2018 All-Pacific Coast League Team Announced

August 27, 2018 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1) News Release

ROUND ROCK, Texas - With a week left in the 2018 regular season, the Pacific Coast League released Monday its end of the year All-Star team. The 12-man roster, which is assembled through a vote of the League's field managers, media representatives and broadcasters, features three players on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 prospect list - Luis Urias (No. 22, El Paso), Alex Verdugo (No. 28, Oklahoma City) and Tyler O'Neill (No. 47, Memphis).

Urias, elected as the team's second baseman, is joined in the infield by first baseman A.J. Reed (Fresno), shortstop Ildemaro Vargas (Reno) and third baseman Josh Fuentes (Albuquerque). All four, along with four others, also received mid-season All-Star honors. Reed's PCL-leading 27 home runs and 106 RBI has helped Fresno lock up the Pacific Northern Division. His infield corner mate Fuentes, who was the PCL's BUSH'S® All-Star MVP, has enjoyed a breakthrough year; he sits at or near the top of numerous offensive categories, including topping the circuit in hits (166) and total bases (261). Vargas recently saw his club-record 35-game hitting streak come to an end, the fifth longest streak in the PCL's 116-year history.

O'Neill, Verdugo and Albuquerque's Mike Tauchman make up the outfield. The Cardinals prospect, O'Neill, has been among the most prolific home run hitters in the League for a Memphis team that has sewn up their second consecutive American Southern Division. Verdugo (.335) and Tauchman (.326) are part of a tight race for the PCL's batting title.

Joining the rest of the position players are catcher Christian Bethancourt (Colorado Springs) and designated hitter Kevin Cron (Reno). Bethancourt has posted an .822 OPS in 94 games as the primary catcher for a Sky Sox team in the hunt for the American Northern title. The Diamondbacks farmhand, Cron, has driven in the second-most runs in the League (91), even though he missed the first month of the season while recovering from an injury.

Dakota Hudson, tabbed by MLB Pipeline as St. Louis' No. 4 prospect, is the right-handed starting pitcher. The Mississippi State product is the PCL's ERA (2.50) and wins (13) leader, despite not appearing in a Triple-A game in over a month because of his first Major League promotion. The team's left-handed starter is Oklahoma City's Manny Banuelos. The southpaw has recorded a 3.59 ERA and has struck out 126 hitters in 105.1 innings on the campaign. Round Rock Express hurler R.J. Alvarez, who has saved more games than any other PCL pitcher this season (23), was named the team's reliever.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from August 27, 2018

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• Express Take Final Game of Series - New Orleans Baby Cakes
• Redbirds Win Regular Season Home Finale - Memphis Redbirds
• Sounds Blanked by Redbirds in Series Finale - Nashville Sounds
• Water Main Break Cancels Monday's Grizzlies Game - Fresno Grizzlies
• Bryant, Chatwood Join Iowa on Rehab - Iowa Cubs
• Fresno Takes Down Bees in Extras - Salt Lake Bees
• Salt Lake Bees End 2018 Season with Seven-Game Homestand - Salt Lake Bees
• Nashville Sounds Game Information: Nashville Sounds (69-63) at Memphis Redbirds (79-53) - Nashville Sounds
• OKC Dodgers Game Notes - August 27, 2018 - Oklahoma City Comets
• Game Notes: Memphis Redbirds (79-53) vs Nashville Sounds (69-63) - Memphis Redbirds
• Luis Urias Named to All-Pacific Coast League Team - El Paso Chihuahuas
• Grizzlies' Kyle Tucker Named PCL Player of the Week - Fresno Grizzlies
• Fresno First Baseman A.J. Reed Named All-PCL - Fresno Grizzlies
• Express RHP Chris Rowley Named PCL Pitcher of the Week - Round Rock Express
• Tucker, Rowley Tabbed Week's Best - PCL1
• Baby Cakes End Season on 7-Game Homestand - New Orleans Baby Cakes
• NEWS Tauchman, Fuentes Named to All-PCL Team - Albuquerque Isotopes
• Banuelos and Verdugo Named to 2018 All-PCL Team - Oklahoma City Comets
• 2018 All-Pacific Coast League Team Announced - PCL1
• Hudson, O'Neill Named to All-PCL Team - Memphis Redbirds
• Ildemaro Vargas, Kevin Cron Named to All-PCL Team - Reno Aces
• Sky Sox Catcher Christian Bethancourt Named to All-PCL Team - Colorado Springs Sky Sox
• Round Rock Express RHP R.J. Alvarez Named to All-PCL Team - Round Rock Express
• Brad Taylor Promoted to Senior Vice President of MountainStar Sports Group - El Paso Chihuahuas
• Grizz swat Bees again with another big comeback - Fresno Grizzlies
• Reno Offense Explodes in Game Three Victory - Reno Aces
• Isotopes Drop Second Straight to Reno - Albuquerque Isotopes

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