Anchorage Glacier Pilots slugger Ethan Mann is the player of the year in the Alaska Baseball League.
Mann, an infielder from New Mexico State, is batting .333 with 40 hits in 120 at-bats. He has 18 RBIs, four home runs and 13 stolen bases.
Mann was a first-team pick at first base and won the league’s Silver Slugger award to go with his player-of-the-year honor.
Other top awards went to Chugiak Chinooks infielder John Mac Mullins, an Alabama-Birmingham infielder; and pitchers Will Johnston of the Mat-Su Miners and Will Kempner of the Anchorage Bucs, who shared the Top Prospect award.
Johnston is a left-hander from Texas A&M who led the league with 72 strikeouts in 54 1/3 innings. He walked 21 and is 5-0 with a 1.65 earned-run average. Kempner, a right-hander from Gonzaga, struck out 44 and walked 11 in 40 2/3 innings. He’s 2-0 with seven saves and a 2.67 ERA.
[Miners, Pilots score late to win opening games in the Top of the World playoffs]
The lowest ERA in the league belongs to Pilots right-hander Ricky Tibbett of San Diego State, who has allowed four earned runs in 36 2/3 innings for .098 ERA. He’s one of nine first-team picks among pitchers.
Other top selections include third baseman Diego Baquerio of the Bucs, who has driven in a league-high 25 RBIs, and outfielder Garrett Pennington of the Peninsula Oilers, who has a league-best batting average of .336 and a league-high six home runs.
The ABL’s Top of the World playoffs began Friday. The best-of-3 series pit the top-seeded Miners against the fourth-seeded Bucs at Hermon Brothers Field in Palmer and the No. 2 Chinooks against the No. 3 Pilots at Lee Jordan Field in Chugiak.
In Friday’s openers, the Miners eked out a 5-4 win and the Pilots triumphed 4-1. The second games are Saturday at 6 p.m., with Sunday games set for 4 p.m. if necessary.
The winners will square off in the Top of the World Series, which begins Monday at the highest seed’s ball park.
First team
First base -- Ethan Mann, Pilots
Second base -- John Olmstead, Oilers
Shortstop -- John Marc Mullins, Chinooks
Third base -- Diego Baqueiro, Bucs
Catcher -- Tyler Rando, Miners
Utility -- Casey Rother, Miners
Outfield -- Will Batz, Chinooks; Tom Tabak, Pilots; Garrett Pennington, Oilers
Starting pitchers -- Zach Sundine, Chinooks; Will Johnston, Miners; Ricky Tibbett, Pilots; Will Kempner, Bucs; Luc Yacinich, Oilers
Relief pitchers -- Honus Kinederich, Chinooks; Hayden Walker, Pilots; Spencer Benguard, Bucs
Closer -- Alex Magers, Miners
Designated hitter -- Cole Moore, Bucs
Player of the Year -- Ethan Mann, Pilots
Top Prospects -- Will Johnston, Miners; Will Kempner, Bucs
Gold Glove -- John Marc Mullins, Chinooks
Silver Slugger -- Ethan Mann, Pilots
Coach of the Year -- Jon Groth, Chinooks
Second team
First base -- Nick Cirelli, Miners
Second base -- Fausto Lopez, Pilots; Woody Hadeen, Bucs
Shortstop -- Blake Wink, Pilots; Ernie Yake, Bucs
Third base -- Conner McGuire, Pilots
Catcher -- Joe Kiel, Chinooks; Alec Jones, Pilots; Matt Erickson, Bucs
Utility -- Michael McNamara, Pilots; Cole Carrigg, Bucs
Outfield -- Tyler Wilson, Miners; Jack Machtolf, Bucs; Andrew Sojha, Oilers
Starting pitchers -- Easton Sikorski, Pilots; JoJo Ingrassia, Bucs; Liam Rocha, Oilers
Relief pitchers -- Evan Floyd, Miners; Aaron Winkler, Miners; Andre Orselli, Oilers
Closers -- Leo Harris, Chinooks; Joey Rodriguez, Pilots
Designated hitter -- Bryce Marsh, Oilers