2019 Southern League Postseason All-Star Team Unveiled
August 28, 2019 - Southern League (SL1) News Release
MARIETTA, GA - The Southern League of Professional Baseball Clubs are proud to announce their postseason award winners, as well as the 2019 Southern League postseason All-Star team.
Mississippi Braves outfielder Drew Waters has been named the Southern League's Most Valuable Player; becoming the first M-Braves hitter and the first Atlanta Braves prospect since Javy Lopez in 1992 to win the league's MVP award. Biloxi Shuckers RHP Trey Supak has been named the league's Most Outstanding Pitcher, becoming the second straight Shuckers starter and the third starter in Biloxi's franchise history (since 2015) to win the award. In addition, Montgomery Biscuits manager Morgan Ensberg has been named Manager of the Year, becoming the second Biscuits skipper to claim the honor since the franchise returned to the Southern League ahead of the 2004 season.
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER - Drew Waters, OF, Mississippi Braves
A hitting machine atop the Mississippi Braves lineup, 20-year-old Drew Waters took the Southern League by storm in 2019 and soared toward the top of the Atlanta Braves prospect lists. At the time of his Triple-A promotion on August 5, Waters led all qualified batters in several offensive categories including batting average (.319), hits (134), extra-base hits (49), total bases (202), and OPS (.847). Entering play Wednesday evening, the All-Star outfielder ranks among the leaders across MiLB in both hits (160, 4th) and doubles (40, 2nd). He was previously named the Southern League's Player of the Week on Monday, June 17.
The Atlanta Braves selected Waters in the second round of the 2017 MLB Amateur Draft out of Etowah High School in Woodstock, Georgia. He is currently listed as Atlanta's no. 2 prospect and the no. 25 overall prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline.
League Stats
(through 8/3)
AB R H RBI HR SB AVG OBP SLG
420 63 134 41 5 13 .319 .366 .481
MOST OUTSTANDING PITCHER - Trey Supak, RHP, Biloxi Shuckers
The ace of the Biloxi's starting rotation this season, RHP Trey Supak scuffled Southern League hitters throughout the season and led the Shuckers to their second straight playoff berth before earning a promotion to Triple-A on July 26. After 20 starts this season, Supak led the league in several categories including innings pitched (122.2), wins (11), ERA (2.20), opponents' batting average (.192), and WHIP (0.87).
Across his 10 starts at MGM Park this season, Supak posted a 7-2 record with a 1.06 ERA (8 ER/67.2 IP), a stellar 0.61 WHIP, a .147 opponents' batting average (34-for-231) and 50 strikeouts across 67.2 IP. On two separate occasions (May 30 vs Tennessee and July 16 vs Chattanooga), the Bryan, Texas native came one out away from throwing a complete game no-hitter.
A two-time Pitcher of the Week this season (April 22 and July 22), the 23-year-old Supak was also the South Division's starting pitcher for the 2019 Southern League All-Star Game.
After originally being selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates no. 73 overall in the 2014 MLB Amateur Draft out of La Grange (TX) High School, Supak was sent to Milwaukee via trade in December 2015. He is currently listed by MLB Pipeline as the Brewers no. 12 prospect.
League Stats
(through 7/22)
W-L IP SO BB H ERA
11-4 122.2 91 23 84 2.20
MANAGER OF THE YEAR - Morgan Ensberg, Montgomery Biscuits
The Montgomery Biscuits are set to sweep both halves of the 2019 Southern League season, and manager Morgan Ensberg is a big reason why. Earlier this season the Biscuits set a single season franchise record with 82 wins, eclipsing the team's previous record with 13 games left on the schedule. Montgomery continues to lead the Southern League with a .733 team OPS and 205 stolen bases across 133 games played, good for the second highest mark in professional baseball.
A first-year manager in the Tampa Bay Rays organization, Ensberg spent the previous six seasons as a coach and manager in the Houston Astros organization. As a player, the Redondo Beach, California native spent his eight seasons in the major leagues with the Astros (2000, 2002-07), Padres (2007), and Yankees (2008). He was named the Astros MVP in 2005, when they won the National League pennant.
2019 POSTSEASON ALL-STAR TEAM
The Southern League of Professional Baseball Clubs are also excited to announce the 2019 Postseason All-Star team, as selected by field managers and club personnel. The Biloxi Shuckers, Jackson Generals, and Mississippi Braves lead the way with three selections each. This year's postseason All-Star team also features three of baseball's Top 100 prospects according to MLB Pipeline: Cristian Pache (no. 11), Drew Waters (no. 25), and Jazz Chisholm (no. 56)
The 2019 Postseason All-Star Team is as follows:
Catcher
Daulton Varsho
Jacksonville
Currently leads the league with a .892 OPS
First Baseman
Patrick Leonard
Biloxi
Led all BLX batters in TB (163) before injury
Second Baseman
Travis Blankenhorn
Pensacola
Leads all Pensacola hitters with 17 home runs
Third Baseman
Drew Ellis
Jackson
.958 fielding pct. leads all qualified AA 3B
Shortstop
Jazz Chisholm
Jacksonville
Leads all SL shortstops with 21 HR and 173 TB
Outfielder
Brandon Marsh
Mobile
.812 OPS & 17 SB lead all qualified Mobile hitters
Outfielder
Cristian Pache
Mississippi
186 TB in 104 games prior to promotion 8/3
Outfielder
Pavin Smith
Jackson
Reigning Southern League Player of the Month
Outfielder
Drew Waters
Mississippi
2019 Southern League Most Valuable Player
Designated Hitter
Ibandel Isabel
Chattanooga
Leads AA baseball with 26 home runs
Utility Man
Miles Mastrobuoni
Montgomery
Leads all qualified Biscuits players w/ a .368 OBP
Best Hustler
Lucius Fox
Montgomery
36 Stolen Bases leads the Southern League
Right-handed Pitcher
Trey Supak
Biloxi
2019 Southern League Most Outstanding Pitcher
Left-handed Pitcher
Tucker Davidson
Mississippi
2.03 ERA remains the lowest in the league
Relief Pitcher
Nate Griep
Biloxi
Leads the league with 22 saves (26 opportunities)
Southern League Executive Awards are scheduled to be announced on Monday, September 9.
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Southern League Stories from August 28, 2019
- Marsh Named to Southern League Post-Season All-Star Team - Mobile BayBears
- Nate Griep, Patrick Leonard and Trey Supak Named Postseason All-Stars - Biloxi Shuckers
- Trey Supak Named Southern League's Most Outstanding Pitcher - Biloxi Shuckers
- Davidson, Pache, Waters Named Southern League Postseason All-Stars - Mississippi Braves
- Ibandel Isabel Named 2019 Southern League Postseason All-Star - Chattanooga Lookouts
- Drew Waters Named Southern League Most Valuable Player - Mississippi Braves
- 2019 Southern League Postseason All-Star Team Unveiled - SL1
- Chisholm Honored as Southern League Postseason All-Star - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Ober Closes Home Schedule with a Beauty - Pensacola Blue Wahoos
- Offense Overpowered by Pensacola's Ober, 3-2 - Jackson Generals
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