Texas League All Stars: North Division
By Aaron Somers
This is the first in a two-part article about the Texas League AA All Stars. I’ll breakdown each team, who their starters and reserves were, my thoughts on the selections.
Arkansas Travelers: Double-A Affiliate of the Angels
Position Players:
Ryan Mount – 2nd Base
Luis Jimenez – 3rd Base
Darwin Perez – Shortstop
Mike Trout – Outfielder
Pitchers:
Orangel Arenas
Ryan Brasier
Trevor Reckling
Garrett Richards
Matt Shoemaker
Total Number of All Stars: 9
This is a massively talented AA ball club, just look at the infield alone. Mount, Jiminez, and Perez are all talented hitters who make good contact. That’s not even taking in to account Mike Trout, who is batting .325/.425/.549. Pitchers who are on other teams in the AL West should be paying attention to the Travelers.
Pitching seems to be the real strength for Arkansas. Richards is 9-1 on the season with 75 strikeouts and 28 walks, he has an ERA of 3.30 and a WHIP of 1.13. Shoemaker is 6-1 with a 1.02 WHIP.
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NW Arkansas Naturals: Double-A Affiliate of the Royals
Position Players:
Anthony Seratelli – DH
Salvador Perez – Catcher (reserve)
Pitchers:
None
Total Number of All Stars: 2
Two All-Stars? From a minor league system that is regularly touted as being the one of the best in all of baseball. Don’t be deceived by the lack of all-stars, there are many players on this team with a high ceiling. Seratelli is batting .297 with 8 home runs and 39 RBI. Perez hasn’t had a very good season, to me he seems more of a representative pick than anything else.
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Springfield Cardinals: Double-A Affiliates of the Cardinals
Position Players:
Matt Adams – First Base
Alex Castellanos – Outfielder
Ryan Jackson – Infielder (reserve)
Pitchers:
Michael Blazek
Maikel Cleto
Total Number of All Stars: 5
Adams is the team’s best hitter, batting .357/.397/.685 and posted an impressive 1.082 OPS. Castellanos is a solid pick as well, batting .317/.367/.552 and has 15 home runs and 44 RBI.
From the mound, Blazek picked up 67 strikeouts and 33 walks through 79.2 innings. Cleto only has 7 games under his belt but has 36 strikeouts in 34.1 innings.
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Tulsa Drillers: Double A Affiliate of the Rockies
Position Players:
Wilin Rosario – Catcher
Tim Wheeler – Outfielder
Darin Holcomb – Infielder (Reserve)
Ben Paulsen – Infielder (Reserve)
Scott Beerer – Outfielder (Reserve)
Pitchers:
Stephen Dodson
Christian Friedrich
Juan Nicasio
Total Number of All Stars: 8
I’m really encouraged by Wheeler’s first half of the season. He’s batting .313/.399/.587. A real power hitter, he has 19 home runs and 60 RBI. For a reserve player Beerer is very talented as well, batting .319/.363/.535/
In 9 games Nicasio is 5-1 with 63 strikeouts and 10 walks, posting the team’s best WHIP with 1.02.
Check back with us tomorrow morning and we will profile the South All-Stars