BY DAN GLICKMAN
The Rochester Red Wings may not have won the overall AAA championship, but the 2026 International League champions did win some prestigious post-season awards – including Manager of the Year for their skipper, Matt LeCroy.
It was announced on Saturday during the AAA National Championship game that LeCroy won Manager of the Year, while Trey Lipscomb was named an International League All-Star as a utility player and Yohandy Morales was named to the team at third base.
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LeCroy, who has managed the Red Wings ever since the beginning of the Nationals affiliation in 2021 and who played for the team in 2007, helmed the team to a 90-53 record, the most wins in a season for a Rochester team since 1953. LeCroy earned his 1,000th career managerial victory on August 12, and his 408 regular season victories for Rochester has put him sixth on the Red Wings’ all-time leaderboard. He is the first Rochester manager to win Manager of the Year since Marv Foley in 1997 – also the last time the Red Wings won the International League title before this season.
“This recognition is well deserved. Being named Manager of the Year is an honor I share with our entire coaching staff and every player who came through our clubhouse. Winning a championship together is what makes this year special,” he said in a press release.
Lipscomb, a 26-year-old from Maryland, slashed .287/.325/.536 in 134 games while collecting 31 doubles, a triple, 32 home runs, 94 RBI and 90 runs scored. He finished the regular season with .861 OPS, finishing with 64 extra-base hits and 278 total bases. His 32 homers tied for fifth for a single season in Rochester history, matching Bobby Grich in 1971 and Boog Powell in 1961. He became the first Red Wing to hit 30 home runs and 30 doubles since Steve Bilko in 1949, and also won the team’s MVP award. He was considered a major candidate for International League MVP, but lost the award to Columbus’ Cooper Ingle.
Morales, often called “Yo-Yo”, earned his spot on the All-Star team despite getting called up to the Majors for September call-ups. He slashed .286/.363/.519 in 104 games with Rochester. He collected 19 doubles, 25 home runs, 76 RBI, and 82 runs scored while putting up .882 OPS. He finished behind only Lipscomb in several categories for the Red Wings, including hits, home runs, RBI, and runs scored.
“I’m proud of Trey and Yo-yo and what they accomplished this season,” said LeCroy.
Rochester starts the 2027 season on Friday, March 26 with a home game against the Syracuse Mets. Before that, though, the Red Wings will be holding a celebration event for fans at ESL Ballpark on Monday at 6 p.m. that will feature the International League trophy and pennant as well as food and entertainment.
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