Four Former Smokies Named MLB All-Stars

Yesterday evening, Major League Baseball announced the reserves and pitchers for the 2015 All-Star Game to be played at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati, Ohio. Among the list of players chosen were four Smokies alumni - IF Kris Bryant, IF D.J. LeMahieu, RHP Chris Archer and C Yadier Molina. This marked the 36th straight season a Smokie alum has been named to a Major League All-Star team dating back to 1979.

Bryant, who manned third base for Tennessee just a season ago, was selected to his first All-Star team and was the first Chicago Cubs rookie to be named to the Mid-Summer Classic since C Geovany Soto and OF Kosuke Fukudome were chosen back in 2008. In 68 games with the Smokies in 2014, the former second overall pick posted a .355 average (88-248) with 20 doubles, 22 home runs and 58 runs batted in. After being called up by Chicago on April 17, the Las Vegas native collected a .278 average (74-266) with 14 doubles, 12 homers, 49 RBI and eight stolen bases in 72 games as of July 7. Bryant was chosen by Chicago in the first round (second overall) out of the University of San Diego in the 2013 Draft.

LeMahieu, a middle infielder for the Smokies back in 2011, was also chosen to participate in his first All-Star Game. In 50 games with Tennessee, the 2014 National League Gold Glove winner accumulated a .358 average (67-187) with 19 extra-base hits, including two home runs, and 27 runs batted in. The former LSU Tiger was called up by Chicago straight from the Smokies on May 30, 2011 and made his Major League debut later that day. Now a member of the Colorado Rockies, LeMahieu has posted a .298 mark (87-292) with 16 extra-base hits, four home runs, 34 RBI and ten stolen bases in 78 games as of July 7. The former second-round pick was traded by the Cubs alongside OF Tyler Colvin in exchange for IF Ian Stewart and former Smokie RHP Casey Weathers.

Archer, one of the pitching stars for the 2010 Tennessee club, was the third former Smokie to be named to his first All-Star team. After joining Tennessee on July 2, 2010 from High-A Daytona, Archer tallied an 8-2 record and a 1.80 ERA (14 ER in 70.0 IP) in 13 starts en route to being named the Cubs' Minor League Pitcher of the Year. Now the ace of the Tampa Bay Rays, the 26-year old has recorded a 9-5 record and a 2.18 ERA (28 ER in 115.2 IP) with 141 strikeouts in 18 starts as of July 7. Following his stint with Tennessee, Archer was dealt alongside former Smokies' C Robinson Chirinos, OF Sam Fuld, OF Brandon Guyer, as well as IF Hak-Ju Lee in exchange for RHP Matt Garza, OF Fernando Perez and former Smokie LHP Zac Rosscup.

Finally, Molina, who made waves behind the plate with Tennessee all the way back in 2003, was chosen as a National League All-Star for the seventh consecutive season. As a 20-year old back when the Smokies were a St. Louis Cardinals affiliate, the Puerto Rico native posted a .275 batting average (100-364) with 16 extra-base hits, including two homers, and 51 RBI in 104 games. The seven-time Gold Glove Award-winning backstop has hit at a .292 clip (80-274) with 16 doubles, two home runs and 28 RBI in 76 games with St. Louis, as of July 7. Molina was drafted by the Cardinals in the fourth round of the 2000 Draft out of Ladislao Martinez H.S. in Vega Alta, P.R.