Pelicans manager Johnson, others nab season awards

A year after being named the Baseball America Minor League Manager of the Year, Mark Johnson was named the Carolina League 2015 Manager of the Year, the league announced Saturday.

The Pelicans manager joins utility infielder Chesny Young and outfielder Mark Zagunis, who represent will Myrtle Beach as Year-End All-Stars.

Meanwhile, Lynchburg's Nellie Rodriguez was named the Carolina League MVP and Winston-Salem's Matt Heidenreich was named Pitcher of the Year.

Zagunis – the Cubs' ninth-ranked prospect according to MLBPipeline.com – leads the Carolina League with a .407 on-base percentage and has a .276 batting average, which is fifth in the Carolina League. Zagunis also has eight home runs – the second most on the team – and has 53 RBIs.

Young – in his first full professional season – has been awfully consistent for the Pelicans. His .332 batting average leads the Carolina League and in fact, Young is the only player in the league batting above .300. Young's .398 on-base percentage is the second-highest in the Carolina League, behind only Zagunis.

On June 6, Young began an on-base streak that lasted 44 consecutive games, an all-time Carolina League record (the Carolina League began tracking on-base streaks in 2009).

Johnson, in his fifth managerial campaign in the Cubs system, has led the Pelicans to a playoff berth as Myrtle Beach won the Carolina League southern division first half title. Johnson has also led the Pelicans to the best record in the Carolina League at 76-53.

A former Major League catcher with eight years of big league experience between the White Sox, Athletics, Brewers, and Cardinals, Johnson was at the helm of last year's Class-A Kane County team that posted the best record in Minor League Baseball (91-49) en route to a 7-0 postseason run and a Midwest League Championship.

Johnson is the fourth Pelicans manager to win the league Manager of the Year Award. Brian Snitker won it in 2000 on the way to the team’s last and only outright Mills Cup Championship. Rocket Wheeler (2008) and Jason Wood (2013) also previously won the honor.

Last year, four Pelicans players were named Year-End All-Stars, including third baseman Joey Gallo, who was named Carolina League MVP.

This story was originally published August 29, 2015 at 10:09 PM with the headline "Pelicans manager Johnson, others nab season awards."