Bae and Yorke Named to International League All-Star Team

INDIANAPOLIS – Minor League Baseball today announced that outfielder Ji Hwan Bae and utilityman Nick Yorke have been named to the International League postseason All-Star team. They are the first Indianapolis Indians position players to be named to the squad since second baseman Jake Elmore joined starting pitcher Mitch Keller in 2019.

Bae, 25, appeared in 66 games with Indianapolis between big-league stints and hit .341 (84-for-246) with 49 runs, 11 doubles, four triples, seven home runs, 41 RBI, 41 walks, 14 stolen bases, a .433 on-base percentage and .937 OPS. Among IL hitters with at least 250 plate appearances, he ranked first in batting average, third in on-base percentage, fifth in wRC+ (147) and seventh in OPS.

The toolsy utilityman shined in the outfield, registering a perfect fielding percentage in 345.1 innings (78 total chances) across all three outfield positions. He primarily appeared in center field, logging 232.1 errorless innings (50 total chances). He also appeared in 21 games (19 starts) at second base (162.2 innings) and one game at shortstop (8.0 innings), committing three errors in 95 total chances.

Bae was named Indianapolis’ 2022 Team MVP after hitting .289 (121-for-419) with 37 extra-base hits and 30 stolen bases. He was signed by Pittsburgh as a non-drafted free agent on March 26, 2018, out of Daegu, Republic of Korea. He had his contract selected by the Pirates on Sept. 23, 2022, ahead of his MLB debut that night vs. Chicago (NL).

Yorke, 22, split his Triple-A campaign between Worcester and Indianapolis, ranking among IL qualifiers in batting average (1st, .333), hits (1st, 99), runs (2nd, 58), on-base percentage (3rd, .420), doubles (3rd, 25), total bases (5th, 148), OPS (6th, .918) and extra-base hits (T-6th, 33) from June 5-Sept. 15. Among IL hitters with at least 300 plate appearances, he ranked second in wRC+ (143). His standout season was highlighted by a torrid stretch with Indianapolis in which he hit .355 (54-for-152) with 26 runs, 17 doubles, two home runs and 26 RBI in 40 games.

Between Worcester and Indy, Yorke appeared at second base (352.1 innings), third base (16.0), shortstop (67.0), left field (142.1), center field (54.2) and right field (19.0). His only errors came at second base, where he registered a .972 fielding percentage (five errors in 176 total chances).

Yorke was traded to Pittsburgh from Boston on July 29, 2024, in exchange for right-handed pitcher Quinn Priester. He had his contract first selected by the Pirates on Sept. 16 ahead of his MLB debut that night at St. Louis. The Newport Beach, Calif. native was originally selected by the Red Sox as the 17th overall pick of the 2020 First-Year Player Draft out of Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) High School.

2024 International League All-Stars

First Base – Kyle Manzardo, Columbus (Cleveland)
Second Base – Connor Norby, Norfolk (Baltimore)/Jacksonville (Miami)
Shortstop – Andrew Navigato, Toledo (Detroit)
Third Base – Coby Mayo, Norfolk (Baltimore)
Catcher – Dillon Dingler, Toledo (Detroit)
Outfield – Johnathan Rodriguez, Columbus (Cleveland)
Outfield – Heston Kjerstad, Norfolk (Baltimore)
*Outfield – Ji Hwan Bae, Indianapolis (Pittsburgh)
*Designated Hitter – Matt Koperniak, Memphis (St. Louis)
*Utility – Nick Yorke, Worcester (Boston)/Indianapolis (Pittsburgh)
*Starting Pitcher – Chad Patrick, Nashville (Milwaukee)
Starting Pitcher – Brandon Young, Norfolk (Baltimore)
Starting Pitcher – Bryce Elder, Gwinnett (Atlanta)
Starting Pitcher – Cade Povich, Norfolk (Baltimore)
Reliever – Evan Sisk, Omaha (Kansas City)
Reliever – Walter Pennington, Omaha (Kansas City)
Manager of the Year – Mike Jirschele, Omaha (Kansas City)
Most Valuable Player – Johnathan Rodriguez, Columbus (Cleveland)
Pitcher of the Year – Chad Patrick, Nashville (Milwaukee)
Top MLB Prospect – Coby Mayo, Norfolk (Baltimore)