[OmahaBaseball]

Platinum Stick Winners Announced in South Atlantic League

Any South Atlantic League manager would love to pencil a Platinum Stick Award winner into the lineup, and this year’s group of offensive standouts showed exactly why. The 2024 honorees were recognized as the top hitters at their positions across the league, combining elite production, consistency, and game-changing power.

Bowling Green catcher Dominic Keegan set the tone with one of the league’s most dangerous all-around offensive seasons, slashing .320/.449/.607 with 29 homers and an eye-opening 181 wRC+. At first base, Greenville’s Alex Binelas matched that power stroke with 29 homers of his own and a .605 slugging percentage. Bowling Green’s Brayden Taylor claimed the second-base honor after a balanced year featuring 29 homers, 105 runs, and a 154 wRC+. At third, Greenville’s Eddinson Paulino delivered a stellar .318/.427/.593 line, pairing pop with speed for one of the league’s most dynamic profiles. Shortstop Hunter Haas added another trophy for Bowling Green with a .323 average while playing steady and productive baseball throughout the year.

The league’s most fearsome hitter may have been Bowling Green left fielder Colton Ledbetter, whose monstrous .377/.459/.709 line and 36 home runs powered him to a 211 wRC+—one of the most dominant offensive performances in the minors. Greensboro swept the outfield’s up-the-middle and right-side spots, with center fielder Jase Bowen (31 HR, .592 SLG) and right fielder Connor Scott (136 wRC+) anchoring the Grasshoppers’ attack. Rounding out the list, Jersey Shore’s Alexeis Azuaje took home honors at designated hitter thanks to his 41 home runs—one of the top totals in the league—establishing himself as a constant threat every time he stepped to the plate.