Matt Mervis, Luis Devers named Cubs Minor League Player, Pitcher of the Year

The Cubs today announced their choice for the best minor league player and pitcher for the 2022 season. First baseman Matt Mervis was named the Buck O’Neil Cubs Minor League Player of the Year and right-hander Luis Devers was named the Vedie Himsl Cubs Minor League Pitcher of the Year.

Mervis, 24, was one of the best hitters in all of Minor League Baseball for 2022, hitting .309 with 40 doubles, two triples and 36 home runs over three levels—High-A South Bend, Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa. Mervis drew 50 walks, which gave him a .370 on-base percentage and a .606 slugging percentage. The left-handed hitting Mervis led all of minor league baseball with 119 RBI. His 36 home runs were second in the Cubs system behind Alexander Canario’s 37.

Mervis signed with the Cubs as an undrafted free agent in 2020 after a four-year career at Duke.

Mervis is currently playing for the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League.

Devers, 22, went 13-3 with a 1.91 ERA in 26 games (22 starts) between Low-A Myrtle Beach and High-A South Bend. The right-hander totaled 117 ²⁄₃ innings and struck out 122 and held opposing hitters to a .206 batting average. Devers went at least five innings in 18 of his 22 starts.

Even more impressive for Devers, after posting a 2.58 ERA in 15 starts in pitching-friendly Myrtle Beach, he was even better after his promotion to High-A South Bend, which is more friendly to hitters. At South Bend, Devers went 4-0 with a 1.05 ERA in eleven appearances, eight starts. He allowed only four home runs all year and just one while pitching for South Bend.

The Cubs signed Devers as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2017.