RiverDogs' Florial Named South Atlantic League's Most Outstanding Prospect

CHARLESTON, S.C. - The South Atlantic League has announced the 2017 Postseason All-Star team, naming former RiverDogs outfielder Estevan Florial as the league's Most Outstanding Major League Prospect on Tuesday.
Florial, 19, was one of the most explosive players in the South Atlantic League prior to his August 1 promotion, showcasing an exciting combination of speed, power, and defense. The Dominican teenager left the league batting .297 with 11 home runs, 43 RBI, and swiping 17 bases in 91 games before being called up to Tampa. He was also one of six RiverDogs representatives at the South Atlantic League All-Star game in June.

"We're all really, really proud of Estevan," said RiverDogs manager Patrick Osborn. "You always hear 'good things happen to good people,' and I think this is a classic case of that, combined with superb baseball ability. He's just an A-plus human being. He's been blessed with all kinds of talent to play this game, and he works his tail off. He's really started to grow as a baseball player, and develop into a future All-Star."
The Haitian-born outfielder signed by the Yankees out of the Dominican Republic in 2015 burst onto the prospect map when he appeared in the All-Star Futures Game at Marlins Park on July 9, competing against some of the biggest rising stars in baseball as one of just seven Class-A players featured at the showcase during All-Star weekend.
Florial is the first RiverDog to be named the league's Most Outstanding Prospect since Delmon Young in 2004, one year after B.J. Upton also garnered the same award. The honor marks the second time that the RiverDogs have had one of their ranks named to the Postseason All-Star team, the first since Chris Gittens was named in 2016.
At the time of his promotion, the Dominican Republic native ranked eighth in the league in average, second in runs scored (64), and fourth in total bases (166) while slugging .483 on the season. Currently rated the Yankees' No. 4 prospect by MLB.com and the No. 87 prospect in all of baseball, Florial opened the season in the Lowcountry before leading all RiverDogs hitters in batting, OPS (.855), total bases, and runs before being called up to the Florida State League.
Florial is the lone RiverDogs representative to the Postseason All-Star team. Phillies farmhand Darick Hall (Lakewood) was named the SAL MVP; he currently leads the circuit in homers (27), RBI (96), and slugging (.533). The Rome Braves' dominant pitching staff swept both the right-handed (Bryse Wilson) and left-handed (Joey Wentz) Pitcher of the Year Awards. Greenville's Darren Fenster was named the League's Manager of the Year.
RiverDogs tickets, including options for the all-new Riley Park Club, are now available and can be secured by contacting the box office at (843) 577-DOGS (3647) or online at riverdogs.com/tickets. Those that can't make it to the park can follow every pitch of the RiverDogs season on WTMA 1250 AM in the tri-county area or by streaming online at riverdogs.com and the TuneIn Radio App by searching "RiverDogs." All 70 RiverDogs home games are available with online streaming video at MiLB.tv.
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