Daigle named Carolina League MVP

Winston-Salem Warthogs slugger Leo Daigle on Friday was named Carolina League Most Valuable Player after flirting with the Triple Crown for much of the season.

Daigle also was one of five Warthogs named to the league's year-end All-Star team. In other postseason honors, Frederick Keys right-hander James Johnson was named Pitcher of the Year and Ivan DeJesus of the Salem Avalanche was named Manager of the Year.

Heading into the final weekend of the season, Daigle leads the league in batting (.339) and RBIs (106), and he's second with 27 home runs, despite spending five weeks with Triple-A Charlotte.

Johnson leads the CL with 12 wins and 167 strikeouts and is tied for the top spot with two complete games. Overall, he is 12-9 with a 3.52 ERA.

DeJesus, a former Major League shortstop, took a team that was a league-worst 30-40 in the first half of the season and has it in contention for the Southern Division second-half title at 35-31.

The other Winston-Salem All-Stars are shortstop Robert Valido, outfielders Thomas Collaro and Noah Hall and reliever Ehren Wassermann. Keys second baseman Nate Spears and Potomac Nationals third baseman Kory Casto are the other infielders, while Potomac's Frank Diaz and Frederick's Nick Markakis complete the outfield.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans is the catcher, Pat Magness of the Lynchburg Hillcats is the utility infielder and Frederick's Mario Delgado is the designated hitter.

Valido is hitting .287 with eight homers, 57 RBIs and a league-leading 46 stolen bases. Collaro leads the circuit with 29 homers and is second with 100 RBIs while batting .269. Hall is second with a .333 average, tied for third with 25 RBIs and fourth with 89 RBIs. Wassermann has a league-leading 20 saves to go with a 4-2 record and 1.37 ERA in 42 games.

Spears is hitting .299 with five homers and 39 RBIs, and Casto is fourth in the CL with 36 doubles and among the top 10 with 21 homers and 88 RBIs. Diaz leads the league with 43 doubles, adding 14 homers and 66 RBIs to go with a .312 average. Before his promotion to Double-A Bowie, Markakis batted .300 with 12 homers and 62 RBIs in 91 games.

Saltalamacchia is third in the league in batting at .315 with 19 homers and 78 RBIs. Magness is tied for fifth with a .307 average, fifth with 23 homers and third with 90 RBIs. Delgado is tied with Magness in hitting with 25 home runs and 85 RBIs.

Voting for year-end honors was done by league managers, general managers and media.