CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Blue Rocks Alumni Shine in Futures Game

Published on July 9, 2012 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Wilmington, DE - Blue Rocks alumni Wil Myers, Jake Odorizzi and Yordano Ventura starred on Sunday evening in the 14th annual SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at the Royals' Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO, as the U.S. team defeated the World team, 17-5. The Royals were the only organization in baseball to place three players in the game.

Ventura threw a clean first inning for the World squad. He became the third active Blue Rock to appear in the game, before he was called up to Double-A Northwest Arkansas following the conclusion of the contest. Southpaw Danny Duffy (2009) and first baseman Eric Hosmer (2010) are the only two that had done so before. Ventura, the Royals' 10th-best prospect according to Baseball America, has lit up radar guns with ease this year, touching 100 MPH. Blessed with the "Best Fastball" in the Kansas City farm system according to the same publication, the flame-throwing righty recorded a 3-5 record with a 3.30 ERA in 16 starts for the Blue Rocks this season. As of Monday morning, his ERA checked in at eighth-best in the circuit. He is first in the league in strikeouts with 98, second in batting average against with a .229 mark and holds the top K/9 IP ratio in the league at 11.55. The 21-year-old surrendered just 66 hits in 76.1 innings. Born and raised in Samana, Dominican Republic, the 5-foot-11, 167-pounder was signed by the Royals as a non-drafted free agent on October 8, 2008.

Myers, 21, went 2-for-4 with a run scored and three RBIs for the U.S. It was his second straight appearance at the XM All-Star Futures Game, as he appeared in last July's game at Chase Field in Phoenix, AZ. The 6-foot-3, 206-pound outfielder has combined to hit .327 with 20 doubles, five triples, 27 home runs, 72 RBIs and 72 runs scored in 83 games, posting a .403 on-base pct. and .676 slugging mark between Triple-A Omaha and Double-A Northwest Arkansas this year. In 2010 with the Blue Rocks he hit .346 in 58 games with four homers and 38 RBIs. He was a third-round pick by the Royals in 2009.

Odorizzi threw the first frame for the U.S. team and allowed a homer to Jurickson Profar, while also picking up a strikeout. The 22-year-old has played for both Northwest Arkansas and Omaha this season. The 6-foot-2 right-hander has compiled a 9-2 record with a 3.05 ERA in 16 games (15 starts), recording 92 strikeouts in 85.2 innings. In 2011 with the Blue Rocks, he made 15 starts with a record of 5-4 and an ERA at 2.87. He logged 78.1 innings and struck out 103 batters. Odorizzi was acquired along with shortstop Alcides Escobar, outfielder Lorenzo Cain and pitcher Jeremy Jeffress from the Milwaukee Brewers on December 19, 2010 in exchange for pitcher Zack Greinke and infielder Yuniesky Betancourt.

Be sure to come out to Frawley Stadium this season as we celebrate 20 years of Wilmington Blue Rocks baseball. The Blue Rocks conclude a three-game set with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans on Monday, July 9 at 7:05 p.m. For ticket information, please call 302-888-BLUE or visit bluerocks.com.

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