Bradley, Pederson head SL All-Stars
The Double-A Southern League completed the announcement of its All-Star Game rosters Wednesday as the South Division lineup was revealed a day after the North Division team. The circuit's Midsummer Classic will be held in Jacksonville on Wednesday, July 17.
A pair of clubs -- Chattanooga (Dodgers) for the North and Mobile (D-backs) for the South -- are represented by seven players apiece. Mississippi (Braves), Tennessee (Cubs) and first-place Birmingham (White Sox) will send six players each, host Jacksonville (Miami) five and Montgomery (Rays) four. The three remaining teams feature three All-Stars each.
The South roster boasts three of the five Southern League hitters now batting over .300: league-leader Kevin Kiermaier of Montgomery (.317), Mobile's Justin Greene (.311) and Jose Martinez of Mississippi (.301). Jackson's Julio Morban (.309) and Chattanooga's Joc Pederson (.302) will bolster the North lineup. Pederson ranks in the league's top four in hitting, on-base percentage, slugging, home runs, runs scored and stolen bases. League home run leader Kyle Jensen of Jacksonville is unavailable for the South after being promoted to Triple-A New Orleans.
The South figures to have a slight edge on the mound, as Archie Bradley (Mobile), Chad Rogers (Pensacola), Gus Schlosser (Mississippi) and David Holmberg (Mobile) own four of the top five ERAs among the league's current pitchers. Bradley is second in the Minor Leagues with 112 strikeouts. Tennessee's Kyle Hendricks, second on the circuit with a 2.06 mark, anchors the North Division staff.
The North Division had won all seven contests since the league went to its current divisional format in 2005 before dropping a 6-2 decision in Tennessee last year. The South will try to make it two in a row as the game returns to Jacksonville for the first time since 2003.
NORTH DIVISION ALL-STAR TEAM
POS | NAME | TEAM | MLB ORG |
---|---|---|---|
C | Mike Blanke^ | Birmingham | CWS |
C | Rafael Lopez | Tennessee | CHC |
1B | Adam Weisenburger*^ | Huntsville | MIL |
2B | Rafael Ynoa^ | Chattanooga | LAD |
3B | Christian Villanueva^ | Tennessee | CHC |
SS | Arismendy Alcantara^ | Tennessee | CHC |
OF | James Jones^ | Jackson | SEA |
OF | Brock Kjeldgaard* | Huntsville | MIL |
OF | Joc Pederson^ | Chattanooga | LAD |
OF | Matt Szczur^ | Tennessee | CHC |
DH | Dan Black^ | Birmingham | CWS |
UTL IF | Marcus Semian | Birmingham | CWS |
UTL OF | Trayce Thompson* | Birmingham | CWS |
RHP | Alberto Cabrera | Tennessee | CHC |
LHP | Roenis Elias | Jackson | SEA |
RHP | Yimi Garcia | Chattanooga | LAD |
RHP | Kyle Hendricks^ | Tennessee | CHC |
RHP | Taylor Jungmann | Huntsville | MIL |
RHP | Zach Lee | Chattanooga | LAD |
RHP | Nick McCully | Birmingham | CWS |
RHP | Hector Nelo | Chattanooga | LAD |
RHP | Ariel Pena* | Huntsville | MIL |
LHP | Scott Snodgress | Birmingham | CWS |
RHP | Ross Stripling | Chattanooga | LAD |
RHP | Taylor Thompson | Birmingham | CWS |
Honorable mention: The following players were nominated for the All-Star Teams because they were on Southern League rosters when the ballots went out on June 12. However, they have since been promoted out of the League: Erik Johnson (Birmingham), Andy Wilkins (Birmingham), Rob Rasmussen (Chattanooga), Jimmy Nelson (Huntsville) and Taijuan Walker (Jackson). Additionally, Ryan Kussmaul (Birmingham) is unavailable after going on the disabled list.
* Huntsville's Brock Kjeldgaard replaced teammate Kentrail Davis, who was promoted to Albuquerque, and Huntsville's Ariel Pena replaced Chattanooga's Luis Vasquez. In addition, Huntsville's Adam Weisenburger replaced injured teammate Jason Rogers on the roster and as the starting first baseman. Birmingham outfielder Trayce Thompson replaced injured Jackson Generals outfielder Julio Morban, who was replaced in the starting lineup by teammates James Jones.
^ denotes player is starting in the game.
SOUTH DIVISION ALL-STAR TEAM
POS | NAME | TEAM | MLB ORG |
---|---|---|---|
C | Tucker Barnhart | Pensacola | CIN |
C | Christian Bethancourt^ | Mississippi | ATL |
1B | Cameron Seitzer^ | Montgomery | TB |
2B | Mike Freeman^ | Mobile | ARI |
3B | Edward Salcedo^ | Mississippi | ATL |
SS | Jaime Pedroza^ | Mississippi | ATL |
OF | Justin Greene^ | Mobile | ARI |
OF | Kevin Kiermaier^ | Montgomery | TB |
OF | Jake Marisnick^ | Jacksonville | MIA |
OF | Jose Martinez | Mississippi | ATL |
DH | Nick Evans^ | Mobile | ARI |
DH | J.T. Realmuto** | Jacksonville | MIA |
UTL OF | Ender Inciarte | Mobile | ARI |
RHP | Michael Brady | Jacksonville | MIA |
RHP | Arquimedes Caminero** | Jacksonville | MIA |
RHP | Collin Cargill** | Jacksonville | MIA |
LHP | Andrew Chafin** | Mobile | ARI |
LHP | Adam Conley | Jacksonville | MIA |
RHP | Tim Crabbe | Pensacola | CIN |
LHP | Grant Dayton** | Jacksonville | MIA |
RHP | Shaun Ellis** | Pensacola | CIN |
RHP | Bradin Hagens | Mobile | ARI |
LHP | David Holmberg^ | Mobile | ARI |
RHP | Jay Jackson | Jacksonville | MIA |
RHP | Scott McGough | Jacksonville | MIA |
Honorable mention: The following players were nominated for the All-Star Teams because they were on Southern League rosters when the ballots went out on June 12. However, they have since been promoted out of the League: Kyle Jensen (Jacksonville), Kevin Munson (Mobile), C.J. Riefenhauser (Montgomery) and Juan Sandoval (Montgomery).
** Replaced one of many pitchers unable to participate: Archie Bradley (Mobile), Sam Dyson (Jacksonville), Mark Lam (Mississippi), Chad Rogers (Pensacola), Enny Romero (Montgomery), Gus Schlosser (Mississippi). Jacksonville's J.T. Realmuto replaced Montgomery's Mikie Mahtook, who is injured.
^ denotes player is starting in the game.
John Parker is an editor for MiLB.com.