2026_Program_layout - Flipbook - Page 39
Each year, Albuquerque Isotopes players vote on team awards based on performance on the 昀椀eld while fans also vote for their favorite Isotope and
Manager of Community Relations, Brandon Ortega, chooses the Community Award. The 2025 award winners are as follows.
Out昀椀elder Sam Hilliard was named the club’s Most Valuable Player. Over 91 games, he slashed .288/.367/.565 with 25 doubles, 12 triples, 17
homers, 15 steals and 66 RBI. He became the eighth Triple-A player since 2005 (sixth in the Paci昀椀c Coast League) to record 25+ doubles, 10+
triples, 15+ homers and 15+ stolen bases in a season (last: Las Vegas’ Jorge Mateo, 2019). For the season, he was among Paci昀椀c Coast League
leaders in triples (1st, 12), slugging percentage (2nd, .565), OPS (4th, .932) and extra-base hits (T-4th, 54).
On April 25 at Reno, Hilliard became the all-time home run leader in Albuquerque professional baseball history with his 80th blast. Hilliard is among
Isotopes career batting leaders in triples (1st, 28), at-bats (2nd, 1,445), games (2nd, 371), runs (2nd, 288), doubles, (2nd, 86), RBI (2nd, 280), hits
(3rd, 397) and stolen bases (4th, 60).
Hilliard was also voted by Isotopes fans as the Fan Favorite. He becomes the eighth Isotope to win both MVP and Fan Favorite, the last being
catcher Willie MacIver in 2024.
In昀椀elder Keston Hiura was voted as the Power Hitter of the Year. Over 100 games, he compiled a .272/.369/.507 slashline with 21 doubles, three
triples, 21 homers and 67 RBI. On May 25 at Reno, Hiura became the second Isotope to homer twice in an inning (other: Drew Weeks, July 11,
2019). He also swatted three multi-homer games, the 24th time an Isotope has tallied at least three multi-homer contests in a single season. From
May 1-July 2, he recorded a 31-game on-base streak, the 昀椀fth-longest streak in the Paci昀椀c Coast League in 2025.
Pitcher of the Year honors went to right-hander Connor Van Scoyoc. Over 40 appearances out of the bullpen, Van Scoyoc registered a 4.29 ERA (84.
IP, 40 ER) with 46 punchouts and a 1.33 WHIP. Over his 昀椀nal 12 games, he compiled a 1.13 ERA (24.0 IP, 3 ER), the fourth-lowest ERA in Triple-A
during the time frame (min. 12 games). Van Scoyoc allowed one run or fewer in 28 of his 40 appearances on the year and led the team in victories
with eight.
Aaron Schunk showed his defensive prowess by playing all over the diamond, earning Defensive Player of the Year honors. The Atlanta native
played 64 games at third base, 11 at shortstop and eight at second base.
Out昀椀elder Braiden Ward was selected as the Mr. Hustle award winner. In just 43 games, Ward swiped 33 bags, fourth all-time on the Isotopes’
single-season stolen base ledger. His 33 swipes, which included two steals of home, were also the second-most in Triple-A since his promotion to
Albuquerque on July 1 while tallying the fourth-most stolen bases in the Paci昀椀c Coast League during the 2025 season.
Left-handed pitcher Lucas Gilbreath and in昀椀elder Aaron Schunk were both honored as the Jennifer Riordan Most-Community Minded Person.
2025 ALBUQUERQUE ISOTOPES SOUVENIR PROGRAM
39
