SAN FRANCISCO – After overcoming the challenge of being traded for the first time in his professional baseball career, Kevin Pillar is closing out his seventh major league season as the San Francisco Giants' most inspirational player.
 
The former Cal State Dominguez Hills center fielder was announced as the 2019 recipient of the Giants' prestigious Willie McCovey Award Friday night before taking on his childhood team Los Angeles Dodgers at Oracle Park.
 
The Willie Mac Award, named after the Hall of Fame first baseman who passed away last year, is given to one player annually who is deemed most inspirational by players, coaches and clubhouse staff.
 
"It definitely blew me away," Pillar told reporters Friday night after the game. "It really hasn't sunk in yet. I just come to work, and I do my job. To be voted by your peers and your coaching staff and people that are with you every single day means the world to me. You just never really know what to expect when you get traded and come to a new environment, but the three things that I know that I can do every single day is work hard, play hard and be a good teammate. Getting that award kind of reiterates that I'm doing the right things."
 
After being selected by Toronto in the 32^nd round of the 2011 MLB Amateur Draft and working his way through its minor league system to play six seasons with the Blue Jays, Pillar was acquired by San Francisco this past April, leaving behind a franchise and a city he loved playing for.
 
"I didn't know Kevin before he got here, but I heard a lot of things about him, and it was all that was advertised," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said to the media after Thursday's game. "How he plays the game, how dependable he is, how durable he is. I just took it for granted he was fine every day and put his name in the lineup."
 
Pillar has played in 154 games (entering Saturday) since the trade and he's having a career season at the plate. He currently leads the Giants in hits (156), home runs (21), RBIs (86) and stolen bases (13).
 
Of course, we cannot forget the signature work he does in the outfield. Nicknamed 'Superman,' he continues to make highlight reel worthy catches and at times creating rare double play opportunities.
 
"That's a guy everyone in this locker room should aspire to be like," teammate and fellow outfielder Mike Yastrzemski told NBC Sports Bay Area. "That's one of the biggest things I've taken from this year, seeing the process of guys who have lasted as long as they have. He hasn't just done it this year. He's played that amount of games throughout his career. He never takes a day off, never asks for one, never wants one."
 
A native of West Hills, Pillar played for the Toros from 2008-11. He was selected to three All-California Collegiate Athletic Association teams and was named an All-America honorable mention in 2010, the same year he set the NCAA Division II record in hitting streak at 54 games.
 
His contract states that he is under team control for one more season before he can test the free agent market.

To view the announcement of the winner, along with the ceremonial first pitch with Pillar and his father, Mike, click here to go to SFGiants.com.