Do You Know the Way to San Jose?

June 7, 2013

The Carolina League announced their 2013 All-Star team today. Lynchburg Hillcats outfielders Robby Hefflinger and David Rohm will represent the Hillcats at this year's mid-summer classic between the Advanced Single-A Carolina and California leagues. In addition to the players, the 2012 Carolina League Champion Hillcats will send manager Luis Salazar, pitching coach Derek Botelho, and athletic trainer Joe Toenjes to serve as the Carolina League field staff.

This is the first All-Star honor for Hefflinger in his career. A seventh round pick for the Atlanta Braves in 2009 is playing in his fifth season of professional baseball. The Buford, Georgia Native currently leads the Carolina League in home runs (16), slugging percentage (.585), extra-base hits (30), and total bases (127). He also ranks fifth in batting average (.295) and hits (64), and fourth in RBI (39). His 16 homers have already matched his career-high total that he set last season between Lynchburg and Low-A Rome, and he is just one long ball shy of the lead in all of Minor League Baseball. Hefflinger will start in the outfield for the Carolina League.

Rohm is also a first time All-Star this year. The Clovis, CA native gets to travel back to his home state for the game as it is the California League's turn to host. Rohm was selected in the ninth round in 2010 by the Atlanta Braves out of Fresno (CA) City College. He currently ranks seventh in the league in batting (.290) and is tied for third in doubles (18). He also has one home run, 21 RBI, and has scored 35 runs this season. Rohm will play as a reserve outfielder.

Hefflinger and Rohm also boast the longest hitting streaks in the Carolina League this season as the only two players to compile streaks of 12 games.

Keeping the firsts coming, Salazar will manage his first All-Star game at the helm of the Carolina League squad. This is Salazar's third season as the Hillcats' skipper and 11th overall managing in the minors. He led the Hillcats to a regular season 72-68 record last year on their way to winning the Mills Cup Championship. It was the first league title for Salazar as a manager.

This is also the third season for Botelho as the pitching coach for the Hillcats. It's his 11th season overall in the Braves organization, previously serving as the pitching coach for Triple-A Gwinnett, Double-A Mississippi, Rookie Danville, and the Gulf Coast League Braves. Botelho has coached in All-Star games in the Double-A Southern League and Single-A Midwest League. He also served as the pitching coach for the US Team in the 2009 MLB Futures Game in St. Louis.

Toenjes joined the Hillcats in 2013 for the first time. This is his fourth season working for the Braves, but his first for a full season club. He spent the last two years as the head athletic trainer for the Gulf Coast League Braves.

The 2013 Carolina-California League All-Star Game is scheduled for Tuesday, July 18th at Municipal Stadium in San Jose, California, home of the San Jose Giants, Advanced-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. To learn more and purchase tickets visit sjgiants.com/allstargame or call (408) 297-1435. If fans are unable to attend the 2013 California-Carolina League All-Star Game, the game will be televised locally on Comcast Hometown Network Digital Channel 104 and nationally on MiLB.TV . Fans will also be able to listen to the game for free online at sjgiants.com and via the San Jose Giants Mobile App. Whether fans are listening, watching or attending the game, the San Jose Giants are encouraging everyone to use the official social media hashtag of the 2013 All-Star Game, #SJASG13. Fans can begin right now by participating in the All-Star Game poster contest. Visit sjgiants.com/allstargame and download the official 2013 California-Carolina League All-Star Game poster. Then, take a picture of your poster hanging up in your business, home or school and post it on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook tagging the San Jose Giants, using #SJASG13. One lucky fan will win a bag filled with All-Star merchandise!

2013 CL All-Star Roster

PITCHERS T HT WT DOB

Cody Anderson, Carolina Mudcats R 6-4 220 9-14-90

Alec Asher, Myrtle Beach Pelicans R 6-4 218 10-4-91

Christopher Beck, Winston-Salem Dash R 6-3 210 9-4-90

Luke Jackson, Myrtle Beach Pelicans R 6-2 185 8-24-91

Nick Martinez, Myrtle Beach Pelicans L 6-1 175 8-5-90

Henry Owens, Salem Red Sox L 6-6 205 7-21-92

Robbie Ray, Potomac Nationals L 6-2 170 10-1-91

Eduardo Rodriguez, Frederick Keys L 6-2 200 4-7-93

Blake Schwartz, Potomac Nationals R 6-3 200 10-9-89

Kyle Smith, Wilmington Blue Rocks R 6-0 170 9-10-92

CATCHERS B/T HT WT DOB

*Blake Swihart, Salem Red Sox S/R 6-1 175 4-3-92

Zane Chavez, Frederick Keys L/R 5-10 200 12-30-86

INFIELDERS:

*1B-Jerrud Sabourin, Carolina Mudcats L/L 6-2 210 11-2-89

*2B-Rougned Odor, Myrtle Beach Pelicans L/R 5-11 170 2-3-94

*SS-Francisco Lindor, Carolina Mudcats S/R 5-11 175 11-14-93

*3B-Garin Cecchini, Salem Red Sox L/R 6-2 200 4-20-91

Chris Curley, Winston-Salem Dash R/R 6-0 185 8-25-87

Luis Sardinas, Myrtle Beach Pelicans S/R 6-1 150 5-16-93

OUTFIELDERS

*Billy Burns, Potomac Nationals S/R 5-9 180 8-30-89

*Robby Hefflinger, Lynchburg Hillcats R/R 6-4 220 1-3-90

*Tyler Naquin, Carolina Mudcats L/R 602 175 4-24-91

David Rohm, Lynchburg Hillcats R/R 6-3 215 1-22-90

*Jeremy Farrell, Winston-Salem Dash R/R 6-3 200 11-11-86

MANAGER COACH TRAINER

Luis Salazar, Lynchburg Derik Botelho, Lynchburg Joe Toenjes, Lynchburg

*In starting lineup