Seven BayBears Named Southern League All-Stars

MOBILE, AL -- The Southern League of Professional Baseball Clubs announced its South Division All-Star team, selecting seven Mobile BayBears players to the 2014 Southern League All-Star Game. The North Division takes on the South Division Tuesday, June 17 at AT&T Field in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Four position players and three pitchers were selected to represent the Mobile BayBears as Southern League All-Stars. Shortstop Sean Jamieson, outfielder David Peralta, third baseman Jake Lamb and first baseman Jon Griffin were named to the team along with starting pitcher Andrew Chafin. Relievers Jake Barrett and Blake Cooper were also selected to represent the BayBears.  

Jamieson, 25, ranks in the top five among Southern League shortstops with a .286 batting average. He began the season on the BayBears opening day roster. He spent the 2013 season at High-A Visalia, hitting .287 with 11 homers and 23 RBI in 122 games for the Rawhide. The Ontario, Canada native was signed by the Oakland Athletics in the 17th round out of Canisius College during the June 2011 draft. On Monday August 20, 2012, the Diamondbacks traded big league shortstop Stephen Drew to Oakland in exchange for Jamieson.

Peralta, 26, was promoted to the Arizona Diamondbacks Sunday, June 1. The left handed batter was leading the Southern League in RBI with 46. At the time of his call-up, Peralta ranked among Southern League Leaders in batting average (14th, .297), and doubles (2nd, 22). He was assigned to the BayBears 2014 Opening Day Roster after finishing the 2013 season at High-A Visalia. In just 51 games with the Rawhide he posted a .346 average with eight homers and 42 RBI. The Venezuelan native was a pitcher in the Cardinals organization before suffering a left shoulder injury. After being released by the Cardinals he converted to an outfielder. Before the D-backs signed him and sent him to Visalia in 2013, he was playing with the Amarillo Sox of the American Association -- an independent league.

Lamb, 23, ranks number one in the Southern League with 22 doubles and third in league with 43 RBI. The third baseman, an original member of the BayBears Opening Day roster is second in league play with 67 hits and in 57 games with the BayBears this season has posted a team-high .319 batting average which ranks sixth in league play. The left handed batter has knocked out eight home runs and tallied 43 RBI. In 2013 with High-A Visalia, Lamb hit .303 with 13 homers and 47 RBI in 64 games with the Rawhide. The Seattle, Washington native was selected by the D-backs in the sixth round of the 2012 Draft from the University of Washington.

Griffin, 25, made national headlines last month when he hit five home runs in five consecutive at-bats against the Tennessee Smokies May 21-22. The right handed batter ranks ranked among Southern League Leaders in home runs (2nd, 13), RBI (4th, 41) and slugging percentage (4th, .522). Assigned to the BayBears 2014 Opening Day roster, Griffin spent part of the 2013 season in Mobile, splitting time between the BayBears and High-A Visalia Rawhide. In a combined 103 games between the two clubs he posted a .259 average with 10 homers and 62 RBI. The Bradenton, Florida native was selected by the Diamondbacks in the 21st round of the 2011 draft out of the University of Central Florida.  

Chafin, 23, was promoted to AAA Reno, May 21. The left-hander was 4-1 with a 1.96 ERA in nine starts for the BayBears. He ranked third among Southern League Leaders in ERA. In 12 starts between High-A Visalia and Double-A Mobile in 2013, Chafin went 5-2, posting a 2.55 ERA. The Akron Ohio native was drafted by the D-backs in the first round (43rd) out of Kent State University in 2011.

Barrett, 22, ranks third in the Southern League with 9 saves. The right-hander has struck out 20 batters in 20 appearances out of the bullpen. Barrett, a member of the BayBears Opening Day roster, split time closing games with RHP Matt Stites at the beginning of the 2014 campaign. In 24 appearances with Mobile in 2013, he posted a 0.36 ERA, recording 14 saves in 24.2 innings. Barrett was selected by the Diamondbacks in the 3rd round of the 2012 draft out of Arizona State University.

Cooper, 26, is tied for fourth the Southern League in holds. Overall, Cooper is 3-1 with a 1.20 ERA in 21 games for the BayBears. The right-hander was drafted by the D-backs 12th round of the 2010 draft out of the University of South Carolina. Cooper split the 2013 season between Visalia (0-1, 1.59) and Mobile (5-2, 2.93).

The North Division All-Stars were announced Tuesday, June 3. Players were selected after a vote by Southern League field managers, radio broadcasters, general managers and print media. All players on Southern League rosters as of May 15 were eligible in the voting. Starting lineups for the North and South Divisions will be announced on Thursday, June 5 and Friday, June 6, respectively.

Don't miss your chance to see these all-stars and the rest of the 2014 Mobile BayBears. After completing a 10 day road trip, the BayBears will return to Mobile for the final home series before the All-Star Break when they open a five game home stand with the Pensacola Blue Wahoos Wednesday, June 11, at 7:05 PM CT from Hank Aaron Stadium. Tickets to all BayBears' 2014 home games are available for sale now by calling 251.479.BEAR or online at MobileBayBears.com.