The New York Yankees today announced that catcher Rafael Flores and right-handed pitcher Cam Schlittler were named winners of the 2024 Kevin Lawn Awards as the Yankees’ minor league “Position Player of the Year” and “Pitcher of the Year,” respectively. Both players will be presented their awards today in an on-field pregame ceremony prior to the Yankees-Red Sox 1:05 p.m. game at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
The annual awards are dedicated to Kevin O’Brien Lawn—the son of longtime Yankees Vice President and Chief of Operations Jack Lawn—who passed away in 1999.
Flores, 24, has hit .272 (226-for-830) with 120R, 47 doubles, 1 triple, 31HR, 115RBI, 115BB and 11SB in 231 combined games over three minor league seasons in the Yankees organization (2022-24). The right-handed batter hit .279 (121-for-434) with 67R, 31 doubles, 21HR, 68RBI, 66BB and 8SB in 122 combined games with High-A Hudson Valley and Double-A Somerset in 2024. Among qualified Yankees farmhands, he ranked second in home runs, doubles, extra-base hits (52) and total bases (215), third in hits, was tied for fourth in walks, fifth in RBI, slugging percentage (.495) and OPS (.874), seventh in runs scored and ninth in batting average. Following the season, Flores was tabbed as the No. 10 prospect in the Yankees organization according to Baseball America and was also labeled by the publication as the Yankees’ 2024 Minor League Player of the Year. The Anaheim, Calif., native was signed by the Yankees as a non-drafted free agent on July 25, 2022.
Schlittler, 24, has gone 9-10 with a 3.56 ERA (166.2IP, 147H, 83R/66ER, 76BB, 204K, 14HR) in 39 games (36 starts) over two minor league seasons in the Yankees organization (2023-24). The right-handed pitcher made 25 combined appearances (23 starts) with High-A Hudson Valley, Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Double-A Somerset in 2024, going 8-8 with a 3.36 ERA (120.2IP, 98H, 58R/45ER, 55BB, 154K, 10HR). He led all qualified Yankees farmhands in strikeouts, was tied for third in wins, ranked fifth in ERA and opponents’ BA (.218), sixth in innings pitched and tied for sixth in games started. Following the season, Schlittler was named a South Atlantic League Postseason All-Star and was named the league’s “Pitcher of the Year.” The Weymouth, Mass., native was selected by the Yankees in the seventh round of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft out of Northeastern University (Mass.).
Each player will be presented with a trophy created by Brown’s Trophies, as well as an engraved designer watch, courtesy of Oris.
NEW YORK YANKEES KEVIN LAWN AWARD WINNERS
Year / Position Player of the Year / Pitcher of the Year
2024 / C Rafael Flores (HV/SOM) / RHP Cam Schlittler (HV/SWB/SOM)
2023 / C Ben Rice (HV/TAM/SOM) / RHP Chase Hampton (HV/SOM)
2022 / OF Jasson Domínguez (TAM/HV/SOM) / RHP Will Warren (HV/SOM)
2021 / SS Anthony Volpe (TAM/HV) / RHP Hayden Wesneski (HV/SOM/SWB)
2020 / No winners (Minor League season canceled due to COVID)
2019 / 1B Chris Gittens (TRE) / RHP Deivi García (TAM/TRE/SWB)
2018 / INF Brandon Wagner (TAM/TRE) / RHP Michael King (TAM/TRE/SWB)
2017 / 3B Miguel Andújar (TRE/SWB) / RHP Domingo Acevedo (TAM/TRE/SWB)
2016 / OF Aaron Judge (SWB) / RHP Chance Adams (TAM/TRE)
2015 / C Gary Sánchez (TRE/SWB) / RHP Luis Severino (TRE/SWB)
2014 / INF Rob Refsnyder (TRE/SWB) / RHP Luis Severino (CHA/TAM/TRE)
2013 / 1B Greg Bird (CHA) / RHP Shane Greene (TAM/TRE)
2012 / OF Tyler Austin (GCL/CHA/TAM/TRE) / RHP Mark Montgomery (TAM/TRE)
2011 / C Austin Romine (TRE/SWB) / RHP D. J. Mitchell (SWB)
2010 / SS Eduardo Nu?ez (SWB) / RHP David Phelps (TRE/SWB)
2009 / C Austin Romine (TAM) / RHP Zach McAllister (TRE)
2008 / OF Brett Gardner (SWB) / LHP Phil Coke (TRE/SWB)
2007 / OF Austin Jackson (CHA/TAM/SWB) / RHP Ian Kennedy (TAM/TRE/SWB)
2006 / 1B Cody Ehlers (TAM) / RHP Phil Hughes (TRE)
2005 / OF Kevin Thompson (COL/TRE) / RHP Matt DeSalvo (TRE)
2004 / 1B Andy Phillips (COL/TRE) / RHP Chien-Ming Wang (TRE/COL)
2003 / C Dioner Navarro (TAM/TRE) / RHP Jorge DePaula (COL)
2002 / 2B Andy Phillips (COL/NOR) / LHP Danny Borrell (NOR/TAM) & RHP Jorge DePaula (NOR)
2001 / OF Juan Rivera (COL/NOR) & OF Marcus Thames (NOR) / LHP Brandon Claussen (NOR/TAM)
2000 / 3B Scott Seabol (NOR) / LHP Randy Keisler (COL)
1999 / 2B D’Angelo Jimenez (COL) & 1B Nick Johnson (NOR) / LHP Ed Yarnall (COL)
1998 / 1B Nick Johnson (TAM) / RHP Ryan Bradley (TAM/NOR/COL)
1997 / 3B Mike Lowell (COL/NOR) / LHP Eric Milton (NOR/TAM)
1996 / OF Ricky Ledee (COL/NOR) / RHP Jay Tessmer (TAM)
1995 / SS Derek Jeter (COL) / RHP Matt Drews (TAM)
1994 / SS Derek Jeter (TAM/ALB/COL) / LHP Andy Pettitte (COL/ALB)
1993 / OF Billy Masse (COL) / LHP Ryan Karp (ALB/PRW/GBO)
1992 / 1B J.T. Snow (COL) / RHP Sam Militello (COL)
1991 / C Kiki Hernandez (GBO/PW) & SS Dave Silvestri (ALB) / RHP Ed Martel (ALB/COL) & RHP Sam Militello (PW/ALB)
1990 / OF Hensley Meulens (COL) / RHP Dave Eiland (COL)
1989 / 1B Hal Morris (COL) / LHP Steve Adkins (FTL/ALB)
1988 / 1B Kevin Maas (PRW/ALB) / RHP Todd Malone (SAR)
1987 / OF Darren Reed (COL) / RHP Dana Ridenour (FTL)
1986 / 3B Chris Alvarez (FTL) / RHP Logan Easley (ALB)
1985 / OF Dan Pasqua (COL) / RHP Brad Arnsberg (ALB)
1984 / C/OF Scott Bradley (COL) / LHP Jim Deshaies (COL)
1983 / OF Brian Dayett (COL) / RHP Jose Rijo (FTL/NSH)
1982 / OF Matt Winters (GBO/NSH) / RHP Bob Tewksbury (FTL)
1981 / 1B Don Mattingly (COL) / LHP Pete Filson (FTL/NSH)
1980 / 1B Steve Balboni (NSH) / RHP Gene Nelson (FTL)