Baseball America‘s Minor League Manager of the Year, David Wallace, was a Midwest League skipper in 2012. (Photo courtesy of the Lake County Captains)

Akron RubberDucks skipper Dave Wallace was named Baseball America‘s Minor League Manager of the Year on Wednesday. Among his qualifications: leading Akron to the Eastern League championship title despite losing 12 consecutive games during the regular season.

Wallace managed the Lake County Captains in 2012, leading them to a postseason berth with a strong second half of the regular season. The team was eliminated in the second round of the playoffs.

Angels, Royals swap ex-MWLers

The Kansas City Royals acquired RHP Jared Ruxer from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for RHP Brooks Pounders.

Ruxer spent part of this year in the Midwest League. He went 3-2 with a 1.44 ERA, 54 strikeouts and 13 walks in 62.1 innings (18 games/eight starts) for the Burlington Bees.

Pounders spent part of the 2012 season in the Midwest League. He went 3-2 with a 3.38 ERA, 57 strikeouts and 19 walks in 50.2 innings (12 games/eight starts) for the Kane County Cougars.

Garcia traded to Braves

The St. Louis Cardinals traded LHP Jaime Garcia to the Atlanta Braves for RHP John Gant, RHP Chris Ellis and infielder Luke Dykstra.

Garcia pitched in the Midwest League in 2006, for the Swing of the Quad Cities. (Outfielder Jon Jay, who recently signed a one-year, $8 million deal with the Chicago Cubs, also played on that team.) The lefty started 13 games, going 5-4 with a 2.90 ERA, 80 strikeouts and 18 walks in 77.2 innings. He also made a notable rehab start for the Peoria Chiefs in 2015, pitching the first five innings of a no-hitter against the Clinton LumberKings.

LHP Jaime Garcia pitched five hitless innings for the Peoria Chiefs in a 2015 rehab start. (Photo courtesy of the Peoria Chiefs)