Four Greensboro Grasshoppers Selected for SAL All-Star Game:Naylor, Holmes, Robinson and Soto

Four Hoppers Selected for SAL All-Star Game
Ben Holmes(P):Greensboro
C.J. Robinson(P):Greensboro
Josh Naylor(1B):Greensboro
Isael Soto(OF):Greensboro

Josh Naylor named to the starting lineup at first base…..

CLEARWATER, FL-Eric Krupa, president of the South Atlantic League, has announced the rosters for the 57th Annual SAL All-Star Game, scheduled to be played on June 21, 2016, at Whitaker Bank Ballpark in Lexington, Kentucky, home of the Lexington Legends.

For the Northern Division, the Hagerstown Suns placed five players on the roster, including second baseman Max Schrock, third baseman Kelvin Gutierrez, and center fielder Victor Robles. The Delmarva Shorebirds, Greensboro Grasshoppers, Hickory Crawdads and Kannapolis Intimidators each provide four players. The Delmarva Shorebirds provide starting catcher Yermin Mercedes and designated hitter Alex Murphy, the Greensboro Grasshoppers provide first baseman Josh Naylor, and the Hickory Crawdads provide shortstop Yeyson Yrizarri. The West Virginia Power contribute three players, including starting pitcher Mitch Keller and left fielder Tito Polo. The Lakewood BlueClaws contribute two players, including right fielder Jose Pujols.

Hagerstown manager Patrick Anderson will skipper the Northern Division All-Stars for the second time in three years, having also been named manager in 2014. Anderson is in his third season managing in the league, and his fourth year as a manager in the Minor Leagues. Anderson will be assisted by Hagerstown coaches Amaury Garcia and Sam Narron. Handling the athletic trainer’s duties for the Northern Division for the second consecutive year will be West Virginia’s Dom Cappozzo.

For the Southern Division, the Greenville Drive and Rome Braves both placed five players on the team, with Greenville providing designated hitter Josh Ockimey and Rome contributing center fielder Ray-Patrick Didder. The Asheville Tourists and Augusta GreenJackets each provided four players, with Asheville providing first baseman Brian Mundell, shortstop Brendan Rodgers, right fielder Yonathan Daza and left fielder Sam Hilliard. The Charleston RiverDogs and Columbia Fireflies each contributed three players, with Columbia providing starting pitcher P.J. Conlon, second baseman Vinny Sienna and third baseman David Thompson. The Lexington Legends provided two players, including catcher Chase Vallot.

Charleston skipper Luis Dorante will manage the Southern Division squad. Dorante is in his fourteenth season as a manager. Dorante will be joined on the Southern Division coaching staff by Lexington’s Omar Ramirez and Charleston pitching coach Justin Pope. Lexington’s Mark Keiser will serve as the team’s athletic trainer.

Both all-star teams will be represented by 26 players, selected by the votes of the team’s managers and coaching staffs, local media and front office executives. Whitaker Bank Ballpark will be hosting its second SAL All-Star Game. The first time was in 2003, when the Southern Division beat the Northern Division 3-2. The annual SAL All-Star Game dates to 1960, when the All-Stars defeated the Salisbury club, 6-2, in Newton, NC.

“Once again, we look forward to enjoying a game showcasing the incredible talent in this league,” said Krupa. “Lexington Legends President Andy Shea, General Manager Gary Durbin and the entire staff in Lexington have been working for more than a year to live up to the tradition and host one of the most enjoyable events on our baseball calendar.”

A variety of events have been scheduled in Lexington in conjunction with the 57th SAL All-Star Game. The Monday Night Live Gala in downtown Lexington will be held on Monday, June 20th. A luncheon will be held at 11:30am on Tuesday, June 21 at Tony’s of Lexington. Gates open at 2:30pm at Whitaker Bank Ballpark for FanFest and autographs. The Legendary Derby (a whimsical combination of elements from a traditional home run derby with the Kentucky Derby) will begin at 4:45pm. Brad Redmon will be inducted into the South Atlantic League Hall of Fame during a pre-game ceremony and first pitch of the 57th Annual South Atlantic League All-Star Game at Whitaker Bank Ballpark on June 21st is scheduled for 7:05pm. More information can be found at www.lexingtonlegends.com.

2016 South Atlantic League All-Stars

NORTHERN DIVISION

MANAGER
Patrick Anderson, Hagerstown
COACH
Amaury Garcia, Hagerstown
COACH
Sam Narron, Hagerstown

PITCHERS
Mitch Keller, West Virginia
Tanner Banks, Kannapolis
Garrett Cleavinger, Delmarva
Ben Holmes, Greensboro
Ryan Meisinger, Delmarva
Pedro Payano, Hickory
Mariano Rivera, Hagerstown
Jefry Rodriguez, Hagerstown
C.J. Robinson, Greensboro
Erik Swanson, Hickory
Zach Thompson, Kannapolis

CATCHERS
Yermin Mercedes, Delmarva
Tyler Sanchez, Hickory
Seby Zavala, Kannapolis

FIRST BASEMAN
Josh Naylor, Greensboro

SECOND BASEMAN
Max Schrock, Hagerstown

THIRD BASEMAN
Kelvin Gutierrez, Hagerstown

SHORTSTOP
Yeyson Yrizarri, Hickory

UTILITY INFIELDER
Ke’Bryan Hayes, West Virginia

UTILITY INFIELDER
Josh Tobias, Lakewood

RIGHT FIELD
Jose Pujols, Lakewood

CENTER FIELD
Victor Robles, Hagerstown

LEFT FIELD
Tito Polo, West Virginia

UTILITY OUTFIELDER
Landon Lassiter, Kannapolis

UTILITY OUTFIELDER
Isael Soto, Greensboro

DESIGNATED HITTER
Alex Murphy, Delmarva

TRAINER
Dom Cappozzo, West Virginia

SOUTHERN DIVISION

MANAGER
Luis Dorante, Charleston

COACH
Omar Ramirez, Lexington

COACH
Justin Pope, Charleston

PITCHERS
P.J. Conlon, Columbia
Phil Bickford, Augusta
Cody Carroll, Charleston
Jake Cosart, Greenville
Emilio Ogando, Lexington
Roniel Raudes, Greenville
Michael Santos, Augusta
Andrew Schwaab, Charleston
Mike Soroka, Rome
Daris Vargas, Charleston
Patrick Weigel, Rome

CATCHERS
Chase Vallot, Lexington
Jonathan Morales, Rome
Matt Winn, Augusta

FIRST BASEMAN
Brian Mundell, Asheville

SECOND BASEMAN
Vinny Siena, Columbia

THIRD BASEMAN
David Thompson, Columbia

SHORTSTOP
Brendan Rodgers, Asheville

UTILITY INFIELDER
Luis Alejandro Basabe, Greenville

UTILITY INFIELDER
Luke Dykstra, Rome

RIGHT FIELD
Yonathan Daza, Asheville

CENTER FIELD
Ray-Patrick Didder, Rome

LEFT FIELD
Sam Hilliard, Asheville

UTILITY OUTFIELDER
Dylan Davis, Augusta

UTILITY OUTFIELDER
Tate Matheny, Greenville

DESIGNATED HITTER
Josh Ockimey, Greenville