Colabello, Albers named IL All-Stars
A pair of Rochester Red Wings - 1B Chris Colabello and LHP Andrew Albers - will represent the Wings at the 2013 Triple-A All-Star Game at Aces Ballpark in Reno, NV on July 17, the International League announced on Wednesday. Colabello, the overall leader in the online fan balloting, was elected as the starting first baseman for the IL squad with Albers selected as a reserve. The game will be televised nationally on the MLB Network, the Armed Forces Network and the Triple-A All-Star Game Radio Network.
In just his second season of affiliated ball, and first at the Triple-A level, Chris Colabello has emerged as one of the top sluggers in the International League. A two-time IL Player of the Week and the Twins Minor League Player of the Month for May, Colabello is currently leading the league in numerous offensive categories including average (.360), slugging percentage (.655), on-base pct + slugging pct (OPS, 1.085) and RBI (65). The 29-year-old also ranks in the top three of several other statistical categories including on-base percentage (2nd, .431), extra-base hits (T-2nd, 41), total bases(2nd, 180), hits (T-2nd, 99) and HR (3rd, 20) as of July 2.
The Framingham, Mass. native, who spent the first seven years of his professional career in the independent Can-Am League, has had three separate stints with the Twins this season, including making his Major League debut on May 22.
Colabello was both the Can-Am Player of the Year as well as Baseball America's Independent League Player of the Year in 2011. Last season, he was an Eastern League post-season All-Star and finished runner-up in league MVP voting.
Andrew Albers, another Triple-A rookie who spent time in the Can-Am League, has established himself as one of the premier starting pitchers in the league this season. Since the beginning of May, the 27-year-old southpaw is 7-2 with a 2.74 ERA in 11 starts including his first career complete-game shutout on June 7 against Gwinnett. The Saskatchewan native ranks among league leaders in ERA (7th, 3.13), wins (T-4th, 7), strikeouts (4th, 80), innings pitched (9th, 92.0) and WHIP (T-10th, 1.26).
Albers was originally drafted by the Padres in the 10th round of the 2008 draft out of the University of Kentucky. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2009 and spent much of the 2010 season pitching in relief for Quebec of the Can-Am League, before signing with the Twins as a minor league free agent in March of 2011. Last season, Albers was selected to the Eastern League's All-Star Game with New Britain but did not play due to injury.
The remainder of the International League All-Star roster was also announced today and is listed below:
Players Elected (starters): C Josh Phegley (CHA), 1B Chris Colabello (ROC), 2B Jim Negrych (BUF), SS Josh Harrison (IND), 3B Vince Belnome (DUR), OF Nick Castellanos (TOL), OF Billy Hamilton (LOU), OF Joey Terdoslavich (GWN), DH Mauro Gomez (BUF), SP J.D. Martin (DUR), SP Greg Reynolds (LOU), RP Jairo Asencio (NOR), RP Preston Guilmet (COL)
Players Selected: C Tony Sanchez (IND), C Omir Santos (COL), INF Cody Asche (LHV), INF Cesar Hernandez (LHV), INF Jordan Lennerton (TOL), INF Ernesto Mejia (GWN), INF Zach Walters (SYR), OF Thomas Neal (SWB), OF Jason Pridie (NOR), P Andrew Albers (ROC), P Vic Black (IND), P Chris Bootcheck (SWB), P Anthony Carter (PAW), P Rubby De La Rosa (PAW), P Kris Johnson (IND), P David Purcey (CHA), P Kirby Yates (DUR)
Field Staff: Manager: Dave Miley (SWB), Coach: Joel Skinner (CHA), Coach: Brandon Moore (CHA), Trainer: Mark Shires (NOR)
With the Pacific Coast League's 3-0 victory at last year's Triple-A All-Star Game in Buffalo, NY, the IL now owns a slight 8-7 edge in the 15 years since the event changed to the current IL vs. PCL format. The winning League this season will once again earn the right to have its champion play as the "home team" at the Gildan Triple-A National Championship Game which will take place Tuesday, September 17 at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, PA.
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The Rochester Red Wings are the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. The Red Wings are operated by Rochester Community Baseball, Inc. and have been a community-owned pro baseball franchise since 1957; Rochester's pro baseball history dates back to 1885.
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