From staff reports
sports@joplinglobe.com
Left-hander Scott Elbert, a former first-round draft choice out of Seneca High School, has been named the Los Angeles Dodgers minor league pitcher of the year.
Elbert, 24, had a 4-4 record and a 3.84 earned run average in 20 games combined between Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Albuquerque. In 96 innings, he struck out 125 batters and walked 44.
He was selected to the Southern League All-Star Game, but did not appear because of his promotion to Albuquerque on June 22. In his first start for the Isotopes, Elbert allowed only one hit — a bloop single — in a rain-shortened complete game. He walked one batter and struck out seven.
Elbert is currently in his fourth stint with the Dodgers and is 2-0 with a 5.40 ERA in 12 relief appearances.
He started the season ranked as the Dodgers No. 5 prospect, according to Baseball America magazine.
In six minor league seasons, Elbert has a 29-23 record with 541 strikeouts in 462 innings, and a 3.27 ERA.
Shortstop Dee Gordon was named the Dodgers minor league player of the year. Gordon, a former fourth-round draft choice, batted .301 for the Great Lakes Loons in the Midwest League and stole a league-high 73 bases.
Gordon is the son of former major league pitcher Tom “Flash” Gordon.
Elbert and Gordon will be honored in a pregame ceremony during the Dodgers final home series of the season, Oct. 2-4 against Colorado.
