PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — Rising prospect Jaden Hamm earned a big honor this week. The West Michigan Whitecaps starter was named Pitcher of the Year for the Midwest League.

In his first full season of professional baseball, Hamm made his presence felt. He made 24 appearances last season, posting a 2.64 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. He struck out 122 batters, fourth most in the league.

Hamm was selected in the fifth round of the 2023 draft after playing collegiately at Middle Tennessee State.

His strong season was enough for MLB.com to bump him up to seventh in the team’s prospect rankings. Only one pitcher, No. 2 Jackson Jobe, is ranked higher. MLB.com expects Hamm to make his major league debut in 2026.

Hamm and the Whitecaps fell short of the playoffs for the fifth straight season. They finished 2.5 games behind Dayton in the second half of the season with a 37-28 record. The ended the year with a 68-63 record overall.