Diaz, Sampson Selected to Eastern League Season-Ending All-Star Team
CURVE, Pa. - The Altoona Curve, in conjunction with the Eastern League of Professional Baseball, are pleased to announce that two members from the 2014 Altoona Curve team have been named to the 2014 Eastern League season-ending All-Star Team. RHP Adrian Sampson along with catcher Elias Diaz have been given the honor and become the 19th and 20th players in Altoona Curve history to receive the award.
Sampson, 22, put together one of the greatest seasons by any Altoona Curve pitcher in franchise history. Entering just his third professional season, the right hander won a team-best ten games and owned a 2.55 ERA which ranks second in the Eastern League entering play on August 22. The Seattle, Wash. native hurled 148 innings and limited opponents to just a .229 batting average.
The Curve pitcher was named to the Eastern League's mid-season All-Star Team but was unable to compete at the mid-summer classic at his home ballpark. However, the righty made it up to all of the fans who came to watch the Curve battle the Bowie Baysox on July 18. Sampson came within two outs of throwing the first ever complete-game no-hitter in franchise history, but saw his attempt thwarted. However, Sampson settled to become the first pitcher in franchise history to throw a nine-inning, complete-game one-hitter.
Sampson last appeared for Altoona on August 8 and spun a quality start against the Reading Fightin Phils before he was promoted to Triple-A Indianapolis six days later. Sampson finished his Curve career with 17 quality starts.
Diaz, 23, was one of the best hitters not only on the Curve but throughout the entire league. In 91 games with the Curve, the catcher hit a team-best .328 with six home runs and 54 RBI. His batting average ranks second in the Eastern League as of August 21. For his amazing season, Diaz was named to a mid-season All-Star team for the first time in his professional career.
The catching prospect's hitting abilities was one of the best among all catchers all of Minor League Baseball. Among catchers who have played in at least 80 games, Diaz owned the best batting average in all of Double-A, High-A, and even Triple-A.
While the bat for the catcher came around in 2014, his defensive prowess was another strong suit. Recently dubbed as the Eastern League's "Best Defensive Catcher" by Baseball America in a poll of Eastern League managers, Diaz committed just five errors and threw out 36 base stealers, the most in all of the Eastern League. For his performance with the Curve, the catcher was promoted to Indianapolis in mid-August.
Both Sampson and Diaz join the likes of Starling Marte, Jose Bautista, and many other players who were named to the Eastern League Season Ending All-Star Team and went on to play in the Major Leagues. Of the 18 prior men from the Curve named to the All-Star Team, 14 went on to play in the Major Leagues.
The Curve open up the final homestand of 2014 tonight versus the New Britain Rock Cats at 7 p.m. We'll have postgame fireworks following the game thanks to The Good Funeral Home on what is also Fund a Cure for Pancreatic Cancer Night with the Griffith Family Foundation thanks to Alto-Reste Park Cemetery and The Good Funeral Home. A memorabilia auction will be taking place during the game with proceeds from sales going to the Griffith Family Foundation.
Gates will open up at 5 p.m. with Chris Vipond and the Stanley Street Band hitting the Rocky Gap Casino Resort Entertainment Deck from 5-6:25 p.m. Friday night will also be the final Ritchey's Dairy Curve Kids' Club Game of the season as well. After the game, all kids can run the bases.
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