Shirley, Tucker: Texas League All-Stars

CORPUS CHRISTI - Former Corpus Christi Hooks Preston Tucker and Tommy Shirley earned Texas League Post-Season all-star honors, league president Tom Kayser announced Thursday. Both players were also named to the TL Mid-Season All-Star Team.

Tucker, an outfielder drafted out of the University of Florida in 2012, played in 65 games with Corpus Christi and hit .276 with 17 home runs and 43 RBIs. At the time of his promotion to Triple-A Oklahoma City, he led the Texas League in at-bats (261), extra base hits (34), total bases (140), homers and RBIs. He was tied for first in games played and runs scored (41).

Since moving on to the RedHawks on June 12, Tucker has hit .283 with seven long balls and 51 runs batted in in 69 contests.

He entered the season as the Astros' No. 15 prospect according to MLB.com. A first team All-American for the Gators in 2012, Tucker left Gainesville as Florida's all-time leader in at-bats, hits, RBIs and doubles.

The left-handed throwing Shirley pitched in 17 games (13 starts) with the Hooks and went 7-3 with a 1.88 ERA. He walked 17 and struck out 78 in 86.1 innings pitched. Shirley took home TL Pitcher of the Week honors for May 19-26 after he picked up a road win at Arkansas, in which he allowed one hit in six shutout innings with five strikeouts.

When the Astros promoted him to Oklahoma City on July 6, Shirley ranked second in the Texas League in ERA and WHIP (0.93) and third in opponents' batting average (.201). At Triple-A the Xavier product has pitched in 12 games, three of them starts, and gone 0-2 with a 3.99 ERA in 29.1 innings pitched.

Houston selected the 25-year-old in the ninth round of the 2010 draft. Shirley has topped 20 appearances for the second consecutive season - the first two years in his career he has pitched in that many games.

2014 Texas League Post-Season All Star Team
1B           Trever Adams, Frisco
2B           Alex Yarbrough, Arkansas
3B           Joey Gallo, Frisco
SS           Cristhian Adames, Tulsa
UT          Taylor Featherston, Tulsa
UT          Odubel Herrera, Frisco 
OF          Lane Adams, Northwest Arkansas
OF          Yeison Asencio, San Antonio
OF          James Ramsey, Springfield
OF          Preston Tucker, Corpus Christi
DH          Brian Hernandez, Arkansas
C             Cody Stanley, Springfield

P             Tyler Anderson, Tulsa
P             Cam Bedrosian, Arkansas
P             Andy Ferguson, Northwest Arkansas
P             Chris Jensen, Midland
P             James Needy, San Antonio
P             Michael Roth, Arkansas
P             Tommy Shirley, Corpus Christi

Manager of the Year: Jason Wood, Frisco
Pitcher of the Year: Tyler Anderson, Tulsa
Player of the Year: Alex Yarbrough, Arkansas
Mike Coolbaugh Coach of the Year: Jeff Andrews, Frisco