Five Storm players named 2016 All-Stars

LAKE ELSINORE - The California League today announced the 2016 California League All-Star roster, highlighted by four players who will wear "The Eyes" of the Lake Elsinore Storm in the Midsummer Classic at The Diamond on Tuesday, June 21 in a battle with the stars of the Carolina League. Infielders Luis Urias and Josh VanMeter will be joined by relief pitchers Colby Blueberg and Brad Wieck as the four active Storm players named to the All-Star team. Pitcher Dinelson Lamet was also elected to the roster but was promoted to Double-A prior to the announcement.

Urias, 19, will suit up for the California League All-Stars as the youngest player in the ten-team circuit. A native of Magdalena de Kino, Mexico, Urias originally joined the San Diego Padres organization as a 16-year old international signee. A versatile infielder who has played second base, shortstop and third base, Urias batted .317 through 54 games - the fifth-best mark among all players in the league - while collecting 65 hits in that span, tied for fourth in the league.

2016 - .317 BA, 30 R, 65 H, 10 2B, 54 G, 16 RBI, 18 BB/19 K, 6 SB  

VanMeter, 21, makes his first professional All-Star team just one year removed from an injury that sidelined him for nearly all of 2015. The former 2013 fifth round pick out of Norwell High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana has been a steady bat in the lineup for the Storm, batting .295 while slugging six home runs in 51 games.

2016 - .295 BA, 28 R, 52 H, 12 2B, 6 HR, 1 3B, 51 G,21 RBI, 6 SB

Blueberg, 23, is another first-time All-Star, having earned a berth on this year's California League squad with nine saves and 1.04 ERA in 20 relief appearances. He struck out 27 hitters while walking just three in his first 26 innings of the season, placing him first among relievers in the league in Lowest BB/9 IP and Fewest Baserunners/9 IP. A third-year pro, Blueberg was drafted by the San Diego Padres out of University of Nevada-Reno.

2016 - 0-0, 1.04 ERA, 20 G, 9 S/9 SVO, 26 IP, 27 SO, 3 BB, .154 OPP AVG

Wieck, 24, has blossomed in a reliever's role with the Storm in 2016. The Umbarger, TX product joined the Padres organization via trade last year and made 23 starts over two levels between two organizations. This season the 6' 9" lefty was 2-1 with a 1.55 ERA in 18 games out of the bullpen, racking up an impressive 40 strikeouts in just 29 innings pitched, an average of 12.41 strikeouts per nine innings (third-best in the league).

2016 - 2-1, 1.55 ERA, 18 G, 1 SV/1 SVO, 29 IP, 40 SO, 13 BB, .224 OPP AVG

Lamet, 23, was the anchor of the Storm rotation for his entire stint on the roster before his promotion to Double-A San Antonio on June 6. He went a league-best 7-1 in 12 starts, posting the fourth-lowest ERA with a 2.35 mark in 65 innings pitched. Major League Baseball ranks the Dominican right-hander as the tenth-overall Padres prospect.

2016 - 7-1, 2.35 ERA, 12 G/12 GS, 65 IP, 54 SO

Joining the Storm quartet will be the 2016 Storm field staff - Manager Lance Burkhart, Pitching Coach Glendon Rusch, Hitting Coach Xavier Nady and Coach Mike McCoy - and the following players:

 

PITCHERS

RHP Ryan Castellani Modesto

RHP Sam Coonrod San Jose

RHP Tyler Herb                  Bakersfield

RHP Rodolfo Martinez San Jose

RHP Josh Sborz                Rancho Cucamonga

RHP Kyle Schepel             Bakersfield

LHP Jerry Vasto                Modesto

 

CATCHERS

Garrett Stubbs Lancaster

Jose Trevino                     High Desert

 

INFIELDERS

Travis Demeritte High Desert

C.J. Hinojosa San Jose

Dawel Lugo                         Visalia

Kyle Petty                           Bakersfield

Chris Shaw                          San Jose

 

OUTFIELDERS

Tim Arakawa                      Inland Empire

Bobby Boyd                        Lancaster

Omar Carrizales              Modesto

James Harris                      Stockton

2016 marks the 20^th overall - and 18^th consecutive - meeting between the California and Carolina Leagues. The series dates back to 1996 and the California League leads the series 9-8-2 all-time.

The All-Star festivities begin with the Midway Classic Home Run Contest on the deck of the USS Midway in San Diego on Monday, June 20 from 5pm to 8pm. Four hitters from each league will compete to be the Midway Classic Home Run Champion.

Tickets for the Midway Classic Home Run Contest are available until Saturday, June 18 and can be purchased HERE.

The All-Star Game on June 21 begins with Fan Fest at 3:30pm and is free with the purchase of an All-Star ticket. First pitch is set for 7:30pm.

CLICK HERE FOR ALL-STAR GAME TICKETS

For more information call (951) 245- HITS.