SAL1 Hagerstown Suns

Former Suns Still Shining

Published on August 29, 2007 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hagerstown Suns News Release


On June 11th, the Washington Nationals promoted three Suns' outfielders to High-A Potomac after a solid start to their 2007 seasons. Outfielders Chris Marrero, Justin Maxwell and Mike Daniel were all promoted to the P-Nats after hot starts in Hagerstown and all three have continued to put up notable numbers.

Marrero, who was Washington's first-round draft pick (15th overall) last year, ended his Suns' tenure tied for second in the South Atlantic League with 53 RBI and 14 home runs. Marrero hit .293 with 14 doubles and a .545 slugging percentage in 57 games overall, and was named a mid-season SAL All-Star. Marrero, 19 years old, hit a league-leading 11 home runs with 35 RBIs in the month of May. Marrero has continued to put up solid numbers in Potomac. Through his first 30 games, Marrero is hitting .266 with eight homers and 33 RBI. He has stroked 11 doubles and has mashed two triples. Marrero leads the Washington Nationals farm system in RBI (86) and is second in home runs with 22; Marrero is also second in hits with 126.

Maxwell, who played his college baseball at the University of Maryland and was selected by the Nationals in the fourth round of the 2005 draft, played in 56 games with the Suns. Prior to his promotion Maxwell was tied with Marrero for second in the league with 14 homers and ranked third with a .579 slugging percentage. Maxwell hit .301 with 12 doubles, two triples and 40 RBI in 56 games overall. Maxwell led the team with 14 stolen bases and was second in the SAL with 51 runs. The 23-year-old was named the Topps SAL Player of the Month for May after batting .320 (31-for-97) with seven homers, 18 RBI and a .411 on-base percentage in 25 games. In Potomac, though his first 49 games, Maxwell has powered his way to 10 homers and 35 RBI. Maxwell has also swiped 19 bases in only 23 attempts. Maxwell currently leads the Nationals farm system in home runs (24) and is second in RBI (75) and stolen bases (33).

Daniel, 22, hit .290 with 15 doubles, seven homers and 37 RBI in 54 games, and was named a Sally League All-Star. The University of North Carolina product was selected in the seventh round by the Nationals in the 2005 First-Year Play Draft. Daniel hit .300 with 5 home runs and 22 RBIs in the month of May. 2007 marks the second consecutive year Daniel was named to the All-Star game, as he was a short-season Single-A New York-Penn League mid-season All-Star in 2006. For Potomac, in 62 contests, Daniel has hit .297 with four home runs and 36 RBI. Daniel has also chipped in with 19 doubles, five triples and 16 stolen bases. Daniel currently leads the Nationals farm system in hits (133) and is seventh in batting average (.294), third in RBIs (73) and fifth in stolen bases (25).

Currently, the Potomac Nationals have 13 former Suns from the 2007 season. In addition to Marrero, Maxwell and Daniel, other notable formers Suns include third baseman Leonard Davis and pitchers Marco Estrada and Cory VanAllen. Davis, who leads all '07 Suns in home runs with 16 and doubles with 29 has gone on to hit three dingers with four doubles in just 16 games for the P-Nats. Estrada, the Suns' opening day starter, has gone 4-3 with Potomac and currently is riding a three game winning steak allowing just two earned runs in his last 19.2 innings. VanAllen, who was named to the South Atlantic All-Star game along with Marrero, Daniel and Davis, is currently fourth in the Nats' farm system in strikeouts with 93.

The Suns are a single-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals and are owned by Los Angeles based Mandalay Baseball Properties. For more information, or to purchase tickets, contact the Suns a 301.791.6266 or visit online at www.hagerstownsuns.com.

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South Atlantic League Stories from August 29, 2007


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