Lavarnway Earns International League All-Star Bid

INDIANAPOLIS - The International League today announced the addition of Indianapolis Indians catcher Ryan Lavarnway to its 2018 All-Star Team for the 31st annual Huntington Bank Triple-A All-Star Game, presented by Gildan. He will join Tribe middle infielder Kevin Newman and right-handed pitcher Tyler Eppler for the All-Star festivities.

The 2018 Triple-A Midsummer Classic will take place on Wednesday, July 11, at Huntington Park, home of the Columbus Clippers. First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m. EDT. The Triple-A Skills Competition and Home Run Derby will take place tonight at 
Lavarnway, 30, posted a .278 average (33-for-137) with five homers, one triple, 11 doubles, 18 RBI and an .865 OPS over 39 games in the first half. He reached base safely via hit or walk in 30 of his last 33 games played and had a .306/.405/.537 triple-slash line since May 9. His 146 wRC+ is second among IL catchers and ninth overall among IL players with 150-plus plate appearances this season.
The Burbank, Calif. native signed a minor league deal with the Pirates on Jan. 22, 2018. He was originally selected by the Red Sox in the sixth round of the 2008 MLB June Amateur Draft out of Yale University. He was named as a Carolina League midseason All-Star in 2010 and earned his second career midseason All-Star honor in 2012 with Triple-A Pawtucket.
Outfielder Christopher Bostick (appendectomy) and reliever Dovydas Neverauskas (MLB promotion) were originally selected to the IL All-Star team but were among the first players replaced due to injury and promotion.