Visalia Alumni in MLB All-Star Game

VISALIA-Visalia is always well-represented in the Major Leagues, and this year is proving to be a banner season, as they will have at least 3 alumni in the 2010 Major League All-Star Game in Anaheim.

Ubaldo Jimenez, Evan Longoria, and Evan Meek have each been selected to the All-Star Game for their stellar first halves.

The trio will be 3 of 15 California League alumni named to the select squad this year.

Jimenez pitched for Visalia in 2003 and 2004; he made one appearance in 2003 and then went 4-1 with a 2.23 ERA in 9 starts in 2004. Six years later, he has enjoyed a dominant first half for the Colorado Rockies, and has put himself in pole position for a possible Cy Young Award.

Longoria, the 2008 American League Rookie of the Year, hit .327 for Visalia in 2006 before a mid-season promotion to Double-A. He is the 6th Visalia alumnus to win a Rookie of the Year award, and has been an all-star 3 years in a row. Meek enjoyed a brief stay in Visalia in 2006 as well. He was traded to the Pirates organization and made his debut in 2008. This year, he has posted an ERA of 0.96 in 38 relief appearances for the Bucs.

Additionally, New York Yankee Nick Swisher is a Final Vote candidate for one of the last spots on the American League squad. Swisher played for Visalia in 2002.

With over 200 Major League alumni, Visalia continues to be a pipeline for big league talent.