FUENMAYOR, DZIEDZIC NAMED TEXAS LEAGUE POST-SEASON ALL STARS

Springdale, Ark. - Despite a knee injury cutting his season short with Triple-A Omaha, Balbino Fuenmayor can add one more award before closing a book on the 2015 baseball season. Texas League President Tom Kayser announced the Texas League Post-Season All Stars Thursday afternoon including current Northwest Arkansas Natural LHP Jonathan Dziedzic and former 2015 Naturals, and May Texas League Player of the Month, first baseman Balbino Fuenmayor.

The honor gives Fuenmayor a sweep at first base on the Texas League All Star team after earning the nominee to play in the 2015 Texas League All Star game this past June in Corpus Christi. Shortly after his promotion to Triple-A Omaha on July 4, Fuenmayor was assigned to the World Futures roster as a representative from the Kansas City Royals organization on July 11. Coined "The Great Balbino," Fuenmayor started in the 2015 MLB Futures Game from Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati, OH., and went 1 for 2.

Less than two weeks following the MLB Futures Game, Fuenmayor suffered a torn ligament in his knee, forcing him to miss the remainder of the 2015 season. In 16 games for Omaha, prior to the injury, Fuenmayor hit .377 with 2 home runs, and 15 RBI. On the season, the young first baseman from Venezuela batted .358 in 360 at-bats, with 17 home runs and 66 RBI.

As for Fuenmayor's former teammate with the Naturals, Dziedzic earns his first Texas League All Star nomination, after posting brilliant numbers for Northwest Arkansas over the past two months. Dziedzic is 5-2 with a 1.74 ERA in 62 innings pitched during the second half of the Texas League season. The southpaw has not allowed one or fewer runs in 7 straight appearances (6 starts).

Northwest Arkansas will continue their four-game series against the Springfield Cardinals, the Double-A Affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, with Game 3 slated for 7:05 p.m. at Arvest Ballpark with Buck Night on Thirsty Thursday.  

RHP Matt Murray (5-3, 4.43 ERA) will toe the rubber for Northwest Arkansas opposing LHP Jimmy Reed (2-3, 4.37 ERA) of the Cardinals. Tune in with the Voice of the Naturals, Benjamin Kelly, at 6:50 p.m. for the Indigo Sky Casino Pre-Game Show leading up to the 7:05 p.m. first pitch at Arvest Ballpark on the Naturals' flagship station KQSM 92.1 - FM, the Ticket.

Follow the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on Twitter @nwanaturals all throughout the year by using the hashtag #NaturalPastime for all of our up-to-date information on the Texas League playoffs, tickets, groups, promotions, roster, team news, and 2016 information.

The complete list of 2015 Texas League Post-Season All Stars are listed below.                                  

POS	PLAYER	TEAM
C	Mike Ohlman	SPR
1B	Balbino Fuenmayor	NWA
2B	Colin Walsh	MID
SS	Chad Pinder	MID
3B	Ryon Healy	MID
OF	Jon Kemmer	CC
OF	Nick Williams	FRI
OF	Charlie Tilson	SPR
DH	Yeison Asencio	SA
UTL	Colin Moran	CC

Pitchers

PLAYER	TEAM
Chris Devenski	CC
Ryan Dull	MID
Jonathan Dziedzic	NWA
Jandel Gustave	CC
David Martinez	FRI
Colin Rea	SA
Arturo Reyes	SPR
Nate Smith	ARK
Albert Suarez	ARK

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League Affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. The Naturals play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, Ark. For more information including statistics, ticket options, and more, please visit NWANaturals.com, and follow us on Twitter @NWANaturals and Facebook.com/Naturals.

-Naturals-