Baseball in Fort Wayne

In a season full of honors and records, six Fort Wayne TinCaps players were honored Friday with the team’s annual awards. Outfielders Daniel Robertson, Blake Tekotte and Jaff Decker, infielder Drew Cumberland and right handers Simon Castro and Brad Brach took earned awards for their achievements.Decker, 19, and Tekotte, 22, were named the team’s co-MVPs. Decker is hitting .300 with 16 home runs and 63 RBIs.

Tekotte was on the Opening Day roster and was steady defensively in center field. The University of Miami product picked it up in the second half, batting .270 since the All-Star break. Tekotte also leads the team with 30 stolen bases.

Castro, 21, was honored as the TinCaps Starting Pitcher of the Year. The Dominican native went 10-6 with a 3.33 ERA and leads the Midwest League with 148 strikeouts. On August 18th, he fired Fort Wayne’s first-ever no-hitter, a seven-inning gem against the Dayton Dragons.

Brach, 23, earned the Relief Pitcher of the Year award. The Monmouth University product was a Midwest League Mid-Season and Full-Season All-Star. He is 3-3 with a 1.29 ERA and a league-leading 33 saves. Brach was a 42nd-round selection in last year’s draft.

Robertson, 23, was named the TinCaps’ Community Player of the Year for his impact in the Fort Wayne area. The Oregon State University product was among the most active TinCaps players in the community, attending events including skills clinics and charity functions.

“Daniel has always been eager to help out with our community outreach,” TinCaps Promotions Director Abby Naas said. “He’s a great example of how our players have not only been excellent baseball players, but excellent people.”

Cumberland, 20, received the TinCaps’ Teammate of the Year award. He was voted as the best clubhouse presence on the team.

“This team has the best camaraderie I’ve ever seen,” TinCaps President Mike Nutter said. “Drew was a big part of that, whether it was playing jokes on guys, reading tongue-twisters or just bringing the movies on our road trips.”

The TinCaps finish their regular-season slate this weekend at West Michigan. They then start the Midwest League playoffs on September 9th on the road before a home playoff game on Thursday, September 9th at 7:05pm at Parkview Field.