The New York Yankees announced Tuesday that RHP Clarke Schmidt has won the 2020 James P. Dawson Award, which is given annually to the most outstanding Yankees rookie in Spring Training.
Between the truncated spring and three Summer Camp exhibitions, Schmidt made four official appearances, posting a 2.57 ERA with eight strikeouts. He also pitched in a few unofficial intra-squad games, impressing there in limited action as well, including showing off what Baseball America tabbed as the best curveball in the system.
The James P. Dawson Award is named in honor of James P. Dawson, who began a 45-year career with The New York Times as a copy boy in 1908 and covered boxing and baseball until his death during spring training in 1953. It is now voted on by Yankees beat writers, and has been given annually since Casey Stengel awarded it to Norm Siebern in 1956.
Stephen Tarpley was last year's winner, and two previous recipients have gone on to win AL Rookie of the Year: Tony Kubek (1957) and Tom Tresh (1962).
Per the Yankees, Schmidt, who is the No. 2 prospect in the Yankees' system according to Baseball America, will also receive a watch from Betteridge Jewelers in conjunction with the award.
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