John Ely, Joc Pederson win Branch Rickey Awards.

The Dodgers chose right-handed pitcher John Ely and outfielder Joc Pederson as the Branch Rickey Minor League Pitcher and Player of the Year, respectively.

They join a list of past winners that includes Pedro Martinez, Eric Karros, Mike Piazza, Paul Konerko, Chin-lung Hu, Joe Thurston and Billy Ashley.

“It was a good season,” said Ely, who learned he won the award two days ago. “The accolades and all, they’re great. I’m just honestly happy to have put together the year that I did. The awards aside…this is where I want to be. That’s what I’m happy about, that (my season at Triple-A) was able to get me here.”

Both Ely and Pederson will be honored in an on-field pregame ceremony prior to tomorrow’s 7:10 p.m. Dodger game against the Colorado Rockies.


Ely was selected as the Triple-A Pacific Coast League’s 2012 Pitcher of the Year after winning the circuit’s Triple Crown: 14 wins, 165 strikeouts and a 3.20 ERA in 27 starts for Albuquerque Isotopes. The 26-year-old was selected as a PCL All-Star and a member of the postseason All-PCL Team. Ely also ranked among the league leaders in innings pitched (168.2, 2nd), opponents’ batting average (.238, 2nd) and WHIP (1.10, 1st).

Ely was added to the 40-man roster on Sept. 1 and has made two relief appearances for the big league club this season –both losses–in which he’s allowed six runs in 2 2/3 innings.

Pederson batted .313 with 26 steals, 26 doubles, four triples, 18 home runs and 70 RBI in 110 games for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga, ranking among the California League leaders in batting average (8th), on-base percentage (.396, 6th) and slugging percentage (.516, 9th). The 20-year-old batted .336 with runners in scoring position and posted three hitting streaks of 10 or more games, including a season-high 15-game run from Aug. 10-25.

A left-handed hitter, Peterson batted .328 in 65 games during the season’s second half and was one of the league’s top power hitters with 20 doubles (T-4th, California League) and 16 home runs (T-6th) after the All-Star break, including a three-homer game on July 1 against High Desert.

Pederson, whom the Dodgers selected in the 11th round of the 2010 draft, is the son of former Dodger outfielder Stu Pederson, who appeared in eight games for Los Angeles in 1985. He recently appeared for Team Israel in its World Baseball Classic qualifier, batting .308 (4-for-13) with three steals and three runs scored in three games. Israel failed to qualify for the WBC.

Pederson was selected to play in the Arizona Fall League and next month will join other top prospects from throughout the league on the Mesa Solar Sox.

The complete list of past winners:

Year Player of the Year Pitcher of the Year
1989 Mike Huff, Albuquerque (OF) Jim Poole, Vero Beach (LHP)
1990 Henry Rodriguez, San Antonio (OF) Jamie McAndrew, Bakersfield/San Antonio (RHP)
1991 Eric Karros, Albuquerque (IB) Pedro Martinez, San Antonio/Albuquerque (RHP)
1992 Mike Piazza, San Antonio/Albuquerque (C) Todd Williams, Bakersfield/San Antonio (RHP)
1993 Billy Ashley, Albuquerque (OF) Kip Gross, Albuquerque (RHP)
1994 Billy Ashley, Albuquerque (OF) Greg Hansell, Albuquerque (RHP)
1995 Adam Riggs, San Bernardino (IF) Gary Rath, San Antonio/Albuquerque (LHP)
1996 Paul Konerko, San Antonio/Albuquerque (IF) Billy Neal, Vero Beach (RHP)
1997 Paul Konerko, Albuquerque (IF) Dennys Reyes, San Antonio/Albuquerque (LHP)
1998 Angel Pea, San Antonio (C) Luke Prokopec, San Bernardino/San Antonio (RHP)
1999 Chin-Feng Chen, San Bernardino (OF) Eric Gagn , San Antonio (RHP)
2000 Joe Thurston, San Bernardino (IF) Carlos Garcia, San Bernardino (RHP)
2001 Phil Hiatt, Las Vegas (IF) Ricardo Rodriguez, Vero Beach (LHP)
2002 Joe Thurston, Las Vegas (IF) Edwin Jackson, South Georgia (RHP)
2003 Franklin Gutierrez, VB/Jacksonville (OF) Greg Miller, Vero Beach/Jacksonville (LHP)
2004 Joel Guzman, Vero Beach/Jacksonville (OF) Chad Billingsley, Vero Beach/Jacksonville (RHP)
2005 Andy LaRoche, Vero Beach/Jacksonville (IF) Chad Billingsley, Jacksonville (RHP)
2006 James Loney, Las Vegas (1B) Mark Alexander, Jacksonville/Las Vegas (RHP)
2007 Chin-lung Hu, Jacksonville/Las Vegas (IF) James McDonald, Inland Empire/Jacksonville (RHP)
2008 Ivan De Jesus, Jr., Jacksonville (IF) James McDonald, Jacksonville/Los Angeles (RHP)
2009 Dee Gordon, Great Lakes (IF) Scott Elbert, Chattanooga/Albuquerque/Los Angeles (LHP)
2010 Jerry Sands, Great Lakes/Chattanooga (IF/OF) Rubby De La Rosa, Great Lakes/Chattanooga (RHP)
2011 Scott Van Slyke, Chattanooga (IF/OF) Shawn Tolleson, Great Lakes/Rancho/Chattanooga (RHP)

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About J.P. Hoornstra

J.P. Hoornstra covers the Dodgers, Angels and Major League Baseball for the Orange County Register, Los Angeles Daily News, Long Beach Press-Telegram, Torrance Daily Breeze, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Pasadena Star-News, San Bernardino Sun, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Whittier Daily News and Redlands Daily Facts. Before taking the beat in 2012, J.P. covered the NHL for four years. UCLA gave him a degree once upon a time; when he graduated on schedule, he missed getting Arnold Schwarzenegger's autograph on his diploma by five months.