DURHAM, N.C.- The 2016 American Association Postseason All-Star Team has been announced, the first postseason award announcement for the American Association this season. Seven of the league’s 12 teams are represented among the All-Stars, which were voted on by field managers and league media.
The honorees are listed below:
*Note: all statistics reflect games played through September 1
Catcher- Luis Alen, Lincoln Saltdogs
- Hitting .292 with 10 doubles, eight home runs and 46 RBI
- 2016 American Association Mid-Season All-Star
- First year with Lincoln after six years with the Winnipeg Goldeyes
First Base- David Rohm, Winnipeg Goldeyes
- Hitting .336 with 18 doubles, three triples, seven home runs and 70 RBI
- Fourth in the American Association in average, fifth in RBI
- 2016 American Association Mid-Season All-Star
- 2016 American Association All-Star Game MVP; went 2-for-4 with two RBI in the 6-1 win for the North All-Stars
- First year with Winnipeg
Second Base- Brett Wiley, Kansas City T-Bones
- Hitting .311 with 23 doubles, three triples, five home runs and 43 RBI
- Pointstreak American Association Player of the Week for the week ending July 10, hit .550 with three doubles, two home runs and 14 RBI over the course of the week
- First year with Kansas City
Third Base- Josh Mazzola, Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
- Hitting .264 with 18 doubles, 20 home runs and 76 RBI
- Leads the American Association in RBI and ranks third in home runs
- 2016 American Association Mid-Season All-Star
- Rawlings American Association Player of the Month for June, hit .366 with nine home runs and 31 RBI in the month
- Pointstreak American Association Player of the Week for the week ending June 26, hit .500 with four home runs and 12 RBI over the course of the week
- First year with Fargo-Moorhead after a four-year (2012-2015) stint with the Winnipeg Goldeyes
Shortstop- Nate Samson, Sioux City Explorers
- 2016 American Association Player of the Year
- Hitting .345 with 28 doubles, a triple, five home runs and 65 RBI
- Ranks third in the American Association in batting average
- 2016 American Association Mid-Season All-Star
- Second year with Sioux City after spending one season with the Winnipeg Goldeyes
Outfield- Willie Cabrera, Winnipeg Goldeyes
- Hitting .315 with Winnipeg, has eight doubles, eight home runs and 30 RBI
- Acquired by Winnipeg in a July 7 trade with the Joplin Blasters — hit .311 with nine doubles, eight home runs and 43 RBI with Joplin
- Combined RBI total of 73 is second in the league
- 2016 American Association Mid-Season All-Star
- Spent three seasons (2012-2014) with the St. Paul Saints and 2015 with the Grand Prairie AirHogs
Outfield- Alonzo Harris, St. Paul Saints
- Hitting .306 with 16 doubles, four triples, 15 home runs and 58 RBI
- 2016 American Association Mid-Season All-Star
- Second year with St. Paul
Outfield- Keury De La Cruz, Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
- Hitting .313 with 29 doubles, 17 home runs and 69 RBI
- Seventh in the American Association in RBI
- 2016 American Association Mid-Season All-Star
- Pointstreak American Association Player of the Week for the week ending May 29, hit .400 with three home runs and 10 RBI over the course of the week
- First year with Fargo-Moorhead
Designated Hitter- Curt Smith, Lincoln Saltdogs
- Hitting .331 with 16 doubles, 17 home runs and 60 RBI
- Ranks sixth in the American Association in batting average and seventh in home runs
- 2016 American Association Mid-Season All-Star
- Fourth year with Lincoln
Pitcher of the Year- Lindsey Caughel, Lincoln Saltdogs
- 6-3 with a 2.11 ERA in 18 games (17 starts)
- 120 strikeouts and just 23 walks in 123.2 innings of work
- American Association leader in ERA, second in strikeouts
- 2016 American Association Mid-Season All-Star
- Pointstreak American Association Pitcher of the Week for the week ending August 28, allowed just two runs over 17 innings while striking out 19
- First year with Lincoln
Relief Pitcher of the Year- Ryan Rodebaugh, St. Paul Saints
- Has racked up 23 saves in 36 appearances, carrying a 2.00 ERA
- 49 strikeouts and just eight walks over 36 innings
- 2016 American Association Mid-Season All-Star
- Second year with St. Paul
Defensive Player of the Year- Jose Gonzalez, Gary SouthShore RailCats
- Just 10 errors over 62 games played at catcher for the RailCats
- 2016 American Association Mid-Season All-Star
- First year with Gary SouthShore
The postseason awards will continue with the following announcements:
Saturday, September 3: Rookie of the Year
Sunday, September 4: Manager of the Year
Additionally, the Brian Rose/Scott Miller Man of the Year, Executive of the Year, Playing Surface of the Year and Organization of the Year will be announced in the days and weeks to come.
