SL1 Birmingham Barons

Cotts, Ring Selected to All-Star Futures Game

Published on June 23, 2003 under Southern League (SL1)
Birmingham Barons News Release


BIRMINGHAM, AL – Birmingham Barons left-handed pitchers Neal Cotts and Royce Ring have been selected by Major League Baseball to participate in the All-Star Futures Game. The RadioShack All-Star Futures Game will feature the top U.S. and international Minor League prospects competing against each other as part of RadioShack All-Star Sunday, July 13 at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago. The game will kick off the three-day All-Star extravaganza in Chicago at 4:30 p.m. (CDT) and will be televised live on ESPN2.

Cotts (7-2) is currently the top Southern League pitcher as he leads the league with a 2.11 ERA and is tied for second in wins with seven. He has led the league in strikeouts for most of the season and is currently ranked fourth with 85 punchouts. At the beginning of the season, he was ranked as the 11th prospect in the White Sox organization after being acquired from the Oakland A's as part of the trade that brought Billy Koch over to the White Sox.

Ring, the White Sox number one draft choice from a year ago, is currently ranked third in the Southern League with 16 saves. He was named the Southern League pitcher of the week for the week of May 9th through May 15th after he recorded four saves in four chances for the Barons. Coming into the season, the highly touted closer from San Diego State was ranked by Baseball America as the 10th best prospect in the White Sox organization.

Some of the players who have played in the All-Star Futures Game that are currently on Major League rosters include, Lance Berkman (Houston Astros), Adam Dunn (Cincinnati Reds), Ben Sheets (Milwaukee Brewers), Alfonso Soriano (New York Yankees) and Barry Zito (Oakland Athletics). Cotts and Ring join former Barons Mark Buehrle, Miguel Olivo, and Joe Borchard as the only Barons given the honor of being selected to play in the Futures Game.

For more information please contact Mike Hobson, Director of Media & Community Relations, at (205) 988-3200 or at media@barons.com.

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Southern League Stories from June 23, 2003


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