Tyler Skaggs + Paul Goldschmidt Named Diamondbacks Pitcher and Player of 2011

The Arizona Diamondbacks named left-handed pitcher Tyler Skaggs and infielder Paul Goldschmidt the organization’s Pitcher and Player of the Year, respectively, according to D-backs’ Director, Player Development Mike Bell.

Skaggs, 20, went 9-6 with a 2.96 ERA (52 ER in 158.1 IP) and .218 opponents average with 49 walks and 198 strikeouts in 27 starts between Single-A Advanced Visalia and Double-A Mobile. Among D-backs minor leaguers, he ranked first with 198 strikeouts and second with a 2.96 ERA. Among all minor leaguers, he ranked fourth with 198 strikeouts. He opened the season with Visalia and in 17 starts, went 5-5 with a 3.22 ERA (36 ER in 100.2 IP) and .219 opponents average with 34 walks and 125 strikeouts. He limited lefties to a .195 average with 6 walks and 24 strikeouts and righties to a .226 average with 28 walks and 101 strikeouts.

On July 11, he was transferred to Mobile and in 10 starts, went 4-1 with a 2.50 ERA (16 ER in 57.2 IP) and .216 opponents average with 15 walks and 73 strikeouts. He was undefeated in 5 home starts, going 3-0 with a 1.56 ERA (6 ER in 34.2 IP) and .165 opponents average with 6 walks and 41 strikeouts. He was named the organization’s Pitcher of the Month for May and August. In May with Visalia, he went 4-1 with a 2.25 ERA (10 ER in 40.0 IP) and .188 opponents average with 8 walks and 41 strikeouts. In August with Mobile, he went 2-0 with a 1.41 ERA (5 ER in 32.0 IP) and .131 opponents average with 5 walks and 39 strikeouts. He also earned Southern League Pitcher of the Week honors for Aug. 8-14.

Goldschmidt, 24, earned his second consecutive organizational Player of the Year honors after doing so in 2010 in his first full season in the Minor Leagues. He joins right-handed pitcher Brad Penny (1997, 1998) as the lone D-backs farmhands to win multiple organizational annual honors. Goldschmidt hit .306 (112-for-366) with 21 doubles, 3 triples, 30 home runs, 94 RBI and 82 walks in 103 games for Double-A Mobile along with a .435 on-base percentage, .626 slugging percentage and a 1.061 OPS while reaching base via a hit or walk in 94 of 103 games. He was named the USA Today Minor League Player of the Year, joining Justin Upton (2007) as the lone D-backs to earn the honor, and Southern League MVP.

He earned his promotion to the D-backs on August 1 and at the time, led all minor leaguers with 30 home runs and 94 RBI and ranked second with 82 walks. He was named to the regular and post-season Southern League All-Star teams. He played in the XM All-Star Futures Game on July 10 at Chase Field and was the starting first baseman for the U.S. Futures team. He was the organization’s Player of the Month for April after batting .352 (25-for-71) with 5 doubles, 9 home runs, 22 RBI, 21 walks and a 1.297 OPS. He also earned Southern League Player of the Week honors for April 7-17. He had his contract selected by the D-backs on August 1 and in 48 games, hit .250 (39-for-156) with 9 doubles, a triple, 8 home runs and 26 RBI along with a .333 on-base percentage, a .474 slugging percentage and an .808 OPS.

He made his Major League debut as the starting first baseman on Aug. 1 at the San Francisco Giants and started 41 games at first base over the D-backs’ final 54 regular season games. In 4 games in the National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, he hit .438 (7-for-16) with 2 home runs, 6 RBI, a .526 on-base percentage, an .813 slugging percentage and a 1.339 OPS.