MINNEAPOLIS -- The Twins are well aware of just how valuable Jim Rantz, their longtime director of Minor League operations, is to their organization.

Now the rest of baseball has recognized Rantz's efforts in the game.

Rantz was named the inaugural winner of the Sheldon "Chief" Bender Award by Minor League Baseball on Monday. The recipient of the Bender Award is someone with distinguished service who has been instrumental in player development. The award will be presented to Rantz during the Winter Meetings, which will take place Dec. 8-11 at the Las Vegas Hilton.

"What's so great about this award is that it's recognition from people throughout the game," Twins general manager Bill Smith said. "This is the first time they have presented this award, and for the people throughout the game -- Major League and Minor League -- to nominate and select Jim for this honor is a tremendous tribute."

"I'm very honored to receive the Chief Bender Award," Rantz said in a statement. "He was such a role model. Chief was not only a solid baseball man, but a true gentleman of the game."

Since Rantz took over as the director of the Twins' Minor League system in 1986, the Twins' affiliates have finished with a combined winning percentage over .500 in 19 of 23 seasons. Under Rantz's watch, the Twins have been named Organization of the Year three times -- once by Topps in 2000 and twice by Baseball America in 2002 and 2004.

"Winning is great, but the true success is the record of this organization in developing players," Smith said. "Jim is certainly the leader of our Minor League system and he's been a mentor for all of us. Sometimes when some of us in the office get going a little too quickly, once in a while Jim will put the brakes on and say, 'Is that really what we want to do?' He provides a lot of the veteran leadership throughout the organization and Jim has been a big part of our success."

As the Twins' director of Minor League operations, Rantz is in charge of developing talent for the organization along with personnel moves and contract negotiations for Minor League players. He also maintains the working relationships with the club's six affiliates -- Rochester, New Britain, Fort Myers, Beloit, Elizabethton and the Twins' entry in the Gulf Coast League.

Rantz has been in his current role since '86, but his tenure with the ballclub dates further. The St. Paul, Minn., native was a pitcher in the farm system when the club moved from Washington, D.C., to Minnesota in 1961.

After four years pitching in the Twins' system, Rantz spent one year managing the club's St. Cloud affiliate, leading it to a league title in 1965. He then joined the organization's front office, working in public relations for four years before getting involved in player development.

Bender was a longtime player, scout and executive who passed in February at the age of 88. He spent 39 of his 64 years in baseball as a front-office executive or consultant of the Cincinnati Reds.