One byproduct of the Los Angeles Dodgers focusing on rebuilding their farm system has been prospects beyond the likes of Jose De Leon and Julio Urias also receiving notoriety for their success.
That’s particularly evident for the Double-A Tusla, who had 12 players selected to the Texas League All-Star Game. Of the 12 Drillers, nine will participate for the North Division. The three who were selected but won’t play are: catcher Kyle Farmer, and pitchers Trevor Oaks and Brock Stewart.
Farmer is on the disabled list with a toe injury, while Oaks and Stewart have since joined Triple-A Oklahoma City. And in Stewart’s case, he’s expected to make his Major League debut on Wednesday.
Among those who are on the North’s roster, second baseman Willie Calhoun, shortstop Drew Maggi and outfielder Alex Verdugo are starters. They were elected as such by the league’s managers and select media members.
Verdugo, the Dodgers’ second-round selection in the 2014 Draft, leads the Drillers with a .288 batting average, is second on the team with 37 RBIs, and third with eight home runs. Calhoun is first on the Drillers in runs scored (43), home runs (14) and RBIs (51).
Outfielder Jacob Scavuzzo and catcher Paul Hoenecke are reserves in the All-Star Game. Scavuzzo hit .263/.314/.384 with 11 doubles, one triple, six home runs and 24 RBIs through the first half in what’s his first experience at the Double-A level.
Hoenecke batted .296/.321/.496 with six doubles, seven home runs and 21 RBIs in 39 games with the Drillers. Scott Barlow, Chase De Jong, Caleb Dirks and Jordan Schafer will represent the Drillers’ pitching staff.
De Jong (8-4) and Oaks (8-1) are tied for the Texas League lead in wins, while De Jong leads the league in innings pitched (84.1) and is second in strikeouts (77). Barlow is 3-4 with a 2.94 ERA and has 57 strikeouts over 70.1 innings pitched.
Dirks (1.44) and Schafer (1.46) lead Texas League relievers in ERA. Tulsa finished the first half with a 37-32 record, 3.5 games back of the Springfield Cardinals for first place in the North Division.
The Texas League All-Star Game is being played at 5:10 p.m. PT at Hammons Field on Tuesday, July 28.
