Blue Rocks All-Star Preview

Wilmington, DE - The Wilmington Blue Rocks will have six players participate in the Carolina League All-Star Game on Tuesday, April 20 at Hayley Toyota Field in Salem, Virginia. Shortstop Nicky Lopez , outfielder Anderson Miller , and pitchers Foster Griffin , Cristian Castillo , A.J. Puckett , Richard Lovelady , and Yunior Marte were named to the Northern Division All-Star team earlier this month. The seven selected players are the most since 2011 when Wilmington had five mid-season All-Stars. The seven selections also make the Blue Rocks the most represented team in the All-Star game in either division. 

Lopez was one of the Blue Rocks most consistent hitters in the first half of the season. He batted .303 with 11 doubles, 27 RBIs, and 42 runs scored in 67 games, tied for the most games played in the Carolina League. He also ranks third in the league with 83 hits, second in triples with seven, and finished in the top-ten in batting average, runs, stolen bases, and on-base percentage. Lopez dazzled defensively and quickly became the best shortstop in the league, earning the starting stop in the Northern Division lineup.
Miller worked past a tough start to the year and finished the first half as a dominate force in the Blue Rocks lineup. After hitting .188 in the first month of the season, Miller heated up in a big way in May. From April 14 through May 15, the outfielder put together a 30-game on-base streak, the longest streak in the Carolina league this year and the fourth-longest in the last three seasons. Miller came just shy of the of the franchise record set by Eric Hosmer who reached base in 33 straight games in 2010. Overall, the Royal's 2015 third round pick finished the first half hitting .296 with seven home runs and 37 RBIs.
Five Blue Rocks pitchers were named as All-Stars, four of which will participate. Griffin, who was the Opening Day starter for Wilmington, will not partake in the event after his promotion to Double-A Northweset Arkansas on May 29. In 10 stars with the Blue Rocks, the southpaw posted a 4-2 record with a 2.86 ERA and 60 strikeouts. The 2014 first round pick has continued his success at the next level, accruing a 3-1 record with a 2.55 ERA through 4 starts with the Naturals.
Castillo continues to rack up awards for his excellent performance on the mound. The 2016 Appalachian League Pitcher of the Year has been even better with Wilmington in 2017. He ranks fourth in the Carolina League with a 2.80 ERA, posting a 4-3 record and allowing only 22 ER in 70.2 innings of work. The left hander has only surrender 4 earned runs once this year, and has last five or more innings in 11 of his 13 starts.
Puckett's late addition to the Northern Division All-Star roster is well deserved, flashing brilliance throughout his starts in the first half. The Royals' fifth ranked prospect per Baseball America was invaluable on the road for the Blue Rocks, earning five of this team-leading six wins on the road. He tied his career-high of eight strikeouts twice on the year, and struck out a career-best nine batters in his last start of the first half. Through 13 starts, the righty accumulated a 3.86 ERA with 67 strikeouts in 70 innings of work.
The two bullpen arms selected to the All-Star Game have been lights out for the Blue Rocks. Lovelady in particular has been phenomenal. The southpaw, who leads the Blue Rocks with six saves, has held batters to a mere .167 batting average while surrendering just two walks and striking out 38 batters in 19 appearances. Lovelady has not allowed a run since May 1, and finished the first half by pitching 20.2 consecutive scoreless innings, lowering his ERA to 1.19.
Marte has also been electric out of the pen, posting a 1.95 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 18 appearances. Opponents are batting just .200 against the Dominican Republic native, who has also picked up four saves. The Blue Rocks have relied on Marte's lively stuff to shutout teams through multiple innings, lasting more than one inning in relief on 11 occasions this season.
The six Blue Rocks join a star-studded cast in the Northern Division. The Salem Red Sox's third baseman and Boston Red Sox No. 10 prospect Michael Chavis leads the Carolina in nearly every offensive category, including home runs (17), RBIs (55), slugging percentage (.641) and ranks third in batting average (.318). Potomac's Victor Robles, No. 5 overall prospect per Baseball America, will start in centerfield, while the No. 49 ranked prospect, Lynchburg's Triston McKenzie, has a chance to start on the mound for the North.
The Southern Division features an equally talented roster led by the No. 8 overall prospect Eloy Jiménez of Myrtle Beach. He is joined by Carolina outfielder Corey Ray (No. 23), Winston-Salem catcher Zach Collins (No. 70) and Buies Creek right-hander Franklin Perez (No. 95).
Monday night's Hitting Challenge was capped off in heroic style, as Carolina's Jake Gatewood took home the hardware by edging out Lynchburg's Sicnarf Loopstok 15-14 in the final round of the Home Run Derby. The field featured eight sluggers, including Jimenez, who smashed the stadium lights with a moonshot home run. Miller also took part in the event for the Blue Rocks and hit four home runs in the contest.
The midsummer classic is set for a 7:05 p.m. start time on Tuesday night at Hayley Toyota Field in Salem, Virigina.
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