HogNation.net announced that Drew Smyly has been named the 2011 Minor League Player of the Year, an honor given each year to the former Razorback player that accomplishes the most in minor league baseball. Former winners also include 2010 winner Dallas Keuchel, and current major leaguers Cliff Lee, Craig Gentry, and Eric Hinske, among others.
After being drafted in the second round by the Detroit Tigers in 2010, Smyly began his minor league career in 2011 at A+ Lakeland. He was 7-3 with a 2.58 ERA, 77 strikeouts and 21 walks in 80.1 innings for the Flying Tigers. He was named the Florida State League Pitcher of the Week on June 13. Following his solid performance at Lakeland, Smyly was promoted to AA Erie on June 29 and went 4-3 with a 1.18 ERA, 53 strikeouts and 15 walks in 45.2 innings for the SeaWolves.
Smyly was named the Detroit Tigers Minor League Pitcher of the Month for July and was the Tigers Minor League Pitcher of the Year. He was the HogNation Minor League Player of the Week nine times this season, his first as a professional.
Smyly, a Little Rock native (Central High), pitched for the Razorbacks in 2009 and 2010. He compiled a 12-2 record, a 3.47 ERA and 174 strikeouts in 161.0 innings over his two seasons. In the 2009 postseason he pitched a near no-hitter against Oklahoma in the regional, which helped Arkansas reach its sixth College World Series.
He will represent the United States at the 2011 World Cup, which will be held in Panama October 1-15 and the 2011 Pan-American games, which will be held in Guadalajara, Mexico October 19-25.
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