TL1 Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Five Naturals Selected to Represent Royals in 2015 Arizona Fall League

Published on September 2, 2015 under Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


SPRINGDALE, Ark. - Northwest Arkansas will represent the Kansas City Royals organization almost exclusively in the upcoming 2015 Arizona Fall League. Led by Kansas City Royals #5 prospect according to MLB.com, Bubba Starling, Brooks Pounders, Zane Evans, Ramon Torres and Kevin McCarthy have each been selected to participate in the Arizona Fall League as members of the Surprise Saguaros.

Bubba Starling has had a breakout 2015 campaign batting a combined .274 across High-A Wilmington and Double-A Northwest Arkansas, including 8 home runs, 48 runs scored and 4 stolen bases. This will mark Starling's second straight Arizona Fall League appearance after playing for the Peoria Javelinas in 2014 as a Kansas City Royals representative.

In addition to Starling, Evans and Torres have each had bounce back 2015 campaigns. Evans has batted .251 with 10 home runs and 53 RBI, totaling 89 games across High-A and Double-A. Torres, an international free agent signing by the Royals out of the Dominican Republic, has batted .272 with 4 home runs and 4 stolen bases in 169 at-bats for the Naturals this season.

Pounders has a 2.08 ERA with a 3-3 record through 7 starts for the Naturals, in his first season back from Tommy John Surgery.

Arizona Fall League rosters are made up of representatives from 5 Major League organizations each, and each team must select six players from their organization. All Triple-A and Double-A players are eligible, provided they are on a Double-A roster no later than August 1. Each organization is also permitted to send one player below the Double-A level, and may also select one foreign player, as long as the player is not on his native country's primary protected player list. In addition to the 5 current Naturals, Kansas City also selected RHP Andrew Edwards from their High-A Affiliate, the Wilmington Blue Rocks.

Former 2015 Natural, now a member of the Midland RockHounds, Sean Manaea has been chosen to represent the Oakland Athletics organization in the Arizona Fall League as a member of the Mesa Solar Sox. Manaea is 5-0 with a 2.21 ERA in 6 starts for the RockHounds this season. Midland currently sits atop the Texas League South Division and will play Corpus Christi in the first round of the Texas League playoffs beginning next Wednesday.

The Arizona Fall League commences on Tuesday, October 13 as Surprise will take on Peoria. The season lasts through mid-November as each team will play games on Monday-Saturday with off days on Sunday, concluding with the Arizona Fall League Championship Game on Saturday, November 21.

The Naturals wrap up the regular season schedule on the road with six games remaining, three (3) in Tulsa and three (3) in North Little Rock before hosting the first two (2) games of the Texas League Playoffs - North Divisional Series on Wednesday, September 9 and Thursday, September 10 against the 2nd Half North Division Champion.

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League Affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. The Naturals play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, Ark. For more information including statistics, ticket options, and more, please visit NWANaturals.com, and follow us on Twitter @NWANaturals and Facebook.com/Naturals.

Check out the Northwest Arkansas Naturals Statistics

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Texas League Stories from September 2, 2015


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