Three American Association Players Earn All-Independent Honors

McMurray tied for third in the AA with 18 round-trippers in 2012, to go along with a .309 average, 23 doubles and 53 RBI. He also earned league postseason all-star honors at catcher. After starting his second season with the AirHogs, the Mission Viejo, Calif., native was traded from Grand Prairie to Lincoln on August 11.

Originally an 18th round draft pick by Cincinnati in 2008, the 26-year-old spent parts of four seasons in the Reds' organization before signing with Grand Prairie during the 2011 campaign. The Saltdogs sold McMurray's contract to the Arizona Diamondbacks organization at the conclusion of the 2012 season.

The 2012 American Association Player of the Year, Jackson hit .309 with 17 home runs and a league-leading 89 RBI, third-highest in AA history. His 31 doubles put him in a tie for third in the league, while his 77 runs placed fifth. Jackson's 89 RBI were also the third-most in RedHawks' single-season history. (In addition, he holds the franchise's second-highest mark, with 97 in 2009.)

2012 was the fourth season with Fargo-Moorhead for Jackson, 33, and his 12th professional season overall. He was a third-round pick of the Chicago Cubs in the 2000 draft out of the University of Richmond.

Lowey broke the league record with 15 victories while suffering just four losses. The AA's Pitcher of the Year, he fanned 96 hitters in 133.2 innings of work and assembled a 3.57 ERA for to help his club to its second consecutive Central Division championship.

The 27-year-old native of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., joined Wichita after earning Frontier League Pitcher of the Year honors with River City last season. 2012 marked Lowey's fifth season of professional baseball after playing collegiately at Mercer.

BASEBALL AMERICA 2012 INDEPENDENT ALL-STAR TEAM

C: Chris McMurray, Grand Prairie/Lincoln, American Association. 1B: Chris Nowak, York, Atlantic. 2B: Andres Perez, York, Atlantic. 3B: Nick Giarraputo, New Jersey, Can-Am. SS: Angel Berroa, New Jersey, Can-Am. OF: Nick Jackson, Fargo-Moorhead, American Association; Blake Gailen, Lancaster, Atlantic; Ryan Harvey, Lancaster, Atlantic. DH: Joe Weik, Edinburg/Abilene, North American. SP: Josh Lowey, Wichita, American Association; Mike Recchia, Windy City, Frontier; Jeff Duda, Quebec, Can-Am; Dwayne Pollok, Lancaster, Atlantic. RP: Jonathan Kountis, Lake Erie, Frontier. Player of the Year: Blake Gailen, Lancaster, Atlantic.

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American Association Stories from October 23, 2012

• Three American Association Players Earn All-Independent Honors - AA

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