Riddle Named Southern League Postseason All-Star
PENSACOLA, Fla. - Former Jacksonville Suns infielder J.T. Riddle has been named a 2016 Southern League Postseason All-Star, announced by the league office on Tuesday morning.
Riddle gets the superlative as the league's best third baseman in 2016, after compiling an impressive second half at the plate. Overall in 101 games with the Suns, Riddle hit .278 with three home runs and 51 RBI.
He compiled the league's longest hitting streak in 2016, as well as the longest one in Suns history since 2009, with a 25-game hitting streak from June 23 to August 6. In that streak, which included spending 16 days on the disabled list, he hit .370 (37-for-100) with a home run, 13 RBI, seven doubles, and 15 runs scored. Riddle's streak was also tied with Jackson's Dario Pizzano in 2014 for the longest hitting streak in the Southern League since 2009.
Riddle in the second half with the Suns hit safely in 32 of 34 games played, hitting .338 with a homer and 15 RBI in that time. Riddle was promoted to Triple-A New Orleans on August 18, where he is currently hitting .342 for the Zephyrs in 10 games in the Pacific Coast League.
This is the first Southern League honor for Riddle, and the second time he has been named an All-Star, after being a 2015 Florida State League Midseason All-Star with the Jupiter Hammerheads. Last season he was also an MiLB.com Organizational All-Star for the Marlins, and represented Miami in the prestigious Arizona Fall League.
Riddle, 24, is a native of Frankfort, Kentucky, and was selected by the Marlins in the 13th round of the 2013 draft from the University of Kentucky. He is MLB.com's No. 11 Marlins prospect in their updated rankings, while Baseball America had him listed as Miami's No. 22 prospect entering 2016.
The Suns and Wahoos will continue their series on Tuesday with the fourth game of the five-game set at Blue Wahoos Stadium at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Suns will start left-hander Matt Tomshaw (3-3, 3.64 ERA) against Pensacola right-hander Sal Romano (5-11, 3.61 ERA). Fans can listen to the game on the Suns Baseball Network, beginning at 7:15 p.m. with the pregame show "Suns On Deck" on FM 102.3 The Beach, the TuneIn Radio app, and www.jaxsuns.com.
The Suns begin their final home series Thursday against Mobile with Mavericks Live Thirsty Thursday fueled by Budweiser, when fans 21 and over can purchase $1 12-oz. and $2 24-oz. beers adjacent to the new Budweiser Tiki Terrace, at the right-field bleachers, and behind section 115. The game is also presented by 95.1 WAPE and X102.9.
ABOUT THE SUNS: The Jacksonville Suns are beginning a new era of affordable family fun under new ownership in 2016. With a FUNdamentally Different promotional schedule and a new lineup of ticket packages for the upcoming season, there is a reason for everyone to get part of the action by calling the Suns at (904) 358-2846 or visiting www.jaxsuns.com.