Chicago Cubs: Tseng, Caratini named MiLB Pitcher and Player of the year

The Chicago Cubs named their Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Year winners on Wednesday afternoon. Victor Caratini capped off a sensational year to win the Player of the Year, and Jen-Ho Tseng won his second Pitcher of the Year Award.

There’s been a lot of players heading out of the Chicago Cubs system over the last few months. But that doesn’t take away from the talent that is still there. The Cubs named their Pitcher and Player of the Year winners, and one is still contributing as we speak.

Catcher Victor Caratini has been up and down a few times this season but has stayed up with the Cubs during September. He hit .342 (110-for-292) with 27 doubles, three triples, 10 homers and 61 RBI with Iowa. Caratini has played 24 games with the Cubs this season, batting .250 with a home run and two RBI. He took home the Minor League Player of the Year twice this season in May and June. It was about that time that he began shuttling to Chicago and back, or he might have won it again.

Jen-Ho repeat

For Jen-Ho Tseng, this is a familiar award for him. Tseng won it in 2014 in his first season with the Cubs organization. After a few years of “growing pains”, Tseng responded in a big way to earn the award a second time. In his work with Double-A Tennesee and Triple-A Iowa, Tseng notched a stellar 13-4 record with a 2.54 ERA. His time in Iowa was the most impressive as he went 6-1 with a 1.80 ERA (11ER/55.0IP) in nine starts.

Both of these young men look to figure in the Cubs plans. Caratini has already gotten a taste of the big leagues, and many feel he has the skills to be an excellent backup to Willson Contreras in the coming years. With the unsureness of the Cubs rotation in 2018, Tseng may get the chance to prove he belongs next year in Spring Training.

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Both Caratini and Tseng will be honored during an on-field ceremony on Friday, Sept, 15. Coincidentally, the Cubs are playing the Cardinals that day. Then again, the Cubs don’t seem to do anything by coincidence that involves the Cards.