Feliciano, Zavolas highlight Year-End All-Star roster

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (August 22, 2019) - For the first time since 2006, one team boasts the Carolina League's Most Valuable Player and Pitcher of the Year. Carolina Mudcats catcher Mario Feliciano is the Most Valuable Player, while teammate Noah Zavolas is the Pitcher of the Year, the league office announced Thursday after a vote among league managers, general managers and media members.
Feliciano and Zavolas lead the way for an impressive group of Carolina Leaguers who have earned recognition on the circuit's Year-End All-Star roster, which features representation from eight of 10 teams. In addition, Down East's Corey Ragsdale has earned the Manager of the Year award.

The CL's current home run leader with 19, Feliciano is the Year-End All-Star at catcher in addition to his MVP honor, the first for a Mudcat since the franchise joined the league in 2012. The Puerto Rico native is also first with 203 total bases, second with 78 RBIs, fifth with a .798 OPS, seventh with 60 runs, and 11th with a .273 batting average.
Like his teammate, Zavolas is among the league's best in many statistical categories, helping him to the Muddies' second Carolina League Pitcher of the Year award (Cody Anderson, 2013). Zavolas is second in earned run average (2.98), second in WHIP (1.14), third in innings pitched (133.0), eighth in opponents batting average (.256) and ninth in strikeouts (102).
Alongside Zavolas, Down East's Sal Mendez and Wilmington's Kris Bubic earned spots on the Year-End All-Star roster, as the league honored three starting pitchers for the first time. Mendez currently possesses the circuit's top earned run average at 2.34, while Bubic, the reigning Pitcher of the Week, would be second with his 2.44 ERA if he had enough innings to qualify.
Down East's Joe Kuzia is the league's top reliever thanks to his 18 saves, which are good for second-most in the league, and 1.03 ERA, the lowest among CL pitchers with at least 40 innings of work.
Potomac's two Year-End All-Stars are on the right side of the infield. First baseman Aldrem Corredor paces the CL with 79 RBIs, while second baseman Cole Freeman owns the second-best average at .297.
On the left side, Salem shortstop Ryan Fitzgerald is sixth with 62 RBIs and 10th with a .275 batting average. Former Lynchburg star Nolan Jones, now with Double-A Akron in Cleveland's organization, is the third baseman after an impressive 77-game stint with the Hillcats to begin the season. Like Jones, utility infield All-Star Zach Remillard is now in Double-A Birmingham within the White Sox system after excelling with the Dash over 95 games.
The league's current average leader, Oscar Gonzalez is the headliner on an impressive group of outfielder honorees. Gonzalez's .319 mark is the only qualified average north of .300 in the league. Like Jones, Gonzalez recently earned a promotion to Double-A Akron.
Winston-Salem's Steele Walker, third in the CL with an .810 OPS, and Wilmington's Brewer Hicklen, the league's stolen base leader with 38, round out the outfield spots. Former Frederick slugger Zach Jarrett earned a spot on the team as the utility outfielder after hitting .290 with 11 home runs prior to his promotion to Double-A Bowie in Baltimore's system.
Down East's Sam Huff rounds out the team as the Year-End All-Star designated hitter. Huff has shined in the CL to the tune of a .799 OPS after opening the season in Low-A Hickory within Texas' organization.
For the first time since rejoining the league in 2017, the Wood Ducks boast the Manager of the Year in Ragsdale, who has led the Woodies to an 84-43 record so far this year. The first-half Southern Division champions own the second-best winning percentage in full-season Minor League Baseball (.661).
Here is a full rundown of this season's Year-End All-Stars in the Carolina League:
Most Valuable Player: Mario Feliciano (Carolina)
Pitcher of the Year: Noah Zavolas (Carolina)
Manager of the Year: Corey Ragsdale (Down East)
Starting Pitchers: Noah Zavolas (Carolina), Sal Mendez (Down East), Kris Bubic (Wilmington)
Relief Pitcher: Joe Kuzia (Down East)
Catcher: Mario Feliciano (Carolina)
First Baseman: Aldrem Corredor (Potomac)
Second Baseman: Cole Freeman (Potomac)
Third Baseman: Nolan Jones (Lynchburg)
Shortstop: Ryan Fitzgerald (Salem)
Utility Infielder: Zach Remillard (Winston-Salem)
Outfielders: Oscar Gonzalez (Lynchburg), Steele Walker (Winston-Salem), Brewer Hicklen (Wilmington)
Utility Outfielder: Zach Jarrett (Frederick)
Designated Hitter: Sam Huff (Down East)
The Carolina League consists of 10 teams and is within the Class A-Advanced level of Minor League Baseball. Founded in 1945, the Carolina League strives to provide a first-class baseball experience for its players and fans. For more information on the Carolina League, please visit carolinaleague.com.