Royals farmhands Binford, Mills named South Atlantic League All-Stars
KANSAS CITY, MO - South Atlantic League president Eric Krupa announced rosters for the 54th Annual SAL All-Star Game on Tuesday and Kansas City Royals' minor league pitchers Christian Binford and Alec Mills have been selected to the Southern Division squad. The SAL All-Star Game is set for Tuesday, June 18 at FirstEnergy Park in Lakewood, N.J., home of the Lakewood BlueClaws. The Lexington Legends are the Royals' Single-A affiliate in the South Atlantic League.
Binford, a 30th-round selection by the Royals in 2011, is 4-2 with a 2.67 ERA in 10 starts for Lexington this season. The 6-foot-6 righty has walked 13 and struck out 57 in 57.1 innings and held opponents to a .226 batting average. He went 3-0 in five starts during the month of May, posting a 2.03 ERA, allowing 7 earned runs in 31.0 innings. He went 2-3 last season at Burlington, despite a 2.03 ERA in eight starts.
Mills, a 22nd-round draft pick in 2012, is 1-2 this season, sporting a 1.59 ERA and 6 saves in 16 appearances (15 out of the bullpen). The 6-foot-4 reliever has allowed a .157 batting average, giving up just 19 hits in 34.0 innings. He walked 8 and fanned 35, including 16 during the month of May. He allowed just two earned runs in 20.1 innings in May for a 0.89 ERA. Last season with Idaho Falls, Mills was 1-4 with a 4.62 ERA, logging innings as both a starter and as a reliever.
The All-Star selections are the first for both players at any level of professional baseball.
For more information on the event visit: www.blueclaws.com/allstar.