Globe iconLogin iconRecap iconSearch iconTickets icon
Double-A Affiliate
The Official Site of the Portland Sea Dogs Portland Sea Dogs

Five Sea Dogs Named Eastern League All-Stars

Sean Coyle, Derrik Gibson, Brian Johnson, Henry Owens, Blake Swihart
July 7, 2014

Portland, Maine- The Eastern League, in conjunction with the Altoona Curve, has announced the rosters for the 2014 Eastern League All-Star Game. The Portland Sea Dogs will send five players to the midsummer classic; pitchers Brian Johnson and Henry Owens along with infielders Sean Coyle and Derrik Gibson and catcher Blake Swihart. The All-Star Game will be played on Wednesday, July 16th at Peoples Natural Gas Field in Altoona, Pennsylvania; home of the Altoona Curve.

The All-Star Game will feature the Eastern Division All-Stars against the Western Division All-Stars. Each team will consist of 24 players. The All-Star teams were selected through fan voting along with selections from media personnel, club field personnel, and Eastern League administrators. Each Eastern League team has at least three players, including at least one pitcher and one position player. One position player and one pitcher from each team are selected through fan voting. Blake Swihart and Henry Owens were the fan selections for the Sea Dogs.

Second baseman Sean Coyle is hitting .355 (71-for-200) with 11 home runs and 47 RBI in 59 games for the Sea Dogs this season. He earned Eastern League Player of the Week honors for the week of June 23rd though 29th after hitting .524 during the stretch. Coyle will represent the U.S. squad on the All-Star Futures Game which will be held on July 13th at Target Field; home of the Minnesota Twins. The 22 year-old entered the season ranked as the Red Sox #30 prospect according to Baseball America. The Chalfont, PA resident was selected by the Red Sox in the third round of the June 2010 draft.

Derrik Gibson, who has played both the infield and outfield this season for the Sea Dogs, ranks ninth in the Eastern League in hitting at .321 (71-for-221). In 65 games he has collected 13 doubles and 22 RBI along with 44 runs scored. The 24 year-old hit an Eastern League best .404 in June and set the Sea Dogs franchise record for OBP in June at .505. Gibson was selected by the Red Sox in the second round of the June 2008 draft.  

Left-handed pitcher Brian Johnson joined the Sea Dogs on May 2nd from High-A Salem. In 11 starts with the Sea Dogs, Johnson has produced a 7-1 record with a 1.73 ERA (12 ER/ 62.1 IP). The 23 year-old entered the season ranked as the Red Sox #14 prospect according to Baseball America. Johnson was a first round draft pick (31st overall) of the Red Sox in the June 2012 draft.

Henry Owens entered the season as the Red Sox top pitching prospect and #2 prospect overall according to Baseball America. The 21 year-old left-hander is 12-3 with a 2.21 ERA (27 ER/ 105.2 IP) and 111 strikeouts in 17 games for the Sea Dogs this season. He leads the Eastern League in wins (12), ERA (2.21), strikeouts (111), complete games (3), shutouts (2), WHIP (1.03), and average against (.183). Owens will also represent the U.S. squad at the All-Star Futures Game at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota on July 16th. Owens opened the 2014 season by firing a rain shortened complete game no-hitter against the Reading Fightin Phils in Reading, Pennsylvania. Owens was selected by the Red Sox in the supplemental round (36th overall) of the June 2011 draft.

Catcher Blake Swihart is hitting .294 (80-for-272) with 16 doubles, nine home runs, and 44 RBI in 71 games this season with the Sea Dogs. The 22 year-old entered the season ranked as the Red Sox #5 prospect according to Baseball America. He earned 2013 Red Sox Minor League Defensive Player of the Year honors. Swihart leads the league in throwing out attempted base stealers this season at .532 (25-for-47). The Red Sox drafted Swihart in the first round (26th overall) in June 2011 draft.

For more information on the 2014 Eastern League All-Star Game, including ticket information, log on to www.altoonacurve.com   

Tickets are available for all remaining 2014 Portland Sea Dogs' home games. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Sea Dogs Ticket Office at 207-879-9500 or online at www.seadogs.com. Book your nine inning vacation today!