TL1 Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Former Naturals Selected to MLB All-Star Game

Published on July 7, 2014 under Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


Springdale, Ark. - Three current Kansas City Royals, each of which have donned a Northwest Arkansas Naturals uniform, Salvador Perez, Greg Holland and Alex Gordon, were selected to the 2014 MLB All-Star Game Sunday night.

While Gordon's stint with the Naturals was brief, an eight game rehab assignment in 2009, during which he hit .367 with 2 home runs, Salvador Perez and Greg Holland each spent nearly a full season in Northwest Arkansas.

Perez, named the starting catcher for the American League in the 2014 All-Star game, played 79 games with the Naturals in 2011 while batting .283 with 9 home runs and 43 RBI. Two years later, Perez earned his first All-Star Game selection, and later his first American League Gold Glove behind the plate. Perez has 10 home runs with 29 RBI and a .285 batting average through 78 games played in 2014. The Royals signed "Salvy" out of Venezuela in 2006 as an amateur free agent.

One year later, they found another All-Star gem in the 10th round of the 2007 amateur draft when they selected Greg Holland out of Western Carolina University. Holland had 3 wins, 8 saves to go along with a 3.18 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 29 appearances for the Naturals in 2009. By the end of 2013, Holland finished as "The Sporting News" Reliever of the Year converting 47 saves with 103 strikeouts and a 1.21 ERA. He also finished ninth in Cy Young balloting and 15th in MVP. He has 23 saves in 2014 at the time of his selection.

The 2014 All-Star game at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota on July 15 will mark the second straight appearance for all three players in the MLB All-Star game.

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, AR. 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 July 7, 2014


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