The New York Yankees today announced that right-handed pitcher David Phelps is the recipient of the 2012 James P. Dawson Award, given annually to the outstanding Yankees rookie in spring training. Phelps received the award in a pre-game ceremony today, prior to the Yankees’ 12:05 p.m. game vs. the Mets at George M. Steinbrenner Field.

Phelps, 25, went 0-1 with one save and a 2.08 ERA (17.1IP, 4ER) in seven appearances (one start) this spring (16H, 6R, 4BB, 14K, 1HR). In 2011, he went 7-7 with a 2.99 ERA (114.1IP, 38ER) in 20 starts with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and the GCL Yankees, leading all Yankees farmhands in ERA. The prior season Phelps won the Kevin Lawn Award as the Yankees’ 2010 “Minor League Pitcher of the Year,” combining to go 10-2 with a 2.50 ERA (158.2IP, 44ER) in 26 appearances (25 starts) with Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Scranton/WB. A Missouri native, he attended Notre Dame University and was selected by the Yankees in the 14th round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft.

The award was established in honor of James P. Dawson (1896-1953), who began a 45-year career with The New York Times as a copy boy in 1908. Eight years later, he became boxing editor and covered boxing and baseball until his death during spring training in 1953.

Two winners of the honor, Tony Kubek in 1957 and Tom Tresh in 1962, went on to win the American League “Rookie of the Year” Award. The award first was presented to rookie Norm Siebern by Manager Casey Stengel in St. Petersburg, Fla., at the conclusion of spring training in 1956. New York Yankees beat writers vote on the winner.

In conjunction with the award, Phelps received an Elysee watch from Manfredi Jewelers.

James P. Dawson Award winners:

1956 - Norm Siebern OF

1957 - Tony Kubek SS

1958 - John Blanchard C

1959 - Gordon Windhorn OF

1960 -  John James P

1961 - Rollie Sheldon P

1962 - Tom Tresh SS

1963 - Pedro Gonzalez 2B

1964 - Pete Mikkelsen P

1965 - Arturo Lopez OF

1966 - Roy White OF

1967 - Bill Robinson OF

1968 - Mike Ferraro 3B

1969 - Jerry Kenney OF / Bill Burbach P

1970 - John Ellis 1B/C

1971 - None Selected

1972 - Rusty Torres OF

1973 - Otto Velez OF

1974 - Tom Buskey P

1975 - Tippy Martinez P

1976 - Willie Randolph 2B

1977 - George Zeber INF

1978 - Jim Beattie P

1979 - Paul Mirabella P

1980 - Mike Griffin P

1981 - Gene Nelson P

1982 - Andre Robertson SS

1983 - Don Mattingly 1B

1984 - Jose Rijo P

1985 - Scott Bradley C

1986 - Bob Tewksbury P

1987 - Keith Hughes OF

1988 - Al Leiter P

1989 - None Selected

1990 - Alan Mills P

1991 - Hensley Meulens OF

1992 - Gerald Williams OF

1993 - Mike Humphreys OF

1994 - Sterling Hitchcock P

1995 - None Selected

1996 - Mark Hutton P

1997 - Jorge Posada C

1998 - Homer Bush INF

1999 - None Selected

2000 - None Selected

2001 - Alfonso Soriano 2B

2002 - Nick Johnson 1B

2003 - Hideki Matsui OF

2004 - Bubba Crosby OF

2005 - Andy Phillips INF

2006 - Eric Duncan INF

2007 - Kei Igawa P

2008 - Shelley Duncan INF/OF

2009 - Brett Gardner OF

2010 - Jon Weber OF

2011 - Manny Banuelos P

2012 - David Phelps P