Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Brock Stewart received the 2016 MiLBY Top Starting Pitcher Award, handed out by the MiLB.com staff. He was previously named the Dodgers’ Minor League pitcher of the Year and was also recognized by MLB Pipeline as the organization’s top pitching prospect for 2016.
Stewart was among the multiple pitchers who received an opportunity with the Dodgers this season because of their rash of injuries. He began the year with High-A Rancho Cucamonga, and pitched for Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City.
In 11 innings pitched over two starts with the Quakes, Stewart allowed just five hits and one run, collecting two consecutive victories before his first promotion.
He then made 10 starts for the Drillers, going 3-4 with a 1.37 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and .196 opponents’ batting average. Stewart carried his success up to Triple-A, where he went 3-0 with a 2.89 ERA and 27 strikeouts prior to joining the Dodgers.
Overall with Oklahoma City he was 4-0 with a 2.49 ERA and 0.93 WHIP in nine starts. The 25-year-old owned a cumulative 1.79 ERA in the Minors.
Stewart made his Major League debut against the Milwaukee Brewers on June 29. He incurred some trouble with the home-run ball, pitching to a 5.79 ERA over 28 innings in seven games (five starts) with the Dodgers.
