Five Nats named to GCL All-Star Team

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Gulf Coast League announced today that manager Patrick Anderson, who led the Nationals to the league title and the best winning percentage of any club based in the domestic leagues in MiLB history, and four of his players have been named to its 2013 Gulf Coast League All-Star Team. Wilmer Oberto of the Phillies, who led the GCL with 45 RBIs and ranked in the top five in seven offensive categories, was selected as the league's Most Valuable Player.

Oberto -- a first baseman -- batted .316 and ranked among the top five in homers (six), RBIs, hits (59), total bases (95), slugging percentage (.508), extra-base hits (20) and OPS (.895).

Yankees 1 second baseman Gosuke Katoh topped the GCL with a .924 OPS and tied for the lead with six homers. Katoh ranked second in slugging percentage (.522) and extra-base hits (22). He also excelled in the field, leading those at his position with a .977 fielding percentage.

Phillies shortstop J.P. Crawford led all batters with a .345 average and a .443 on-base percentage. Crawford's OPS of .908 ranked third and his slugging percentage (.465) fifth. After 39 games, Crawford was promoted to Class A Lakewood.

Nationals third baseman Drew Ward hit .292 and ranked among the top 10 in on-base percentage (.402), doubles (13), RBIs (28) and walks (25).

Pirates catcher Reese McGuire finished third in the league with a .330 batting average and sixth with 58 hits. He was among the top dozen players in runs (30) and on-base percentage (.388). McGuire also threw out 44% of the runners who attempted to steal a base.

Astros' designated hitter Yonathan Mejia led the league with 72 hits, 19 doubles and 97 total bases. His 21 extra-base hits were third best in the circuit and his .324 batting average and 32 RBIs ranked fifth.

Javier Betancourt of the Tigers, who spent time at shortstop, third base and second base, is the utility player. Betancourt finished second in the league with a .333 batting average and a 14.64 plate appearances-to-strikeout ratio. He ranked fourth with 59 hits.

Nationals outfielder Rafael Bautista led the GCL with 44 runs and tied for the league lead with 26 stolen bases. He finished second with 65 hits while his .322 batting average and .400 OBP ranked among the top seven.

Blue Jays outfielder Thomas Collins III hit .305 and was third in the league with 36 runs. Collins was among the top eight in OPS (.829), slugging percentage (.439), hits (57), extra-base hits (18) and doubles (13).

Pirates outfielder Austin Meadows ranked second with a .918 OPS and third with 21 extra-base hits and a .519 slugging percentage. Meadows hit .294 and ended the season among the top eight in homers (five), triples (five) and OBP (.399).

Nationals right-hander Wander Suero led the GCL with eight wins, a 1.65 ERA and a .156 batting average against. Suero finished second with a 0.82 WHIP and struck out 46 batters in 49.0 innings, while walking only 13.

Nationals southpaw Hector Silvestre went 7-0 with a 1.82 ERA. Silvestre ranked second in victories and ERA and third with a 0.83 WHIP. He held batters to a .190 average, which ranked fourth in the GCL. In 49.1 innings, Silvestre fanned 40 and walked just eight.

Yankees 1 relief pitcher Victor Beriguete was 1-1 with a 1.95 ERA and was a perfect 11-for-11 in save situations. Beriguete struck out 32 and walked nine in 27.2 innings.

First-year manager Patrick Anderson piloted the Nationals to a GCL-record 49 wins and the league title. The Nationals' .845 winning percentage is the highest by a club in a domestic-based league in Minor League history, trailing only the 1992 Dominican Summer League Blue Jays East team that went 68-2 (.971).

The 2013 Gulf Coast League All-Star Team is as follows:

* -- MVP