Olt and Profar Named to All-Star Futures Game/Other Minor League Notes
Profar selected to game for second time.
Major League Baseball announced today the rosters for the 14th annual SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game to be played on Sunday, July 8 at Kansas City’s Kauffman Stadium...the announcement included a pair of players in the Texas system: third baseman Mike Olt (U.S. Roster) and shortstop Jurickson Profar (World Roster)...it was announced yesterday that Frisco Manager Steve Buechele was named a coach for the World Squad...Profar, 19, has been selected to the Futures Game for a second consecutive year, and is once again the second-youngest player selected to either roster...he would be the second Texas player ever to appear in multiple Futures Games, joining Carlos Pena (2000-01)...Elvis Andrus played in the game twice, but the first instance came while he was in the Atlanta organization...Profar has batted .295 (79-268) with 7 home runs, 17 doubles, 6 triples, and 32 RBI in 68 games for Frisco (AA) this season...the switch-hitter ranks among Texas League leaders in triples (T2nd), runs (3rd, 48), total bases (5th, 129), hits (5th), extra-base hits (T5th, 30), doubles (T6th), average (8th), OPS (8th, .856), and sac flies (T1st, 5)...after going 2-for-26 in his first 7 career games at the Double-A level, Profar has batted .318 (77-242) his last 61 contests beginning April 14...he has not gone hitless in consecutive games in the latter span and his .318 average in that stretch ranks 2nd in the Texas League...at 19 years, 139 days of age on July 8, Profar would be the second-youngest player in the Futures Game to only Cleveland shortstop Francisco Lindor (18.237)...Profar was also the second-youngest player in last year’s Futures Game...he has been selected as a Texas League All-Star and was the circuit’s TOPPS Player of the Month for May...Olt, 23, will be in his first career Futures Game...he has batted .308 (78-253) with 20 home runs, 13 doubles, and 58 RBI in 67 games for Frisco (AA) this season...he leads the Texas League in home runs, slugging (.605), and intentional walks (5), ranking second in average, extra-base hits (34), and total bases (153)...he also ranks among league leaders in on-base percentage (3rd, .415), walks (3rd, 44), and runs (4th, 46)...Olt’s 20 homers are T4th-most in all of minor league baseball, most of any player below the Triple-A level, while his 1.020 OPS figure ranks 6th among minor league players...Olt was named the Rangers Minor League Player of the Month for May after batting .333 with 17 walks, 7 doubles, 5 HR, and 23 RBI in 26 games...he was the Texas League Player of the Week for May 28-June 2.
TEXAS RANGERS MINOR LEAGUE HIGHLIGHTS AND NOTES
June 21, 2012
Round Rock Express (AAA) Pacific Coast League Manager: Bobby Jones 32-41 4th Place -10.5 GB
NEWS AND NOTES: OF Julio Borbon is batting .391 over his last 39 games to raise his season average from .186 to .322...Borbon recently compiled a 26-game on-base streak from May 12-June 19, the 5th longest streak in the Pacific Coast League this season...LHP Neal Cotts returned from the disabled list on June 11 and has posted a 2.08 ERA (1 ER/4.1 IP) over 4 appearances, with left-handed batters hitting .167 (1-6)...1B Mike Bianucci hit a pair of home runs on Tuesday for his first multi-home run game of the season and is now tied for 5th in the PCL with 14 overall...RHP Neil Ramirez tallied a season-high 8 strikeouts and worked into the 7th inning for the first time since May 19, allowing 3 runs on 2 hits in Round Rock’s 4-1 loss on Wednesday night...LHP Martin Perez eclipsed the 100-pitch mark in his last start on June 15 vs. Oklahoma City, holding the RedHawks to one hit over 7.0 innings of work...3B Tommy Mendonca and INF Greg Miclat have been placed on the disabled list at Round Rock...INF Guilder Rodriguez has been promoted to the Express from Frisco.
Frisco RoughRiders (AA) Texas League Manager: Steve Buechele 40-29 T1st Place/2nd Half +0.0 GA
NEWS AND NOTES: Frisco claimed the first half South Division championship to secure a spot in the Texas League playoffs...the RoughRiders have reached the postseason in each of the last 3 campaigns, all under current manager Steve Buechele...Frisco had 8 players named to the Texas League All-Star Game next Thursday in Tulsa...the All-Stars include SS Jurickson Profar, 3B Mike Olt, OF Engel Beltre, C Zach Zaneski, LHP Chad Bell, RHP Jake Brigham, RHP Justin Grimm, and RHP Barret Loux...Olt is batting .348 (23-66) with 9 home runs and 22 RBI through the first 18 games in June and ranks among the overall MILB leaders in home runs (T4th, 20), RBI (T9th, 58), and SLG (11th, .605)...RHP NickvTepesch has worked at least 7.0 innings in each of his first 2 starts with the ‘Riders, compiling a 2.45 ERA (4 ER/14.2 IP) and 10 strikeouts against 3 walks...LHP Richard Bleier has been reinstated from the disabled list...LHP Tim Murphy has been placed on the disabled list.
Myrtle Beach Pelicans (A Advanced) Carolina League Manager: Jason Wood 36-34 3rd Place/1st Half -8.5 GB
AT THE BREAK: The Pelicans finished the first half in 3rd place with a 36-34 record...Myrtle Beach led the Carolina League with a 2.95 team ERA, more than 60 points lower than the next closest club (Lynchburg, 3.57)...the Pelicans also led the circuit in strikeouts (568), while issuing the 2nd-fewest walks (191).
NEWS AND NOTES: OF Teodoro Martinez has hit safely in 12 straight at .386 (17-44), T9th-longest streak in the CL this season...teammate Odubel Herrera still owns the longest streak this season at 22 games...RHP Cody Buckel worked a scoreless 2nd inning for the CL in the Carolina League-California League All-Star Game on Tuesday night and leads the league in ERA (1.31), strikeouts (91), and WHIP (0.98) at the break...RHP Wilmer Font has posted a 0.90 ERA (1 ER/10.0 IP) over his last 2 starts...opponents have batted .156 (5-32) in those 2 outings, dropping his season opponents average from .227 to .213...RHP Randol Rojas had a 10.0 inning scoreless streak over his last 3 games/2 starts...RHP Matt West made his season debut on Sunday vs. Potomac and recorded one strikeout in 0.2 innings of work.
Hickory Crawdads (A) South Atlantic League Manager: Bill Richardson 36-33 3rd Place/1st Half -9.5 GB
AT THE BREAK: Hickory finished the first half in 3rd place with a 36-33 record...the Crawdads compiled the 5th-best average (.267) in the league, while also ranking among the leaders in stolen bases (3rd, 96) and home runs (4th, 54).
NEWS AND NOTES: LF Jeremy Williams is hitting .344 (21-61) with 8 doubles, a home run, and 12 RBI over 16 games in June...3B Drew Robinson is batting .333 (12-36) over his last 10 games and his .403 OBP this season ranks 7th in the SAL...CF Chris Grayson and SS Hanser Alberto each started for the South Division in the South Atlantic League All-Star Game on Tuesday...Alberto finished the first half with a .339 average, 2nd-best in the SAL...RHP Luke Jackson has registered the 7th-most strikeouts in the SAL (72)...LHP Victor Payano and RHP Phil Klein each worked a scoreless inning of release in the All-Star Game...Klein has posted a 1.00 ERA (1 ER/9.0 IP) with 10 strikeouts over his last 7 appearances...C Kellin Deglan has been placed on the disabled list.
Spokane Indians (R) Northwest League Manager: Tim Hulett 1-5 T3rd Place/1st Half -2.0 GB
NEWS AND NOTES: The Indians opened their season last Friday night...INF Ryan Rua is batting .348 (8-23) with a home run and 3 RBI through his first 6 games...INF Gabriel Roa has hit .353 (6-17) over his first 4 professional contests...RHP Abel De Los Santos tallied 8 strikeouts over 5.1 innings of work in his season debut...RHP Connor Sadzeck limited Vanocuver to one hit with 4 strikeouts in his season debut...RHP Coby Cowgill has been placed on the disabled list.
AZL Rangers (R) Arizona League Manager: Corey Ragsdale 1-0 T1st Place/1st Half +0.0 GA
NEWS AND NOTES: The Rangers opened up their season with a 8-1 victory over the AZL Royals on Wednesday night...RHP CJ Edwards (5.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R-ER, 0 BB, 4 SO, 0 HR) earned the victory...CF Lewis Brinson had a triple in his first professional at-bat...DH Jamie Jarmon was 2-for-3 with 2 RBI...2B Alberto Truinfel hit a 2-run home run...RF Nomar Mazara had a pair of singles and 2 RBI...3B Joey Gallo reached base twice via walk.