AA
Eastern League
The Akron RubberDucks of the Cleveland Indians organization swept their way to an Eastern League title over Trenton Thunder of the New York Yankees organization 3-0. Catcher Eric Haase drove in 7 runs in the championship series to take the MVP award. Dave Wallace managed the RubberDucks. Akron won the Western division championship, but they had a worse record than both representatives from the Eastern division.
Akron got to the championship game by defeating the Altoona Curve of the Pittsburgh Pirates organization 3-1. Trenton defeated the high-powered Reading Fightin Phils of the Philadelphia Phillies organization 3-1 to earn their championship birth. Reading had Dylan Cozens and Rhys Hoskins, who had 40 and 38 home runs, respectively, on the season to drastically outpace the rest of their league.
Southern League
A loaded Jackson Generals (Seattle Mariners affiliate) team completed their excellent season with a sweep of the Mississippi Braves of the Atlanta Braves organization, 3-0. High-end prospect Tyler O’Neill won the MVP in the series after winning the league’s regular season MVP. Jackson swept the regular season awards, actually, with pitcher Ryan Yarbough winning the outstanding pitcher award and manager Darren Brown chosen as the Manager of the Year.
Jackson defeated the Montgomery Biscuits of the Tampa Bay Rays organization 3-1 in the first round while Mississippi defeated Pensacola Blue Wahoos, who had the best record in the league this season. Mississippi lost their top player, league batting champion Ozzie Albies, in the first game of their series against Pensacola, and they did not have him at the top of their lineup int he championship series.
Texas League
The Midland RockHounds of the Oakland Athletics organization won their third straight Texas League championship as they defeated the Northwest Arkansas Naturals of the Kansas City Royals organization 3-1. Midland was managed by Ryan Christenson.
Midland ran away with the second-half title, with a 7-game lead on the second-best team in the league. They finished with the second-best overall record to Corpus Christi Hooks of the Houston Astros organization, who dominated the first half but saw a lot of their players promoted to AAA and the major leagues in the second half.
Midland defeated Corpus Christi 3-1 to make the championship series. Northwest Arkansas defeated the Springfield Cardinals of the St. Louis Cardinals organization 3-1 to make the series. The three straight titles marks the first time that this has happened in the Texas League since 1925.
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