Polanco and Herrera named to All-Star Futures Game

Pittsburgh Pirates minor leaguers Gregory Polanco and Dilson Herrera were named to the World Team roster today for the All-Star Futures Game. The announcement was made by Major League Baseball. The game will take place on Sunday, July 14 at 2 p.m. at Citi Field in New York.   

Polanco has hit a combined .312 (78-for-250) with 18 doubles, one triple, seven home runs, 36 RBI, 35 runs scored and 27 stolen bases in 65 games this season between Single-A Bradenton and Double-A Altoona. Polanco began the season with Bradenton, where he was named to the Florida State League mid-season All-Star team while hitting .312 with 17 doubles, six home runs, 30 RBI, 29 runs scored and 24 stolen bases before being promoted to Altoona.   

The 21-year-old outfielder entered the season ranked by Baseball America as the fourth-best prospect in the Pirates minor league system behind pitchers Gerrit Cole, Jameson Taillon and Luis Heredia.

Herrera is hitting .281 (68-for-242) with 15 doubles, two triples, seven home runs, 35 RBI, 44 runs scored and nine stolen bases in 61 games this season with Single-A West Virginia of the South Atlantic League. He was also one of six players from West Virginia named to the South Atlantic League mid-season All-Star team.   

The 19-year-old infielder was signed by the Pirates as a non-drafted free agent on July 26, 2010. Last year he was named the Topps Gulf Coast League Player-of-the-Year while leading the league in total bases (96), finishing second in home runs (seven) and slugging percentage (.482) and fifth in hits (56). He also tied for the league lead with 22 extra base hits.