Royals Well Represented Among Minor League All-Stars

By having the top minor league system in baseball entering 2011, it should be no surprise that the Royals will have a number of minor league players who get to represent the organization in their respective leagues’ All-Star games.  Some key prospects selected as All-Stars (so far) are Wil Myers, Jake Odorizzi,  and Salvador Perez.

Lower levels have already named their All-Star rosters and the Midwest League (home of the Kane County Cougars) will play their game tomorrow.

Three Cougars will be there – all pitchers:

• Greg Billo (4-1, 1.66 over 59.2 innings. 61/13 K/BB ratio)
• Chase Boruff (4-1, 1.45 over 31 innings. 30/12 K/BB ratio)
• Leonel Santiago (5-6, 3.03 over 86 innings. 72/16 K/BB ratio)

Sugar Ray Marimon (3-5, 3.68 over 66 innings. 54/20 K/BB ratio) and shorstop Gerard Hall (.269/.355/.404) were also selected for the game, but Marimon is on the disabled list (and replaced by Boruff) while Hall was promoted to Wilmington.

Representing the Wilmington Blue Rocks of the Carolina League are:

• RHP Jake Odorizzi (5-2, 2.71 over 66.1 innings. 93/20 K/BB ratio)
• RHP Michael Mariot (5-1, 2.93 over 43 innings. 34/13 K/BB ratio)
• 1B John Whittleman (.220/.330/.425, 7 HR, 34 RBI)
• 2B Rey Navarro (.283/.333/.484, 8 HR, 40 RBI)
• OF Whit Merrifield (.283/.360/.371, 14 SB)

A notable snub from Wilmington is Noel Arguelles who is 2-2 with a 2.53 ERA and a 35/5 K/BB ratio.  He’s been having soreness, though, so he likely wouldn’t have played in the game anyway.

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals send five players and their full coaching staff to the Texas League All-Star game:

• RHP Kelvin Herrera (2-0, 1.93 over 18.2 innings pitched, 25/1 K/BB ratio – really)
• C Salvador Perez (.265/.313/.373)
• 2B Anthony Seratelli (.317/.444/.475, 15 SB, 6 HR, 34 RBI)
• INF Jeff Bianchi (.281/.321/.382)
• OF Wil Myers (.283/.351/.406)

The Triple A All-Star rosters are still in voting and haven’t been announced yet.  So go vote for some Storm Chasers (sadly for the Pacific Coast League, Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas are in Kansas City).  Some deserving players in Omaha include:

• 1B Clint Robinson (.340/.414/.605, 17 HR, 52 RBI)
• 2B Johnny Giavotella (.321/.377/.445, 50 RBI)
• OF David Lough (.308/.349/.478)
• OF Lorenzo Cain (.301/.363/.513, 8 HR, 4 3B, 18 2B)
• RHP Luis Mendoza (4-3, 3.00 over 63 innings. 31/23 K/BB ratio)

Check out Jeff Herr’s “Princes of Kauffman” for more Royals minor league coverage on Kings of Kauffman.  You can stay current on all the Kings of Kauffman content and news by following us on Twitter,Facebook, or by way of our RSS feed.