Eastern League names 2013 All-Stars

The Eastern League of Professional Baseball is pleased to announce the selections for the 2013 Eastern League All-Star Team as voted on by respective Eastern League team managers and coaching staffs, sportswriters, radio and television broadcast personnel and other members of the media.

(Statistics for games played through Aug. 27, 2013)

Catcher: Josmil Pinto, New Britain Rock Cats (.308, 14 HR, 68 RBI, 59 R)
After hitting .298 with the Rock Cats during a brief 12 games to close out the 2012 campaign, Josmil Pinto returned to the Rock Cats at the start of the 2013 season and went on to hit .308 (119-for-386) with 23 doubles, 14 home runs, 68 RBIs and 59 runs scored in 107 games for the Rock Cats before receiving a promotion to Triple-A Rochester on August 1st. The 24-year old ranked second in the league in hits (119) at the time of his promotion. He was also among the leaders in on-base percentage (.411-3rd), OPS (.892-3rd), batting average (.308-4th), total bases (186-4th), walks (68-4th) and RBIs (68-5th). Pinto started at designated hitter for the Eastern Division at the 2013 Eastern League All-Star Game in New Britain and collected a pair of hits in front of his home crowd. He was also selected by Baseball America as having the "Best Strike Zone Judgment" in the Eastern League this season.

First Base: Allan Dykstra, Binghamton Mets (.274, 20 HR, 79 RBI, 55 R)
Allan Dykstra has helped lead the Binghamton Mets to a first-place finish in the Eastern Division standings and a franchise-record 83 wins while batting .274 (99-for-361) with 22 doubles, 20 home runs, 79 RBIs and 55 runs scored in 119 games this season. His home run and RBI totals are both career-high marks. Dykstra currently leads the league in on-base percentage (.438) and walks (101) and is also ranked among the league leaders in slugging percentage (.501-2nd), OPS (.940-2nd), RBIs (79-4th) and homers (20-tied 4th). The 26-year old was especially impressive in the month of June, batting .364 with seven homers and 23 RBIs in 23 games. Allan was the starting first baseman for the Eastern Division at the 2013 Eastern League All-Star Game in New Britain.

Second Base: Hernan Perez, Erie SeaWolves (.301, 4 HR, 35 RBI, 45 R)
In 87 games with the Erie SeaWolves this season Hernan Perez batted .301 (109-for-362) with 28 doubles, four home runs, 45 runs scored, 35 RBIs and 24 stolen bases. He was rewarded for that performance with a promotion from Erie to the Detroit Tigers on July 9th. He made his MLB debut that night at Comerica Park against the Chicago White Sox and collected his first career Major League hit two nights later on July 11th against the White Sox. Perez was named to the Western Division roster for the 2013 Eastern League All-Star Game in New Britain and was also selected by Baseball America as being the "Best Defensive Second Baseman" in the Eastern League this season.

Third Base: Mark Minicozzi, Richmond Flying Squirrels (.311, 9 HR, 64 RBI, 73 R)
In 125 games for the Richmond Flying Squirrels this season Mark Minicozzi is batting .311 (135-for-434) with 30 doubles, nine home runs, 73 runs scored and 64 RBIs. Minicozzi currently ranks second in the league in batting average (.311) and he is also ranked among the leaders in hits (135-4th), on-base percentage (.402-5th), OPS (.844-5th), doubles (30-tied 5th), runs scored (73-9th) and total bases (192-tied 10th). Mark was especially impressive in the month of May, when he was named the Eastern League Player of the Month after hitting .427 with 26 runs scored and 25 RBIs in 27 games. He was also the Eastern League Player of the Week for the period of May 20th-26th and was the starting third baseman for the Western Division at the 2013 Eastern League All-Star Game.

Shortstop: Danny Santana, New Britain Rock Cats (.299, 2 HR, 43 RBI, 64 R)
Danny Santana was a MiLB.com Minnesota Twins Organizational All-Star after an outstanding season with Class A Advanced Fort Myers last year, and he has followed that up by setting career-high marks in a number of categories with the New Britain Rock Cats this season. Santana is hitting .299 (155-for-518) with 22 doubles, 10 triples, two homers, 64 runs scored, 43 RBIs and 27 stolen bases in 126 games with the Rock Cats this season. He currently leads the league in hits (155) and is also ranked among the leaders in triples (10-2nd), steals (27-tied 3rd), batting average (.299-5th) and total bases (203-8th). Danny was the Eastern Division's starting shortstop at the 2013 Eastern League All-Star Game and was also selected by Baseball America as the "Best Defensive Shortstop" in the Eastern League this season.

Outfielders

Alex Dickerson, Altoona Curve (.285, 16 HR, 65 RBI, 60 R)
This marks the second straight season that Alex Dickerson has been selected to the season ending All-Star Team for his league, as he was a Florida State League All-Star last season after hitting .295 with 90 RBIs for the Bradenton Marauders. In 120 games with the Curve this season Alex is hitting .285 (122-for-428) with 35 doubles, 16 home runs, 65 RBIs and 60 runs scored. Dickerson is currently ranked second in the league in doubles (35) and third in extra-base hits (54). He is also among the leaders in slugging percentage (.493-4th), total bases (211-5th) and OPS (.826-8th). Alex was the Eastern League Player of the Month for the month of July after hitting .413 with six homers and 27 RBIs in 26 games. He was also a two-time winner of the Eastern League Player of the Week Award for the periods of July 8th-14th and July 22nd-28th.

Javier Herrera, Richmond Flying Squirrels (.298, 16 HR, 73 RBI, 69 R)
In 126 games for the Richmond Flying Squirrels this season Javier Herrera is hitting .298 (138-for-463) with 37 doubles, 16 home runs, 73 RBIs, 69 runs scored and 23 stolen bases. Herrera currently leads the league with 37 doubles and 56 extra-base hits. He is also ranked among the league leaders in total bases (229-2nd), hits (138-3rd), slugging percentage (.495-3rd), OPS (.870-4th), batting average (.298-6th), RBIs (73-tied 7th) and on-base percentage (.376-10th). Herrera was the starting left fielder for the Western Division in the 2013 Eastern League All-Star Game. He was named the MiLB.com Top Star Award Winner as the MVP of that game after hitting a first inning three-run homer that wound up being the winning runs in a 5-0 Western Division victory.

Carlos Moncrief, Akron Aeros (.288, 16 HR, 73 RBI, 74 R)
Carlos Moncrief is batting .288 (118-for-381) with 25 doubles, seven triples, 16 home runs, 73 RBIs, 74 runs scored and 12 stolen bases in 123 games for the Akron Aeros this season. Carlos is ranked among the league leaders in a number of categories, including total bases (221-4th), hits (134-5th), extra-base hits (48-5th), OPS (.831-6th), runs scored (74-tied 6th), triples (7-tied 6th), RBIs (73-tied 7th), slugging percentage (.475-8th) and batting average (.288-10th). Herrera was the starting right fielder for the Western Division in the 2013 Eastern League All-Star Game and went 1-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored. He was also selected by Baseball America as having the "Best Outfield Arm" in the Eastern League this season.

Utility Player: Caleb Joseph, Bowie Baysox (.295, 20 HR, 94 RBI, 69 R)
Caleb Joseph has been one of the top offensive performers in the Eastern League this season while appearing in games at catcher, first base and left field for the Bowie Baysox. He is hitting .295 (145-for-491) with 30 doubles, 20 home runs, 94 RBIs and 69 runs scored in 128 games for the Baysox this season. Joseph currently leads the league with 239 total bases and is also ranked among the leaders in hits (145-2nd), RBI (94-2nd), extra-base hits (52-4th), home runs (20-tied 4th), doubles (30-tied 5th), slugging percentage (.487-tied 5th), OPS (.830-7th) and batting average (.295-8th). Caleb was named the Eastern League Player of the Week for the period of June 10th-16th and was also a member of the Western Division roster for the 2013 Eastern League All-Star Game. He went 1-for-2 with a double and a run scored and also won the home run derby the night before the game.

Designated Hitter: Jesus Aguilar, Akron Aeros (.274, 16 HR, 101 RBI, 65 R)
After briefly making his Double-A debut with the Aeros at the end of last season, first baseman Jesus Aguilar returned to Akron this year and has been one of the top sluggers in the league. In 127 games with the Aeros he has driven in a league-high 101 runs and is hitting .274 (133-for-486) with 28 doubles and 16 homers. In addition to leading the league in RBIs he is also among the leaders in hits (133-6th), total bases (209-tied 6th) and doubles (28-tied 8th). Aguilar started at first base for the Western Division at the 2013 Eastern League All-Star Game and drew a pair of walks.

Right-Handed Starter: Anthony Ranaudo, Portland Sea Dogs (8-4, 2.95 ERA)
Portland right-hander Anthony Ranaudo compiled a record of 8-4 with 106 strikeouts and a 2.95 ERA over 109 2/3 innings pitched in 19 starts for the Sea Dogs this season before receiving a promotion to Triple-A Pawtucket on August 2nd. At the time of his promotion he was leading the league in WHIP (1.09) and batting average against (.204). He also ranked third in ERA (2.95), tied for seventh in wins (8) and tied for eighth in strikeouts (106). Ranaudo tied a Sea Dogs franchise record on June 13th by recording 13 strikeouts in a 2-0 win over Erie. Anthony was the starting pitcher for the Eastern Division at the 2013 Eastern League All-Star Game and participated in the 2013 All-Star Futures Game at Citi Field in New York.

Left-Handed Starter: Jack Snodgrass, Richmond Flying Squirrels (11-4, 3.79 ERA)
Jack Snodgrass kicked off his season by throwing six innings in a combined no-hitter against New Britain in his Double-A debut for the Richmond Flying Squirrels on April 5th. He has carried that momentum with him through the season while putting together a record of 11-4 with 75 strikeouts and a 3.79 ERA in 24 starts for the Flying Squirrels. Snodgrass is currently tied for second in the league in wins (11), tied for third in WHIP (1.19) and tied for sixth in batting average against (.242). He was also a member of the Western Division roster for the 2013 Eastern League All-Star Game in New Britain.

Relief Pitcher: Jeff Walters, Binghamton Mets (4-3, 2.13 ERA, 37 Saves)
Binghamton closer Jeff Walters has been slamming the door shut on teams all season while helping the B-Mets to a first-place finish in the Eastern Division standings. Walters has a record of 4-3 with 58 strikeouts and a league-high and franchise-record 37 saves in 52 appearances for the B-Mets this season. In addition to leading the league in saves, Walters also leads the league in games finished (51) and is ranked fourth in games (52). He also ranks first among all Eastern League relievers in fewest baserunners per nine innings ratio (10.15) and third among relievers in strikeouts per nine innings (9.49). Jeff was named to the Eastern Division roster for the 2013 Eastern League All-Star Game in New Britain and struck out one batter in one scoreless inning of work.