Three Jays named to Appy League All-Star Team

By Trey Wilson

August 23, 2013

BLUEFIELD - Three members of the Bluefield Blue Jays have been named to the 2013 Appalachian League All-Star team, as announced by the league office on Friday.

Mitch Nay, Matt Dean, and Jairo LaBourt were selected from Bluefield's roster.

Nay was chosen as this year's representative at third base. He is currently leading the league with 40 RBI and has posted a .303 batting average while clubbing six home runs.

Dean, who was selected as the designated hitter on the all-star list, leads all first basemen with a .996 fielding percentage, totaling 421 putouts and 28 assists with only two errors.

Dean is second in the Appalachian League with a .326 batting average, and has hit .382 in the month of August with 19 RBI in 20 games. For the season, he has five home runs and 32 RBI.

LaBourt was chosen as the league's top left-handed pitcher, posting a 2-2 record with a 1.72 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP through 47.0 innings pitched. Through his 11 appearances (seven starts), opposing batters are hitting just .188 against him.

With runners in scoring position, LaBourt has held opposing batters to a .086 average.

Through three seasons as an affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, Bluefield has now had seven all-star selections. In 2011, Art Charles (designated hitter), Kevin Pillar (outfield), and Chris Hawkins (utility outfielder) were chosen. Jeremy Gabryszwski (right-handed pitcher) was picked in 2012.

The full 2013 Appalachian League All-Star Team is listed below:

C Rowan Wick - Johnson City Cardinals

1B Sam Bates - Burlington Royals

2B Yeixon Ruiz - Kingsport Mets

3B Mitch Nay - Bluefield Blue Jays

SS Tyler Smith - Pulaski Mariners

U-INF Kenny Peoples-Walls - Johnson City Cardinals

DH Matt Dean - Bluefield Blue Jays

U-OF Ian Miller - Pulaski Mariners

OF Vaughn Bryan - Johnson City Cardinals

OF Nolan Earley - Bristol White Sox

OF Zack Granite - Elizabethton Twins

RHP Edwin Diaz - Pulaski Mariners

LHP Jairo LaBourt - Bluefield Blue Jays

RP Emilio Pagan - Pulaski Mariners

Player of the Year Tyler Smith - Pulaski Mariners

Pitcher of the Year Edwin Diaz - Pulaski Mariners

Manager of the Year Josh Bonifay - Greeneville Astros