infielder Mike Aviles, a repeat winner, and pitcher Rowdy Hardy, a crafty left-hander, have been named the Royals' Minor League Players of the Year for 2007.
Each will receive the Alex George Award for being named the top players in the organization.
Hardy was 15-5 with a 2.48 ERA in 26 games for Class A Advanced Wilmington. He has a modest 85- to 86-mph fastball and an outstanding changeup to go with a slider and a developing curveball.
His control is exceptional -- he walked just 16 in 167 innings. He also hit 15 batters, an indication that he's willing to pitch inside.
"He's going to pitch with a well-below-average fastball and commands it very well," said J.J. Picollo, director of player development. "He can go in on hitters or pitch off the plate. In fact, he pitched in on right-handed hitters and left-handed hitters as effectively as anybody we had. He knows the importance of pitching in."
Hardy is likely to move up to the new Double-A Northwest Arkansas club this year.
"He was really and truly our best guy from start to finish, although we had a couple of guys with comparable numbers, particularly Julio Pimentel [12-4], who was there with him," Picollo said. "But Rowdy was from day one was the most dominant and consistent starter we had throughout the year.
"He's really kind of fun to watch. In the Carolina League, there are only eight teams, so he's facing the same seven teams over and over and over again, and the results never really changed. The league wasn't able to make adjustments to him."
Aviles also was named the organization's top player in his first pro season, 2003, when he batted .363 for the Arizona Royals. Last season, his second with Omaha, he hit .296 with 27 doubles, 17 homers and 77 RBIs.
"He hit .270 or so in Triple-A in 2006 and went back there and averaged just under .300," Picollo said. "He was another one who was consistent from day one to the last day."
Aviles played second base as well as third base and shortstop. He has a non-roster invitation to the Royals' Major League camp this spring.
"He's got a plus arm, so that's why you hesitate to not have him play on the left side, but with his tool set and his offensive skills, he would make a very good second baseman," Picollo said.
Duckworth designated: Pitcher Brandon Duckworth was designated for assignment Wednesday, clearing roster space for newly signed pitcher Brett Tomko.
Duckworth, who was arbitration-eligible, has already signed a contract with the Royals. If he clears waivers, he could remain with the club by accepting an assignment to Omaha.
Shortstop Jason Smith followed a similar path and will be in camp with the Royals.
Duckworth was injured part of last season and finished with a 3-5 record and 4.63 ERA in 26 games. He began the season in the rotation but was switched to the bullpen.
Top 10 list: It was no surprise that shortstop Mike Moustakas was put at the top of the Royals' top 10 prospects by Baseball America. Moustakas was KC's top Draft pick last summer.
But the publication did raise an eyebrow or two by ranking right-handed pitcher Daniel Cortes No. 2, ahead of highly regarded righty Luke Hochevar.
"Cortes really has made unbelievable strides," Picollo said. "First of all, when he first signed, he was about 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds. Now he's 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds. ... He's as good as anybody you could see -- 97 mph, throwing strikes with his fastball, he's got a power curveball and he's got some feel for his changeup that we need to be sure he uses enough."
Cortes, 20, came from the White Sox with Tyler Lumsden in the 2006 deal for Mike MacDougal. He's expected to compete for a job at the Double-A level this year.
Hochevar is expected to compete for the Royals' rotation in Spring Training after an impressive September callup. Moustakas is ticketed for Class A Burlington.
Here's the Baseball America prospect list for the Royals: 1. Moustakas; 2. Cortes; 3. Hochevar; 4. RHP Blake Wood; 5. LHP Danny Duffy; 6. RHP Carlos Rosa; 7. RHP Julio Pimentel; 8. RHP Matt Mitchell; 9. RHP Yasuhiko Yabuta; 10. OF Derrick Robinson.
Yabuta, coming from Japan, is 34 and was signed for the Royals' bullpen.
Dick Kaegel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.