Brian Dozier is Twins MVP again, and Ervin Santana named top pitcher

Brian Dozier, for the second consecutive season, has been named the Twins' most valuable player.

The veteran second baseman, who led the team with 34 home runs and 93 RBI, won the Calvin R. Griffith Award as team MVP in voting by the Twin Cities chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA).

Dozier also was a repeat winner of the Bob Allison Award for determination and leadership on and off the field.

Ervin Santana won the Joseph W. Haynes Award as the Twins' pitcher of the year. The All-Star righthander started 33 games and was 16-8 with a 3.28 ERA, fifth best in the American League.

Reliever Trevor Hildenberger, who appeared in 37 games and had a 3.21 ERA, won the Bill Boni Award as the team's rookie of the year. Center fielder Byron Buxton claimed the Jim Kaat Award, given to the team's defensive player of the year, and catcher Chris Gimenez was the winner of the Mike Augustin "Media Good Guy" Award.

The Dick Siebert Award for Upper Midwest player of the year across all 30 major league teams went to Twins first baseman Joe Mauer for the sixth time. Mauer hit .305 with seven home runs, 36 doubles, 71 RBI and an on-base percentage of .384.

Those seven awards were all voted on by the local chapter of the BBWAA.

The Diamond Awards committee named pitcher Kyle Gibson winner of the Carl Pohlad Community Service Award and former catcher Tim Laudner winner of the Kirby Puckett Award for Twins alumni community service.

The Herb Carneal Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to former bullpen coach Rick Stelmaszek, who spent 32 years (1981-2012) on the Twins staff.

The Twins previously announced Mitch Garver was winner of the Sherry Robertson Award winner as minor league player of the year and Aaron Slegers won the Jim Rantz Award as minor league pitcher of the year.

The Diamond Awards banquet is Jan. 18 at 5:30 p.m. at the Depot in Minneapolis. Ticket information is available at minnesotadiamondawards.org.