Snappers Send Four All-Stars To Lansing

Outfielder Austin Beck, infielder Trace Loehr, and right-handed pitchers Wyatt Marks and Xavier Altamirano will serve as the Beloit Snappers representatives at the 54^th 2018 Midwest League All-Star Classic. It will be played on Tuesday June 19^th at Cooley Law School Stadium in Lansing, Michigan, home of the Lansing Lugnuts. The four Snappers representatives ties the team total from last season.

For Beck, Loehr and Marks, it is their first All-Star appearances. Altamirano was a 2016 All-Star with the Vermont Lake Monsters.
Altamirano, 23, is in his fourth year with the Athletics organization after being drafted in the 25^th round in 2015 out of Oral Roberts University. Altamirano ranks second in the Midwest League with 60.0 innings pitched, second with a 1.00 WHIP and third in opponents batting average at .216. He nearly went a complete game against Kane County in a game one double-header on May 29^th, going 6.2 innings, surrendering one hit and registering six strikeouts. He went 19.2 consecutive innings without surrendering a run from May 19^th against Quad Cities to the 7^th inning on May 29^th against Kane County, as Seth Martinez allowed an inherited runner to score. The right-hander also allowed just one run from May 19^th to the third inning on June 3^rd against Quad Cities, a span of 21.2 innings.
Marks, 22, was taken in the 13^th round in 2017 out of the University of Louisiana-Lafayette and is the No. 25 ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline. Marks ranks second in the Midwest League with 73 strikeouts in 11 games with nine starts, including a season and career-high 11 strikeouts against Great Lakes on May 7^th. In his junior year with the Rajin' Cajuns, he led all Division I pitchers with 15.17 strikeouts and 4.40 hits-per-nine innings. He is holding opponents to a .224 batting average this season.
Beck, 19, is the No. 6 ranked prospect in the Athletics organization according to Baseball America and No. 7 from MLB Pipeline, has been one of the top hitters this season for the Snappers. The sixth overall pick in 2017 ranks first on the team with 16 multi-hit games and is third in RBI with 24. On May 2^nd, he notched a four-hit performance against Fort Wayne and a four RBI game on April 7^th against Wisconsin with both being career highs for the former first round pick. Beck spent last season with the Rookie Level Arizona League Athletics, batting .211 with 2 home runs and 28 RBI. Beck was drafted out of North Davidson High School in Lexington, North Carolina after passing on a scholarship opportunity to the University of North Carolina. He signed for a club record $5.3 million.
Loehr, 23, is in his third year with the Snappers and fifth year with the Athletics. He is batting .283 with two home runs and 14 RBI and lead the team with 13 stolen bases. On May 26^th, he set the franchise record for most triples when he hit his 17^th of his Snapper career against Burlington. Loehr ranks third on the team with 12 multi-hit games, including four three-hit games. The everyday starter has started all his 52 games at second base, with a .987 fielding percentage, 110 assists and just three errors.
The Western division will be managed by the Quad Cities River Bandits managerial staff and the Eastern division will be managed by the staff of the Lansing Lugnuts.
Snappers single-game tickets start as low as $6.50 in advance, and fans are encouraged to purchase 15-game packs to save money for multiple-game use this season. All ticket packages of 15 games or more guarantee fans all of the 2018 promotional giveaways including our three bobblehead giveaways!
The Beloit Snappers are a member of the Midwest League and have been the Single-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics since 2013. For more ticket information, contact the Snappers office at (608) 362-2272 or on our website, www.snappersbaseball.com.