Four CT Tigers Named NYPL All-Stars

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - The New York-Penn League announced the rosters for the 2018 New York-Penn League All-Star Game presented by the Central PA Convention and Visitors Bureau and four Connecticut Tigers were named to the NYPL North Team that will face the South Team on August 14 at Lubrano Park. 
 
Four first-time All-Stars and three pitchers from Connecticut were selected for the North Team including right-handed starter Jose Vasquez. The 22-year-old righty from Venezuela opened the 2018 season with West Michigan in the Class A Midwest League and joined Connecticut on the Opening Night roster. Prior to his All-Star selection, Vasquez lowered his earned run average in seven consecutive starts to reach 1.94 in 41 2/3 innings this season; good for third-best in the league.

Two relievers joined Vasquez on the North Team roster with NYPL holds leader Drew Crosby and NYPL saves leader Yaya Chentouf. Crosby, a 22-year-old lefty from the University of Memphis, led Connecticut with 16 appearances out of the bullpen and six holds. Crosby earned promotion to West Michigan on August 8 and will not participate in the All-Star Game on August 14. Chentouf, a 21-year-old righty in his first professional assignment, is 8-for-8 in save opportunities and is currently holding leadoff hitters to a .063 batting average. Chentouf is the all-time saves leader at the University of Pittsburgh. 

One Tigers position player will compete for the North Team with 2018 Detroit Tigers seventh-round draft pick Eric De La Rosa selected to play in the outfield. The 21-year-old switch hitter from Grossmont Junior College in California dazzled in his NYPL debut with four hits in four at-bats with two RBIs on July 5 in a home win against Lowell. De La Rosa boasts a .356 on-base percentage and is 6-for-6 in stolen base attempts. 

The 2018 New York-Penn League All-Star Game presented by the Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau is scheduled for a maximum of nine innings, with pitchers limited to 25 pitches per inning and one inning of work. The All-Star festivities begin with the NYPL All-Star Tailgate Gala presented by Reinhart Foodservice on Monday, August 13, and ballpark gates open for the NYPL All-Star Game at 3 p.m. on the 14th, with the chance to get autographs from the All-Stars and watch batting practice.

An array of stars led by team captains Ki-Jana Carter and Josiah Viera, plus gridiron greats Blair Thomas and Wally Richardson as well as a cavalcade of legends and celebrities will hit the field for the Celebrity Softball Game at 5 p.m. on Tuesday night. The All-Star Game will begin at 7:05 p.m., with the showcase event followed by a fantastic fireworks show presented by the Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Tickets for the 2018 New York-Penn League All-Star Game presented by the Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau and the 2018 NYPL All-Star Tailgate Gala presented by Reinhart Foodservice are currently on sale by calling (814) 272-1711. Fans can also buy and download single-game tickets by visiting StateCollegeSpikes.com. Media requesting additional information should contact Joe Putnam at [email protected].