Brewer Hicklen’s historic season highlights KC Royals’ minor-league award winners

Kansas City Star - 9/19/2022

Outfielder Brewer Hicklen made his major-league debut this spring when the Kansas City Royals were temporarily short-handed due to a coronavirus outbreak. Now, he’ll finish the season as the organization’s Triple-A Player of the Year.

The Royals announced the Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year for their Triple-A and Double-A affiliates on Monday morning.

Hicklen, 26, earned the top honor for the Omaha Storm Chasers, the Royals’ highest level affiliate in the minor leagues. Right-handed relief pitcher Andres Núñez garnered Triple-A Pitcher of the Year honors. Outfielder Tyler Gentry and left-handed starting pitcher Drew Parrish took home the Double-A accolades.

The Royals will recognize all 12 of the Players and Pitchers of the Year for each of their minor-league teams on Futures Night at Kauffman Stadium on Friday, September 23.

Hicklen has slashed .246/.350/.499 with 24 doubles, 28 home runs, 34 stolen bases, 82 runs scored and 83 RBIs through 123 games.

He became the fourth Royals minor leaguer since 2005 to record a 20-20-20 season with at least 20 home runs, doubles and stolen bases.The others to accomplish that feat were current Royals rookie Bobby Witt Jr. (2021), Alex Gordon (2006) and Alan Moye (2005).

Entering this week, Hicklen ranks among the Top 10 among Triple-A players in home runs (28, tied for fourth), extra-base hits (55, sixth), stolen bases (34, tied for seventh) and total bases (225, 10th).

Núñez, who will turn 27 on Tuesday, has gone 5-3 with a team-high seven saves and posted a 3.41 ERA with 69 strikeouts and 14 walks in 52 relief appearances. He has posted a 10.24 strikeout per 9 and a 4.93-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He has converted on all seven save opportunities in September.

Gentry, 23, began the season at High-A Quad Cities. A former third-round draft pick (2020), Gentry moved up to Double-A in June. In 73 games for Northwest Arkansas, he has slashed 321/.417/.555 with 16 home runs, 16 doubles and 63 RBIs.

He leads Northwest Arkansas in batting average and slugging percentage, and he also ranks among the team leaders in on-base percentage (second), home runs (second) and RBIs (third).

Parrish, 24, is currently pitching for Triple-A Omaha. He began this season with Northwest Arkansas and posted a 4-3 record with 2.13 ERA over 10 starts (55 innings). He struck out 48 batters and walked just 14 for a 3.4-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Parrish held Double-A hittes to a .160 batting average, and he registered a WHIP of 0.82.