Seven Sod Poodles Players Named 2019 Texas League All-Stars

The Texas League revealed its 2019 All-Stars for the 83rd annual Harsco Texas League All-Star Game taking place on Tuesday, June 25 at ONEOK Field, home of the Tulsa Drillers, which will feature a league second-highest seven Amarillo Sod Poodles players. The All-Star Game is the marquee event for the Texas League each season and will bring players and executives to Tulsa from other cities throughout the league.
Amarillo Sod Poodles players selected who will represent the South division in the Texas League mid-summer classic are: Luis Torrens (C), Ivan Castillo (2B), Owen Miller (SS), Edward Olivares (RF), Kyle Overstreet (UTIL), RHP Emmanuel Ramirez, and LHP Travis Radke.
Additionally, Amarillo's manager Phillip Wellman along with his team staff will be at the helm of the 2019 Texas League South Division All-Star Roster since the Padres Double-A affiliate in San Antonio were South Division Champions in 2018.
"We are proud to see so many individuals represent Amarillo and the talented San Diego Padres organization as All-Stars in our inaugural year," said Sod Poodles President and General Manager Tony Ensor. "Along with their teammates, they have brought outstanding and high-caliber baseball to HODGETOWN. Fans should expect great things to come from them as well as the rest of the 2019 Sod Poodles roster as we move into the second half of our inaugural season and push for a postseason berth!"
Torrens, 23, is currently batting .285 over 40 games with Amarillo and has collected 10 doubles, three home runs, 23 RBI, and 21 walks. Behind the plate, the Venezuela native has caught in 37 games (316.2 innings) and currently leads the league in runners caught stealing (22). This marks the second mid-season All-Star honor for Torrens and first since 2014 (Staten Island - NY Penn).
Castillo, 24, who was signed as a free agent by the Padres on November 9, 2018, has been red-hot for Amarillo since joining on May 3 and is currently batting .342 over 36 games. The Dominican Republic native has totaled 23 runs, nine doubles, three triples, two home runs, 23 RBI, and seven stolen bases in just over a month of play in 2019. He has recorded two of the longest hit streaks for Amarillo this season (14 - 5/16 - 5/30; 9 - 6/1 - 6/11) and has hit safely in all but five games. The All-Star bid marks his first selection as a Mid-Season All-Star. 
Miller, 22, Padres number 30-rated prospect (MLB.com), is currently in the league's top 10 in multiple categories including seventh in average (.296), first in hits (74), and tied for sixth in total bases (106). Over 62 games with Amarillo this season, the Wisconsin native, who was drafted in the third round of the 2018 MLB draft, is batting .296 with 14 doubles, six home runs, 34 RBI, 19 walks, and three stolen bases. Last season, the infielder received his first All-Star bid in the Northwest League while with short-season Tri-City.
Olivares, 23, Padres number 28-rated prospect (MLB.com), is also among the league leaders offensively as he is currently seventh in RBI (39), tied for fourth in doubles (15), tied for third in runs scored (41), and tied for seventh in stolen bases (14). Over 58 games in 2019, the Venezuela native is batting .260 with eight home runs. The outfielder was named a mid-season All-Star for the first time last season while with Advanced-A Lake Elsinore in the California League.
Overstreet, 25, earns his first-career All-Star bid this season being added to the roster as a utility player. Over 45 games with Amarillo in 2019, he is batting .269 with four doubles, three home runs, 15 RBI, and 17 walks. The Alabama native was a 14th round draft pick in 2015 and has held roles at first base, third base and catcher in 2019.
Ramirez, 24, earns his third-career mid-season All-Star bid in four seasons. The Dominican Republic native is currently seventh among league pitchers in ERA (3.84), tied for second in wins (5), second in opposing average (.218), third in WHIP (1.10), and tied for eighth in winning percentage (.556). He was recently named Texas League Pitcher of the Week for the week of June 3-9 when he went 1-0 in two appearances and struck out ten opposing batters while surrendering just two earned runs and allowed 13 hits in 13 innings.
Radke, 26, earns his second consecutive mid-season All-Star bid since being named for the first time last season while with Single-A Fort Wayne (Midwest League). The southpaw was transferred to Double-A Amarillo on April 23 from Lake Elsinore and is currently 3-1 with a 2.38 ERA over 15 appearances with the Sod Poodles. The SoCal native was drafted in the 25th round by the San Diego Padres in 2014.
Notable current Major League players who have played in past Texas League All-Star Games include: Fernando Tatis Jr. (San Diego Padres) - No. 1 Overall Prospect in Rookie Season, Mike Trout (Los Angeles Angels) - 2-Time American League MVP, Nolan Arenado (Colorado Rockies) - 5-Time Gold Glove winner; 4-Time MLB All-Star, Mike Moustakas (Milwaukee Brewers) - 2-Time MLB All Star, and Alex Bregman (Houston Astros) - 2018 MLB All-Star Game MVP.
In 2018, a league-high nine Texas League All-Stars were selected from the Padres Double-A affiliate in San Antonio including Fernando Tatis Jr., Josh Naylor, Logan Allen, Austin Allen, Ty France, River Stevens, Cal Quantrill, Brad Wieck, and Rowan Wick.
The Texas League All-Star Game will be streamed live on MiLB TV to subscribers on Tuesday, June 25 and can be followed via the MiLB First Pitch mobile app as the South will look to claim their fourth consecutive All-Star victory after last season's victory in an extra-inning home run contest at Security Bank Ballpark in Midland.
Tickets to the 2019 Texas League All-Star Game at ONEOK Field in Tulsa can be purchased at TulsaDrillers.com.
The full North and South rosters of the 2019 Texas League All-Star Teams are below.
2019 TEXAS LEAGUE ALL-STAR GAME ROSTER - North Division
 
C:                            Keibert Ruiz (Tulsa) - Dodgers top prospect; #2 C prospect in MiLB
1B:                          Evan White (Arkansas) - Mariners #4 prospect; 2nd on ARK in SLG/OPS
2B:                          Gabriel Cancel  (NW Arkansas) - Leads TL in RBI (49) and tied for lead in XBH (29)
SS:                          Gavin Lux (Tulsa) - Dodgers #2 prospect; Tied for TL lead in HR (13)
3B:                          Cristian Santana (Tulsa) - Dodgers #26 prospect; hitting .290 with 30 RBI
LF:                          Khalil Lee  (NW Arkansas) - Royals #3 prospect; 2nd in TL with 26 SB
CF:                          Dylan Carlson  (Springfield) - STL #2 prospect; Tied for TL lead with 121 TB
RF:                          Cody Thomas (Tulsa) - Univ. of Oklahoma product; 10 HR with 41 RBI
 
Reserved C:        Joseph Odom  (Arkansas) - Spent four seasons in the Braves system
 
UT:                         Jake Fraley  (Arkansas) - Leads TL in AVG (.326), SLG (.563), TB (121)
UT:                         Zach McKinstry (Tulsa) - Hitting .280 with 7 HR and 31 RBI
UT:                         D.J. Burt  (NW Arkansas) - 4th-round pick in 2014; Third in TL with 16 SB
UT:                         Chris Parmelee (Tulsa) - Played 311 MLB games with MIN, BAL and NYY
 
RHP:                      Justin Dunn  (Arkansas) - Mariners #3 prospect; 3.50 ERA with 67 SO
RHP:                      Darren McCaughan  (Arkansas) - Second in TL with 2.70 ERA
RHP:                      Dustin May (Tulsa) - Dodgers #3 prospect; T-3rd in TL with 67 SO
LHP:                       Ricardo Sánchez  (Arkansas) - Mariners #24 prospect; 3.49 ERA with 63 SO
RHP:                      Gerson Garabito  (NW Arkansas) - Royals #28 prospect; Leads NWA with 3.79 ERA
RHP:                      Ofreidy Gomez  (NW Arkansas) - 3.90 ERA; Leads NWA with 61 SO
RHP:                      Conner Greene  (NW Arkansas) - 7th-round pick in 2014; 2nd on NWA with 60 SO
RHP:                      Nabil Crismatt  (Arkansas) - Leads TL with 2.59 ERA and 0.95 WHIP
LHP:                       Austin Warner  (Springfield) - Leads TL with 75 SO
RHP:                      Jack Anderson  (Arkansas) - 2.16 ERA in 18 games
RHP:                      Shea Spitzbarth (Tulsa) - 2.60 ERA; Leads Tulsa with 4 saves
 
 
COACHING STAFF
Manager:  Scott Hennessey (Tulsa)
Hitting Coach: Adam Melhuse (Tulsa)
Coach:  Petie Montero (Tulsa)
Pitching Coach:  Dave Borkowski (Tulsa)
Tech. & Development Coach: Garrett Lloyd (Tulsa)
Athletic Trainer:  Kalie Swan (Tulsa)
Strength & Conditioning:  Shaun Alexander (Tulsa)
Video/PT:  Logan Crook (Tulsa)
 
 
2019 TEXAS LEAGUE ALL-STAR GAME ROSTER - South Division
C:                            Luis Torrens (Amarillo) - Hitting .286; Played 56 in majors with SD in 2017
1B:                          Juremi Profar  (Frisco) - One of TL's top hitters in May with .347 Avg
2B:                          Ivan Castillo (Amarillo) - Hitting .336 with 13 extra-base hits
3B:                          Abraham Toro  (Corpus Christi) - Astros #21 prospect; hitting .297 with 10 HR
SS:                          Owen Miller (Amarillo) - Padres #24 minor lg. prospect; hitting .293
LF:                          Dairon Blanco  (Midland) - A's #30 prospect; signed out of Cuba prior to 2018 season
CF:                          Luis Barrera  (Midland) - A's #13 prospect; hitting .301; leads TL with 8 triples
RF:                          Edward Olivares (Amarillo) - Leads AMA with 8 HR and 39 RBI
 
Reserved C:        Collin Theroux  (Midland) - Ok State Univ. product; leads MID with 7 HR
 
UT:                         Charles Leblanc  (Frisco) - 4th-round pick from Canada; plays all 4 IF positions
UT:                         Greg Deichmann  (Midland) - A's #11 prospect; just 3rd season of pro ball
UT:                         Mikey White  (Midland) - 2nd-round pick in 2014; leads TL with 19 doubles                       
UT:                         Kyle Overstreet (Amarillo) - Has caught and played 3 different IF positions
 
RHP:                      Kyle Finnegan  (Midland) - 1.88 ERA; leads TL with 8 saves
RHP:                      Brian Howard  (Midland) - A's #21 prospect out of TCU; 5-3 with 3.11 in 13 GS for MID
RHP:                      Walker Weickel  (Frisco) - 4-0 with 1.98 ERA; 1st-round pick of Padres in 2012
RHP:                      Colin McKee  (Corpus Christi) - 1.59 ERA with 5 saves; holding opponents to .135 Avg
RHP:                      Emmanuel Ramirez (Amarillo) - Leads AMA with 5 wins; also has 1 save
RHP:                      Carlos Sanabria  (Corpus Christi) - 3 wins and 3 saves since April promotion to AA
RHP:                      Edgar Arredondo  (Frisco) - Leads Frisco with 5 wins in 11 GS
LHP:                       James Jones  (Frisco) - Converted OF who played 136 games in majors with Seattle
LHP:                       Travis Radke (Amarillo) - 2.38 ERA in 15 relief appearances for AMA
RHP:                      Bryan Abreu  (Corpus Christi) - Astros #7 overall prospect; holding opponents to .194 avg
 
 
COACHING STAFF
Manager:  Phillip Wellman (Amarillo)
Hitting Coach: Raul Padron  (Amarillo)
Pitching Coach: Jimmy Jones (Amarillo)
Defensive Coach: Freddy Flores (Amarillo)
Athletic Trainer:  Drew Garner (Amarillo)
Strength & Conditioning:  Drew Heitoff (Amarillo)
Trainer/PT:  Nick Coberly (Amarillo)
Video:  Clinton Sewell (Amarillo)