Trio of former Lugnuts named Triple-A All-Stars
Three former Lansing Lugnuts — 2011-2012 catcher Carlos Pérez, 2015 first baseman/designated hitter Ryan McBroom and 2018 shortstop Kevin Smith — were named 2021 Triple-A All-Stars on Tuesday, as voted on by the Triple-A East's and Triple-A West's broadcasters and executives. Pérez, the Lugnuts' star catcher for the famed Lansing
Three former Lansing Lugnuts — 2011-2012 catcher Carlos Pérez, 2015 first baseman/designated hitter Ryan McBroom and 2018 shortstop Kevin Smith — were named 2021 Triple-A All-Stars on Tuesday, as voted on by the Triple-A East's and Triple-A West's broadcasters and executives.
Pérez, the Lugnuts' star catcher for the famed Lansing 3 + 1 (Noah Syndergaard, Aaron Sanchez, Justin Nicolino, and Anthony DeSclafani), played in 166 games in Mid-Michigan before a mid-season trade in 2012 to the Houston Astros' organization.
In 2021, the native of Valencia, Venezuela, excelled for the Oakland Athletics' Triple-A affiliate, the Las Vegas Aviators, leading the league in home runs (31) and total bases (215) while ranking second in runs batted in (89) and fourth in slugging percentage (.572) and extra-base hits (51), striking out just 63 times in 418 plate appearances.
Pérez previously appeared in the Major Leagues with the Angels in 2015-2017 and with both the Rangers and Braves in 2018.
Listen to a 2012 interview with Carlos Pérez while he was a Lugnut.
In 2015 in Lansing, McBroom was voted the 2015 Midwest League Most Valuable Player and named to the league's post-season All-Star team at both first base and designated hitter, batting .315 with 39 doubles amid 52 extra-base hits.
Six years later, the former West Virginia Mountaineers standout turned in a historic season for the Kansas City Royals' Triple-A affiliate, the Omaha Storm Chasers. McBroom set the Storm Chasers' franchise single season home run record with a Triple-A East-leading 32 roundtrippers. He also led the Triple-A East with 78 runs scored and finished second in runs batted in (88) and total bases (227) and fourth in extra-base hits (48).
A native of Fredericksburg, Virginia, McBroom has played in 66 games for the Royals over the past three seasons, including seven games in 2021.
Listen to a 2015 interview with Ryan McBroom while he was a Lugnut.
Drafted in the fourth round from the University of Maryland, Smith was an immediate sensation for the Lugnuts in 2018, batting .355 with 34 extra-base hits and a 1.046 OPS in 36 games before the Blue Jays promoted him to High-A.
Now with the Toronto Blue Jays' Triple-A affiliate, the Buffalo Bisons, Smith tied for second in the Triple-A East in extra-base hits (52), fourth in slugging percentage (.561), fifth in OPS (.931) and tied for fifth in RBIs (69).
The native of East Greenbush, New York, made his Major League debut for the Blue Jays on August 18, playing 18 games for Toronto.
Listen to a 2018 interview with Kevin Smith while he was a Lugnut.
For the latest information about the Lansing Lugnuts throughout the offseason, visit lansinglugnuts.com.
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