NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Nashville shortstop Alcides Escobar, outfielder Brendan Katin, and reliever R.J. Swindle have been named to the Pacific Coast League All-Star team and will represent the Sounds on the 27-man squad that takes on the International League stars in the 2009 Triple-A All-Star Game on Wednesday, July 15 at PGE Park in Portland, Oregon. Escobar was voted as a starter for the contest by league managers and media members, while Katin and Swindle were selected as reserves by the PCL office.
Escobar, 22, ranks among Pacific Coast League leaders in his first season of competition at the Class AAA level. The slick-fielding shortstop is tied for second in the PCL with a team-leading 27 stolen bases and ranks 4th in the circuit with 56 runs scored. In addition, Escobar leads the minors with 15 sacrifice bunts.
Overall, Escobar is batting .294 (92-for-313) with 19 doubles, four triples, three home runs, and 27 RBIs in a team-high 78 games played for the Sounds.
The All-Star nod is the fourth mid-season honor of Escobar's six-year pro career. His most recent appearance came in last season's Southern League All-Star Game during a solid campaign with Double-A Huntsville, when he was named the circuit's "most exciting player" by league managers.
Escobar will also participate in this season's MLB All-Star Futures Game, which will be held at St. Louis' Busch Stadium on Sunday, July 12.
Katin, 26, ranks third in the PCL with his 17 home runs and is second in the circuit with his 65 RBIs. The slugger's 42 extra-base hits this season are second-most in the league.
The Fort Myers, Fla. native is batting .272 (74-for-272) in 69 games, adding 21 doubles, and leads the Sounds with 19 multiple-RBI efforts and 15 go-ahead RBIs on the year.
Katin will make the third All-Star appearance of his five-year professional career during his second campaign at the Triple-A level. The Nashville slugger previously appeared in the 2007 Southern League All-Star Game and the 2006 Florida State League All-Star Game.
Swindle, 25, will make his first career All-Star appearance when he represents the Sounds in Portland.
The submarining southpaw has baffled PCL hitters all season, posting a miniscule 0.79 ERA (3er/34.0ip) while logging a 2-1 record and one save in 23 relief outings for Nashville while holding league batters to a .164 average.
He has allowed runs in only two of his 23 outings and permitted only two of 13 inherited runners to score.
One former Sound was named as an additional participant for the PCL team in the 2009 Triple-A All-Star Game. Sacramento catcher Eric Munson, who spent part of the 2007 season playing for Nashville, will be one his club's two representatives.
The 2009 Triple-A All-Star Game will be broadcast live on television on ESPN2 as well as on the radio on Sports Radio 560 AM at 9:00 p.m. CDT.
The complete Pacific Coast League All-Star roster is attached in PDF format. The International League All-Star roster is scheduled to be released on Thursday.
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