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Midwest League Reference Pages

Annual Hitting Leaders

This page lists the yearly batting average, home run, and RBI champions of the Midwest League, a Single-A minor baseball league with teams in several states. This table includes hitting leaders for the MWL predecessors the Mississippi-Ohio Valley League and the Illinois State League.

New
14mar97
Changed
31aug10
Major Change
24nov09

These players lead the Midwest League in the "Triple Crown" stats: Batting Average, Home Runs, and Runs Batted In. There's one player on this list who went on to an exceptional career in the big leagues--Orlando Cepeda, who played at Kokomo in 1955. A fair number of these players had good to excellent major league careers--Dick Schofield (junior; Danville in 1982), Mark Grace (Peoria, 1986), and Gary Gaetti (Wisconsin Rapids, 1980) are three examples. Most, though, are players you won't remember unless you saw them play here.

A couple other players on this list deserve some attention. Grover "Deacon" Jones had an excellent season in Dubuque in 1956; he had another a decade later in the Fox Cities. Joey Meyer captured the triple crown while at Beloit in 1984.

And Moe Hill dominated the league in the mid-1970s (1973 triple crown; four homer titles). No one had a better MWL career.

Reference

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2000-09

	Batting Average			Home Runs			RBIs
Year	Player	Team	BA	Player	Team	HR	Player	Team	RBI
2009	Alexis Amarista	Cedar Rapids	.319	Kyle Russell	Great Lakes	26	Kyle Russell	Great Lakes	102
2008	Ben Revere	Beloit	.379	Mike Moustakis	Burlington	22	Mitch Moreland	Clinton	99
2007	Gerardo Parra	South Bend	.320	Juan Francisco	Dayton	25	Travis Snider	Lansing	93
2006	Erik Lis	Beloit	.326	Jordan Renz	Cedar Rapids	24	Jeff Baisley	Kane County	110
2005	Eric Patterson	Peoria	.333	Ryan Harvey	Peoria	24	David Winfree	Beloit	101
2004	Brendan Ryan	Peoria	.322	Brian Dopirak	Lansing	39	Vinny Rottino	Beloit	124
2003	Alberto Callaspo	Cedar Rapids	.327	Jayson Drobiak	Battle Creek	30	Prince Fielder	Beloit	112
2002	Jason Stokes	Kane County	.341	Jason Stokes	Kane County	27	Juan Tejeda	West Michigan	106
2001	Jason Bay	Clinton	.362	Samone Peters	Dayton	28	Wily Mo Pena	Dayton	113
2000	Ryan Gripp	Lansing	.333	Austin Kearns	Dayton	27	Jason Lane	Michigan	104
2000	Ryan Gripp	Lansing	.333	Austin Kearns	Dayton	27	Austin Kearns	Dayton	104

1990-99

	Batting Average			Home Runs			RBIs
Year	Player	Team	BA	Player	Team	HR	Player	Team	RBI
1999	Carlos Urquiola	South Bend	.362	Aaron McNeal	Michigan	38	Aaron McNeal	Michigan	131
1998	Pablo Ozuna	Peoria	.357	Bucky Jacobsen	Beloit	27	Bucky Jacobsen	Beloit	100
1997	Robert Fick	West Michigan	.341	Joe Freitas	Peoria	33	Darron Ingram	Burlington	97
1996	Kerry Robinson	Peoria	.359	Larry Barnes	Cedar Rapids	27	Larry Barnes	Cedar Rapids	112
1995	Demond Smith	Cedar Rapids/ West Michigan	.338	Jesse Ibarra	Burlington	34	Nilson Robledo	South Bend	108
1994	Carlos Mendez	Rockford	.355	Matt Raleigh	Burlington	34	Billy McMillon	Kane County	101
1993	Homer Bush	Waterloo	.322	Joe Biasucci	Springfield	26	Charles Johnson	Kane County	94
1992	Orlando Palmiero	Quad City	.317	Steve Gibralter	Cedar Rapids	19	Steve Gibralter	Cedar Rapids	99
1991	Midre Cummings	Kenosha	.322	Paul Russo	Kenosha	20	Paul Russo	Kenosha	100
1990	Scott Cepicky	South Bend	.312	Fred Cooley	Madison	22	John Byington	Beloit	89

1980-89

	Batting Average			Home Runs			RBIs
Year	Player	Team	BA	Player	Team	HR	Player	Team	RBI
1989	Adam Casillas	Cedar Rapids	.321	Tom Redington	Burlington	17	Terrel Hansen	Rockford	81
1989	Adam Casillas	Cedar Rapids	.321	Tom Redington	Burlington	17	Cesar Bernhardt	South Bend	81
1988	Ruben Gonzalez	Wausau	.314	Brian Hunter	Burlington	22	Reggie Jefferson	Cedar Rapids	90
1988	Ruben Gonzalez	Wausau	.314	Steve Davis	Cedar Rapids	22	Reggie Jefferson	Cedar Rapids	90
1987	Chip Hale	Kenosha	.345	Greg Vaughn	Beloit	33	Todd Zeile	Springfield	106
1986	Mark Grace	Peoria	.342	Luis Medina	Waterloo	35	Luis Medina	Waterloo	110
1985	Henry McCulla	Springfield	.317	Bernardo Brito	Waterloo	29	Jim Winters	Appleton	91
1984	Joey Meyer	Beloit	.320	Joey Meyer	Beloit	30	Joey Meyer	Beloit	102
1983	Javier Ortiz	Burlington	.352	Dave Heath	Peoria	27	Curt Ford	Springfield	91
1982	Dick Schofield	Danville	.360	Jeff Jones	Cedar Rapids	42	Alan Hunsinger	Springfield	102
1981	Ed Saavedra	Waterloo	.336	Glen Walker	Wausau	35	Glen Walker	Wausau	111
1980	Von Hayes	Waterloo	.329	Gary Gaetti	Wisconsin Rapids	22	Greg Walker	Appleton	98

1970-79

	Batting Average			Home Runs			RBIs
Year	Player	Team	BA	Player	Team	HR	Player	Team	RBI
1979	Mitch Webster	Clinton	.326	Tom Anderson	Waterloo	30	David Stockstill	Wausau	101
1978	Bobby G. Smith	Burlington	.336	Billy Foley	Burlington	34	Brian Harper	Quad Cities	101
1977	Elmer Cardwell	Wausau	.332	Moe Hill	Wisconsin Rapids	41	Moe Hill	Wisconsin Rapids	112
1976	Don Pisker	Dubuque	.345	Moe Hill	Wisconsin Rapids	30	Moe Hill	Wisconsin Rapids	103
1975	Pedro Guerrero	Danville	.345	Moe Hill	Wisconsin Rapids	31	Willie Aikens	Quad Cities	91
1974	Moe Hill	Wisconsin Rapids	.339	Moe Hill	Wisconsin Rapids	32	Moe Hill	Wisconsin Rapids	113
1973	Jerry Remy	Quad Cities	.335	Randy Bass	Wisconsin Rapids	21	Chet Lemon	Burlington	88
1972	Duane Espy	Danville	.340	Lamar Johnson	Appleton	20	Lamar Johnson	Appleton	89
1971	Randy Crews	Quincy	.323	Gorman Thomas	Danville	31	Lamar Johnson	Appleton	97
1970	Cecil Cooper	Danville	.336	Roger Cain	Burlington	23	Joe Bowen	Danville	83

1960-69

	Batting Average			Home Runs			RBIs
Year	Player	Team	BA	Player	Team	HR	Player	Team	RBI
1969	Ted Parks	Waterloo	.307	Chris Barkulis	Quincy	18	William Parker	Quad Cities	67
1969	Ted Parks	Waterloo	.307	Robert Wissler	Wisconsin Rapids	18	Nick Van Lue	Waterloo	67
1968	George Hendrick	Burlington	.327	Roe Skidmore	Decatur	27	Roe Skidmore	Decatur	94
1967	Charlie Manuel	Wisconsin Rapids	.313	Jim Williams	Quincy	17	Charlie Manuel	Wisconsin Rapids	70
1967	Charlie Manuel	Wisconsin Rapids	.313	Jim Williams	Quincy	17	Jim Williams	Quincy	70
1966	Deacon Jones	Fox Cities	.353	Graig Nettles	Wisconsin Rapids	28	Deacon Jones	Fox Cities	80
1965	Dan DiPace	Wisconsin Rapids	.333	Randy Schwartz	Burlington	29	John Oster	Wisconsin Rapids	94
1964	Dave May	Fox Cities	.368	Rene Lachemann	Burlington	24	Clarence Stanley	Decatur	93
1963	Tommie Reynolds	Burlington	.332	Lincoln Curtis	Cedar Rapids	28	Tommie Reynolds	Burlington	88
1963	Tommie Reynolds	Burlington	.332	Lincoln Curtis	Cedar Rapids	28	Tony Horton	Waterloo	88
1962	Tony Torchia	Keokuk/ Midwest	.338	John Price	Decatur	27	Tony Torchia	Keokuk/ Midwest	94
1961	Antonio Martinez	Quincy	.368	Bob Lawrence	Waterloo	30	Bob Lawrence	Waterloo	127
1960	Julio Linares	Quincy	.324	Art Blunt	Dubuque	26	Art Blunt	Dubuque	92

1947-59

	Batting Average			Home Runs			RBIs
Year	Player	Team	BA	Player	Team	HR	Player	Team	RBI
1959	Don Branson	Keokuk	.336	Dale Reichert	Kokomo	30	Dale Reichert	Kokomo	116
1958	Lou Johnson	Paris	.336	Gus Sancimino	Kokomo	29	Fred Whitfield	Keokuk	118
1957	Tommy Davis	Kokomo	.357	Don Gordon	Dubuque	22	Don Gordon	Dubuque	116
1956	Deacon Jones	Dubuque	.409	Carroll Gholson	Paris	30	Deacon Jones	Dubuque	120

Mississippi-Ohio Valley League

	Batting Average			Home Runs			RBIs
Year	Player	Team	BA	Player	Team	HR	Player	Team	RBI
1955	Orlando Cepeda	Kokomo	.393	Walt Dixon	Kokomo	24	Jimmy Lynn	Dubuque	121
1954	John Lucadello	Decatur	.362	J. C. Dunn	Hannibal	26	Joe Schmidt	Paris	125
1953	Bob Schmidt	Mt. Vernon	.358	Ken Payne	Paris	16	Jim Freeman	Decatur	106
1952	Clint McCord	Paris	.392	Jim Zapp	Paris	20	Jim Zapp	Paris	136
1951	Clint McCord	Paris	.363	Lew Bekeza	Centralia	16	Jim Given	Mt. Vernon	119
1951	Clint McCord	Paris	.363	Clint McCord	Paris	16	Jim Given	Mt. Vernon	119
1950	Jim Belz	West Frankfort	.349	Ken Dickens	Vincennes	21	Lew Bezeka	Centralia	120
1949	Malcolm "Bunny" Mick	Belleville	.354	Art Oliver	Paducah	17	Dick Martz	Paducah	100

Illinois State League

	Batting Average			Home Runs			RBIs
Year	Player	Team	BA	Player	Team	HR	Player	Team	RBI
1948	Dick Martz	Marion	.361	Paul Deters	Marion	8	Frank Porreca	West Frankfort	94
1947	Billy Klaus	Centralia	.341	Rip Repulski	West Frankfort	10	Billy Klaus	Centralia	84

Sources:
News Sources.
Assorted Baseball America Almanacs.
The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 2nd ed, 1997.

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The Midwest League plays Single-A, professional baseball in America's agricultural and industrial heartland. 16 teams play a 140 game schedule which begins in early April and ends Labor Day weekend.

Disclaimers:
This website is a private project and has no official relation with or sanction from the Midwest League or Minor League Baseball.
The opinions expressed on this page are mine, and are worth about that.