Triple-A Oklahoma City righty Wilmer Font was named the 2017 Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Year. The 27-year-old signed a Minor League contract last December and is in his first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers organization.
Font is the second Oklahoma City pitcher to earn Pitcher of the Year honors since the team rejoined the PCL in 1998, and is the first OKC hurler since Michael Kirkman in 2010 to win the award. Font was also named to the 12-man All-PCL team this season.
He leads all Triple-A pitchers and ranks second overall with 178 strikeouts. Font produced five starts with at least 10 strikeouts, which tied Oklahoma City’s single-season record that was set by Jose De Leon in 2016.
One of those performances saw Font collect 15 strikeouts in a start, which marked the most by an Oklahoma City pitcher in a single game since 1998.
He’s 10-8 with a 3.42 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in 25 starts this season. Font leads the PCL in ERA, WHIP and opponents’ batting average (.222). He’s leads the circuit with 11.93 strikeouts per nine innings, is tied for the lead in starts, tied for third in wins and ranks fifth in innings pitched (134.1).
Font was also named a midseason PCL All-Star, started the Triple-A All-Star Game, and included on the 12-man, end-of-season 2017 All-PCL Team. His agent reported Font is among the call-ups the Dodgers are making now that active rosters have expanded.
Font made his MLB debut in 2012 with the Texas Rangers, and hasn’t pitched in the Majors since 2013. He owns a 5.40 ERA, 7.88 FIP and 2.10 WHIP in five career games.
