Texas League reveals All-Star rosters
The rosters were announced Tuesday for the 77th Annual Texas League All-Star Game presented by Castrol to be held at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, Ark., on June 25th.
The Arkansas Travelers, currently tied with Springfield for first place in the North Division, contributed eight players -- four of them pitchers -- to the Northern squad. Springfield and Tulsa will send six apiece while host Northwest Arkansas had four players named to the Midsummer Classic roster.
The Southern team is led by Astros prospect George Springer, whose 18 home runs for Corpus Christi are the most in the Minors this season. He's joined by Hooks teammates Jake Buchanan, who leads the Texas League with a 0.80 ERA, and David Martinez, whose 9-0 record is best on the circuit. A pair of Frisco pitchers, Neil Ramirez and Carlos Pimentel, are atop the league in strikeouts with 81 and 80, respectively. Midland's four-player contingent is led by first baseman Anthony Aliotti, whose .364 average and .458 on-base percentage are tops in the league.
This year marks the first time Northwest Arkansas, which entered the Texas League in 2008, has hosted the All-Star Game. North Division skipper Brian Poldberg is the only manager the Naturals have had in their six seasons.
Though the North won in Tulsa last year, the South has emerged victorious in five of the last seven matchups and looks to be a favorite again in 2013, as all four North Division teams have losing records.
NORTH DIVISION ALL-STAR TEAM
Starters | |||
---|---|---|---|
NAME | POS | TEAM | MLB ORG |
Jett Bandy | C | Arkansas | LAA |
C.J. Cron | 1B | Arkansas | LAA |
Angelys Nina | 2B | Tulsa | COL |
Ruben Gotay | 3B | Springfield | STL |
Orlando Calixte | SS | NW Arkansas | KC |
Roman Hernandez* | OF | NWA | KC |
Kiel Roling | OF | Tulsa | COL |
Chris Swauger* | OF | Springfield | STL |
Matt Fields* | DH | Tulsa | COL |
Reserves | |||
NAME | POS | TEAM | MLB ORG |
Mitch Canham | C | NW Arkansas | KC |
Rey Navarro* | INF | NW Arkansas | KC |
Taylor Lindsey | INF | Arkansas | LAA |
Randal Grichuk | OF | Arkansas | LAA |
Pitchers | |||
NAME | POS | TEAM | MLB ORG |
Christian Bergman | RHP | Tulsa | COL |
Michael Cisco* | RHP | Arkansas | LAA |
Tim Cooney* | LHP | Springfield | STL |
Santiago Garrido | RHP | NW Arkansas | KC |
Brandon Hynick | RHP | Arkansas | LAA |
Kevin Johnson | RHP | Arkansas | LAA |
Tyler Matzek | LHP | Tulsa | COL |
Mike Piazza | RHP | Arkansas | LAA |
Kevin Thomas | RHP | Springfield | STL |
Heath Wyatt* | RHP | Springfield | STL |
Field Staff | |||
NAME | POS | TEAM | MLB ORG |
Brian Poldberg | Manager | NW Arkansas | KC |
Nelson Liriano | Coach | NW Arkansas | KC |
Jim Brower | Coach | NW Arkansas | KC |
Masa Koyanagi | Trainer | NW Arkansas | KC |
David Kathmann | Strength Coach | NW Arkansas | KC |
* On June 12, Springfield's Tim Cooney was announced as the replacement for promomoted Sprinfield right-hander Keith Butler. Also, Springfield's Chris Swauger replaces Springfield's Tommy Pham, who is injured. Northwest Arkansas' Rey Navarro replaced teammated Angel Franco on June 20. Northwest Arkansas' Matt Fields replaced Tulsa's Kent Matthes on June 22. Arkansas' Michael Cisco replaced teammate Lay Batista on June 22. Springfield's Heath Wyatt replaced teammate Deryk Hooker on June 23. Northwest Arkansas' Roman Hernandez replaced injured Tulsa outfielder Kyle Parker on June 23. Mike O'Neill is injured and will not participate as of June 23.
SOUTH DIVISION ALL-STAR TEAM
Starters | |||
---|---|---|---|
NAME | POS | TEAM | MLB ORG |
Rene Garcia | C | Corpus Christi | HOU |
Anthony Aliotti | 1B | Midland | OAK |
Odubel Herrera | 2B | Frisco | TEX |
Jake Blackwood | 3B | San Antonio | SD |
Dusty Coleman | SS | Midland | OAK |
Teodoro Martinez** | OF | Frisco | TEX |
Rico Noel | OF | San Antonio | SD |
George Springer | OF | Corpus Christi | HOU |
Brett Nicholas | DH | Frisco | TEX |
Reserves | |||
NAME | POS | TEAM | MLB ORG |
Tomas Telis | C | Frisco | TEX |
Guilder Rodriguez | INF | Frisco | TEX |
Jeudy Valdez | INF | San Antonio | SD |
Jake Goebbert | OF | Midland | OAK |
D'Arby Myers** | OF | Midland | OAK |
Pitchers | |||
NAME | POS | TEAM | MLB ORG |
Matt Andriese | RHP | San Antonio | SD |
Jake Buchanan | RHP | Corpus Christi | HOU |
Michael Foltynewicz | RHP | Corpus Christi | HOU |
David Martinez | RHP | Corpus Christi | HOU |
Jeremy McBryde** | RHP | San Antonio | SD |
Carlos Pimentel | RHP | Frisco | TEX |
Neil Ramirez | RHP | Frisco | TEX |
Chris Rearick** | LHP | San Antonio | SD |
Murphy Smith | RHP | Midland | OAK |
Matt Stites | RHP | San Antonio | SD |
Field Staff | |||
NAME | POS | TEAM | MLB ORG |
Steve Buechele | Manager | Frisco | TEX |
Jason Hart | Coach | Frisco | TEX |
Jeff Andrew | Coach | Frisco | TEX |
Carlos Olivas | Trainer | Frisco | TEX |
Eric McMahon | Strength Coach | Frisco | TEX |
** Frisco's Teodoro Martinez replaced San Antonio's Reymond Fuentes on June 14. San Antonio's Jeremy McBryde replaced teammate Kevin Quackenbush on June 17. San Antonio's Chris Rearick replaced Frisco's Ben Rowen on June 20. Midland's D'Arby Myers replaced Corpus Christi's Domingo Santana on June 22.
John Parker is a contributor to MLB.com.