AFL names All-Prospect Team
Outfielders
Billy Hamilton, Peoria Javelinas (Cincinnati Reds)
Finished one behind the league lead with 10 stolen bases ... hit .333 in 27 at-bats with runners on base ... hit .400 when ahead in the count ... three RBIs vs. Salt River on 10/24 ... four multi-hit games ... stole two bases vs. Phoenix on 11/06 ... three RBIs vs. Salt River on 10/24 ... stole three bases vs. Salt River on 10/17 ... three hits at Phoenix on 10/12 ... Rising Stars Game starter, notching 1 hit, 2 runs scored and 2 stolen bases ... at two levels in 2012, broke the record for single-season stolen bases by a Minor Leaguer affiliated with a big-league organization set by Vince Coleman in 1983, swiping 155 bases in 2012 ... California League MVP in 2012 ... Postseason All-Star selection three times and MiLB.com Organization All-Star twice ... Topps Short-Season/Rookie All-Star in 2010.
Rymer Liriano, Peoria Javelinas (San Diego Padres)
Tied for the league lead with 23 runs scored ... one behind the league lead with four home runs ... fourth in the league with 46 total bases and 29 hits ... reached base safely in 15 straight games since 10/20 ... three hits and three RBIs at Scottsdale on 11/8 ... four runs scored vs. Phoenix on 11/6 ... Rising Stars Game starter, going 3-for-4 with 2 doubles, 1 RBI and 1 run scored ... rated top Padres prospect by MLB.com ... California League Mid-Season All-Star and Futures Game Selection in 2012 ... MiLB.com Organization All-Star, Topps Class-A All-Star and Baseball America Class-A All-Star in 2011 ... Midwest League MVP and Prospect of the Year in 2011 ... Midwest League Postseason and Mid-Season All-Star and two-time Player of the Week in 2011 ... Arizona League Postseason All-Star in 2009.
Christian Yelich, Phoenix Desert Dogs (Miami Marlins)
Tied for second with 25 games played ... tied for third with 93 games ... hit .329 against right-handed pitching ... hit .452 when ahead in the count ... hit safely in 15 straight games from 10/16-11/10, longest hitting streak this season ... three RBIs at Peoria on 11/06 ... three runs scored at Surprise on 10/24 ... three hits vs. Mesa on 10/23 ... Rising Stars Game participant, collecting one hit ... listed as the Marlins' top prospect on MLB.com ... named a South Atlantic League Mid-Season All-Star, Postseason All-Star, and Player of the Month in July in 2011 ... named a Florida State League Mid-Season All-Star, Postseason All-Star, one-time Player of the Week, and Futures Game Selection in 2012.
Kyle Jensen, Phoenix Desert Dogs (Miami Marlins)
Led league with 54 total bases ... tied for league lead with five home runs and 13 extra-base hits ... third with 30 hits ... fourth with 19 RBIs and .593 slugging percentage ... grand slam in the seventh inning on 10/23 vs. Mesa ... reached base safely in 13 straight games from 10/9-29 ... three hits at Salt River on 11/01, at Salt River on 10/25 and at Scottsdale on 10/22 ... four RBIs vs. Mesa on 10/23 ... four hits and three RBIs vs. Mesa on 10/19 ... named to All-West Coast Conference first team in back-to-back years in college ... New York-Penn League Mid-Season All-Star in 2009 ... Florida State League MVP, Mid-Season All-Star, Postseason All-Star, and one-time Player of the Week in 2011.
Josh Prince, Phoenix Desert Dogs (Milwaukee Brewers)
Led the league in hits with 36 ... second in the loop in batting (.404), total bases (51), and runs scored (23) ... tied for second with 10 stolen bases ... third in on-base percentage (.491) ... reached base in 12 straight games from 10/10-27 ... 11 multi-hit games ... three hits at Salt River on 11/1, vs. Mesa on 10/27, at Surprise on 10/23 and vs. Peoria on 10/20 ... four hits vs. Peoria on 10/12 ... three RBIs vs. Peoria on 10/20.
Nate Roberts, Minnesota Twins (Minnesota Twins)
Won the AFL "slash-line" Triple Crown after leading the league in batting average (.446), on-base percentage (.565) and slugging percentage (.662) ... tied for fourth with 29 hits ... multi-hit efforts in 10 of 19 games ... reached base safely in all of his 19 appearances ... hit safely in nine straight games from 10/31-11/14 ... 4-for-5 with 1 double, 1 RBI and 1 run scored at Mesa on 11/1 ... 3-for-4 with 1 double, 2 RBIs, 1 stolen base and 2 walks at Phoenix on 10/20 ... scored three runs at Surprise on 11/9 ... drove in three runs on 11/13 vs. Phoenix ... homered in back-to-back games on 11/13 vs. Phoenix and 11/14 at Salt River ... Appalachian League Player of the Week in August 2010 ... Big South Conference Player of the Year and all-conference first team in 2010 after leading the nation with a .573 on-base percentage and 88 runs scored, both Big South and school records ... named third-team All-American by Ping! Baseball and was a unanimous NCCSIA All-State, Baseball America, and NCBWA third-team all-American selection in 2010.
Third Basemen
Cody Asche, Peoria Javelinas (Philadelphia Phillies)
Led the league with 11 doubles ... finished one behind the league lead with 12 extra-base hits ... hit .296 vs. right-handed pitching (71 at-bats) ... hit .387 when ahead in the count ... three hits vs. Surprise on 11/05 ... three hits at Mesa on 10/15 ... started at third base in the Rising Stars Game.
Anthony Rendon, Salt River Rafters (Washington Nationals)
Hit .380 vs. right-handed batters ... hit .409 when ahead in the count ... finished one behind the league-lead in doubles with 10 ... reached base in 11 straight games between 10/22-11/08 ... four RBIs and three hits vs. Scottsdale on 11/6 ... three RBIs at Peoria 10/17 ... Rising Stars Game participant ... first-round pick by the Nationals in 2011 ... highly decorated college star ... in 2009 at Rice, named Baseball America's Freshman of the Year, all-American, Freshman All-American, NCBWA's District VII Player of the Year, NCAA All-Regional Team, Conference USA Player of the Year, All-Conference USA (first team), Conference USA All-Tournament Team, and MVP of the Silver Glove Series ... followed in 2010 as winner of the Dick Howser Trophy, Baseball America's College Player of the Year, Rawlings Sporting Goods National Player of the Year, Conference USA Male Athlete of the Year, District VII Player of the Year, first team all-American, all-South Region, Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Austin Regional, All-Conference USA, and Conference USA Academic Honor Roll ... the mayor of his hometown, Houston, declared June 29, 2010, to be "Anthony Rendon Day in Houston."
Shortstops
Didi Gregorius, Peoria Javelinas (Cincinnati Reds)
Hit .309 against right-handed pitching (55 at-bats) ... struck out only four times in 74 at-bats, the best ratio in the league ... six-game hitting streak to end the season ... 6-for-11 (.545) in three night games ... four multi-run games ... four multi-hit games ... four hits at Scottsdale on 10/13 ... Southern League Mid-Season All-Star in 2012 ... Pioneer League postseason all-star in 2009 ... speaks four languages: Dutch, English, Spanish and a Curacao dialect.
Nick Ahmed, Phoenix Desert Dogs (Atlanta Braves)
Hit .316 vs. left-handed pitching ... reached base safely in 16 straight games from 10/10-11/12 ... tripled twice vs. Surprise on 11/14 ... four RBIs vs. Peoria on 10/12 ... three hits vs. Peoria on 10/12 ... Rising Stars Game participant with a walk and run scored ... named Carolina League Mid-Season and Postseason All-Star in 2012.
Second Basemen
Kolten Wong, Surprise Saguaros (St. Louis Cardinals)
Hit .500 when ahead in the count ... Rising Stars Game participant ... three runs scored vs. Phoenix on 11/05 ... three hits and three RBIs at Salt River on 10/23 ... four hits at Scottsdale on 10/16 ... ranked the best second base prospect, fourth best Cardinals prospect and 49th best prospect by MLB.com ... Baseball America third-team all-American, ABCA first-team all-American, Perfect Game first-team all-American team in 2008 ... first-team all-WAC selection all three years at Hawaii ... WAC freshman of the year in 2009.
Nick Franklin, Peoria Javelinas (Seattle Mariners)
Two-time Fall Leaguer and two-time Rising Stars Game participant...second in the league with 22 RBIs ... league-high six RBIs game vs. Phoenix on 11/6 ... five multi-RBI games ... eight multi-hit games ... four walks vs. Salt River on 10/24 ... four hits vs. Phoenix on 11/6 ... three RBIs at Mesa on 10/15 ... hit .500 when ahead in the count ... Rising Stars Game starter, collecting a hit ... selected as a Southern league mid-season all-star in 2012 ... California League postseason all-star after ranking third in RBIs, fourth in total bases, tied for sixth in hits and home runs and tied for eighth in doubles in 2011 ... Midwest League mid-season and postseason all-star in 2010 ... rated 29th best prospect in baseball, fifth best shortstop and third best Mariners prospect by MLB.com ... MiLB.com Organization All-Star in 2010 and 2011.
First Basemen
Chris McGuiness, Surprise Saguaros (Texas Rangers)
Joe Black MVP Award winner ... week one player of the week after hitting .389 with two home runs and six RBIs ... led the league with 27 RBIs ... tied for second with 25 games played ... fifth with 92 at-bats ... authored six three-RBI games and seven multi-hit games ... reached base safely in 10 straight games from 10/13-27 ... three RBIs vs. Peoria on 11/9, at Mesa on 11/6, at Salt River on 10/23, at Scottsdale on 10/16, vs. Surprise on 10/13 and vs. Peoria on 10/10 ... four hits vs. Peoria on 10/10 ... three hits at Salt River on 10/23 and vs. Surprise on 10/13 ... Rising Stars Game participant ... New York Penn Mid-Season All-Star in 2009 ... California League Player of the week in September 2010 ... hit .367 with a nation-high 65 walks in 59 games in 2009 as a junior at The Citadel ... ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America first team in 2009 ... traded to the Rangers for Jarrod Saltalamacchia in 2010.
Jonathan Singleton, Mesa Solar Sox (Houston Astros)
Week one player of the week after hitting .350 with two home runs and five RBIs in five games ... tied for the league lead with 17 walks ... tied for second with 25 games played ... third in the league with 93 at-bats ... tied for third with 18 runs scored ... three RBIs vs. Salt River on 10/10 ... Rising Stars Game starter, collecting a hit and a walk ... named a Texas League mid-season and postseason all-star in 2012 ... traded to the Astros in the Hunter Pence deal in 2011 ... participated in the Futures Game during the All-Star Weekend in 2012 ... has won the Astros "Player of the Week" twice ... rated #39 Prospect in 2011 and #34 Prospect in 2012 by Baseball America ... named the South Atlantic League Most Outstanding Major League Prospect in 2010.
Catchers
Mike Zunino, Peoria Javelinas (Peoria Javelinas)
Hit safely in seven consecutive games to end the Fall League season ... tallied at least one hit in 17 of 19 games ... tripled twice at Scottsdale on 10/13 ... three multi-RBI games ... four multi-hit games ... three RBIs vs. Salt River on 10/17 ... three hits vs. Phoenix on 11/13 and at Scottsdale on 10/13 ... named Southern League most outstanding offensive player of the postseason in 2012 ... Northwest League postseason all-star ... SEC Player of the Year in 2011 ... Golden Spikes Award winner as the nation's top amateur player and Johnny Bench Award winner in 2012 ... one of three finalists for the Johnny Bench Award in 2011.
Austin Romine, Scottsdale Scorpions (New York Yankees)
Three-time Fall Leaguer ... also played in the AFL in 2009-10 ... Rising Stars Game starter, hitting an RBI triple and scoring two runs ... two hits at Phoenix on 10/27 and vs. Mesa on 10/26 ... Eastern League Mid-Season All-Star in 2011 ... Futures Game selection in 2010-11 ... Florida State League MVP and Topps FSL Player of the Year in 2009 ... father, Kevin, played for the Boston Red Sox from 1985-1991 ... brother Andrew played in the AFL in 2010 and is in the Los Angeles Angels farm system.
Designated Hitters
Matt Skole, Salt River Rafters (Washington Nationals)
Hit .381 against left-handed pitching ... hit .357 when behind in the count ... four RBIs at Surprise on 11/07 ... three hits at Phoenix on 10/15 ... three hits and three RBIs at Mesa on 10/10 ... 2012 South Atlantic League MVP, postseason all-star, and mid-season all-star ... led Blessed Trinity Catholic High School to AAA state championship in 2006 ... named 2010 first team all-ACC at Georgia Tech ... named 2009 first team Freshman all-America by Collegiate Baseball.
Bryce Brentz, Surprise Saguaros (Boston Red Sox)
Hit .450 when ahead in the count ... reached base in 15 straight games from 10/9 to 11/13 ... Rising Stars Game starter ... ... ranked the Red Sox fourth best prospect by MLB.com ... 2011 Red Sox Offensive Co-Player of the Year ... ranked top outfield prospect and best power hitter in the Red Sox system by Baseball America following 2011 season ... 2009 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year after leading the NCAA in batting (.465), home runs (28), slugging (.930) and total bases (214) ... has been named player of the week four times in his Minor League career and a league all-star twice.
Starting Pitchers
Justin Marks, Surprise Saguaros (Kansas City Royals)
Led the league with five wins ... won five starts in a row from 10/15-11/08 ... held left-handed batters to a .160 batting average ... acquired by Kansas City with pitcher Vin Mazzaro for outfielder David DeJesus in 2010 ... Carolina League pitcher of the week in September 2011 ... Texas League Mid-Season All-Star in 2012 ... led the Carolina League in strikeouts in 2011 ... Big East Pitcher of the Year in 2009, setting single-season school record with 11 wins ... Big East Conference Freshman of the Year in 2007 ... named freshman all-American by Collegiate Baseball and PING! in 2007 ... ended his collegiate career as Louisville's all-time leader in wins, strikeouts and ERA.
Kyle Gibson, Peoria Javelinas (Minnesota Twins)
Week two pitcher of the week after winning his only start and striking out eight batters for the second consecutive start, a league high ... third with 28 strikeouts ... 3-0 with a 0.69 ERA in his first three starts, his only home starts ...rated 16th best Twins prospect by MLB.com ... "Tommy John" surgery on right elbow on September 7, 2011 ... Futures Game selection in 2011 ... International League pitcher of the week in May 2011 ... Minnesota Twins Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2010 ... MiLB.com Organization All-Star and Eastern League Mid-Season All-Star in 2010 ... Florida State League pitcher of the week in May, 2010.
Relief Pitchers
Kevin Quackenbush, Peoria Javelinas (San Diego Padres)
Led league with six saves ... allowed only four hits and three walks in 11.0 IP while striking out 16 ... struck out the side on 10/18 at Surprise while notching the save ... only three appearances where he did not record a strikeout ... allowed all three of his runs over his final two appearances ... did not allow a hit or run in six road games ... held opponents to a .105 batting average ... led the California League in saves in 2012 and named a mid-season and postseason all-star ... set South Florida's school record for relievers with a 0.80 ERA in 2011 ... father, Mark, played football at West Point.
Mark Montgomery, Scottsdale Scorpions (New York Yankees)
Struck out 11 without allowing a hit when ahead in the count (13 at-bats) ... held right-handed batters to a .087 batting average (23 at-bats) ... struck out 19 in 10.1 IP, the best ratio in the league ... allowed runs in only two of nine appearances and hits in only three ... Rising Stars Game participant, striking out the side in his one inning of work ... rated 14th best Yankees prospect by MLB.com ... Florida State League Mid-Season All-Star in 2012.