Four M-Braves selected as Southern League All-Stars
PEARL - The Southern League of Professional Baseball Clubs has announced the South Division roster for the 2018 Southern League All-Star Game. Four M-Braves were named to the squad and included Infielder Tyler Marlette, right-handed starting pitcher Touki Toussaint, and right-handed relief pitcher Jacob Webb. Outfielder Michael Reed was also
PEARL - The Southern League of Professional Baseball Clubs has announced the South Division roster for the 2018 Southern League All-Star Game. Four M-Braves were named to the squad and included Infielder
Marlette, 25, is currently has a team-best .287 (47-for-164) batting average with 25 runs, 11 doubles, six home runs and 20 RBI in 50 games this season. Since May 4, the Oviedo, FL native has the second-best slash line in the Southern League at .354/.429/.556 with 19 runs, eight doubles, four home runs, 15 RBI and 12 walks. He's raised his batting average from .185 to .287.
He was named the Mississippi Braves Player of the Month for May by the organization. Marlette had a 12-game hitting streak, May 15-29, which tied for the longest this season by an M-Braves batter. During the streak, he hit .465 (20-for-43) with 11 runs, four doubles, one triple, three home runs, eight RBI and .531 OBP over the streak.
This is Marlette's third mid-season All-Star selection. He was a Midwest League All-Star in 2013 while with Low-A Clinton (SEA) and a Texas League All-Star in 2017 while with Double-A Arkansas (SEA). Marlette was signed to a minor league contract by the Braves on December 1, 2017, and was initially selected by the Mariners in the fifth round of the 2011 draft out of Hagerty High School (FL).
Toussaint, 21, has a 3.52 ERA (24 ER/61.1 IP) over 12 starts for the M-Braves this season with a league-best 76 strikeouts. The Coral Springs, FL native is second among Southern League starters with an 11.15 SO/9IP ratio and fifth in opponents batting average (.216). Toussaint has a 2-6 record but is obtaining just 3.3 runs-per-game of support and one run-per-game of support over his last five starts.
The 6'2" right-hander has struck out 10 batters twice this season and had a string of three consecutive quality starts from April 28-May 9 allowing just two runs over 19.1 IP with six walks, 22 strikeouts and a .138 opponents batting average.
This is Toussaint's first career mid-season All-Star selection. He entered the 2018 season as the No. 11 overall prospect for the Braves and was acquired along with RHP Bronson Arroyo from the Diamondbacks in exchange for INF
Webb, 24, is 1-2 with a 3.32 ERA (8 ER/21.2 IP) in 20 relief outings for the M-Braves this season with 34 strikeouts and 12 walks. The Riverside, CA native, ranks fourth in the Southern League with seven saves and is tied for third in the league with 16 games finished.
Overall, Webb is holding the opposition to just a .203 batting average, and right-handed hitters are being limited to just .140 average. The mid-season All-Star selection nod is the first of his professional career. Webb was Atlanta's 18th round selection in the 2014 draft out of Tabor College (KS).
Reed, 25, was promoted to Gwinnett on May 29th and at the time of the promotion ranked seventh in the Southern League with a .314 batting average, third with a .446 OBP and tied for fourth in runs scored with 33. The Cedar Park, TX native, reached base safely in 38 of his 44 games played and had on-base streaks of 18 games and 12 games. His 12-game hitting streak from April 6-23 was tied for the longest this season by an M-Braves player.
Reed was also named a Southern League All-Star in 2015 while with the Biloxi Shuckers. Reed was signed by the Braves as a minor-league free agent on November 28, 2017, and was originally selected by the Brewers in the fifth round in 2011 out of Leander (TX) HS.
Click HERE to view the entire South Division roster.