CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Four Pelicans Named Postseason All-Stars

Published on September 1, 2011 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


WILMINGTON, DE - Four Myrtle Beach Pelicans have been named to the Carolina League's Postseason All-Star Team announced Thursday by the league office. For position players, third baseman Mike Olt and outfielder Ryan Strausborger, both of whom were voted to the league's midseason All-Star squad, are joined by outfielder Jared Prince who was named the circuit's best utility outfielder. Former Pelicans starting pitcher Robbie Ross was named as the year-end All-Star Team's starting pitcher and also tabbed Pitcher of the Year for the Carolina League's 2011 campaign.

For Ross, this latest accolade puts the wraps on an outstanding season at the Class A Advanced level that came to an end on the field when he was promoted to Double-A Frisco on August 2. Through 21 appearances (20 starts) with the Pelicans, the left-hander from Nicholasville, Kentucky posted a 9-4 record and a 2.26 ERA while striking out 98 batters and walking just 28 through 123.1 innings pitched. Opposing hitters batted just .227 against Ross who represented the Carolina League along with then-rotation-mate Joe Wieland, Strausborger, and catcher Zach Zaneski at June's 2011 California-Carolina League All-Star Game in Modesto, California. Nearly a month after his departure from the Carolina League, Ross still leads league qualifiers in ERA (2.26), batting average against, and winning percentage (.692) and ranks second in WHIP (1.05). Since his promotion to the Texas League, the southpaw has continued his outstanding season, going 1-1 with a 2.61 ERA through six starts for the Frisco RoughRiders. Ross has struck out 36 Texas Leaguers and walked just five while holding opposing hitters to a .231 average in 38.0 Double-A innings.

Olt, too, was named to the 2011 Carolina League All-Star Team in June but couldn't take part in the circuit's showcase game due to a broken collarbone he suffered on June 6 against Winston-Salem that forced him onto the disabled list for over two months. Still, even in limited action, the Pelicans' third baseman has been head-and-shoulders above the rest at his position this year. After entering 2011 as the Pelicans' highest-rated position player prospect according to Baseball America (ninth overall, top third baseman), Olt showed his tremendous potential in the season's first month when he was named the Rangers' Minor League Player of the Month. In the 54 games he played in the season' first half, Olt batted .286 with ten homers, 34 runs batted in, a .395 on-base percentage, and a .508 slugging percentage. Upon his return to the Pelicans' lineup, his homer total still led all Myrtle Beach hitters. Since rejoining the club on August 20, Olt has already homered three times, doubled twice, and driven in seven runs in eleven games.

2011 has been a breakout season for Strausborger, the Indiana State University product who battled through a tough July to rebound strongly in August. Strausborger has been the Pelicans' heart offensively for much of the season, providing a spark at the top of the lineup during the season's first half and holding down the third spot in the order when Olt was injured. Through the season's first half, the Indiana State University product and 2010 Rangers draftee found himself near the top in almost every Carolina League offensive category, batting .305 with 84 hits, 16 doubles, seven triples, seven home runs, 40 runs batted in, 21 stolen bases, and an .861 OPS. After a slump in the month of July, Strausborger returned to form in the season's last full month, batting .313 with an .828 OPS.

Both Olt and Strausborger were named on Tuesday to the roster of the Surprise Saguaros in the prestigious Arizona Fall League, the premier offseason showcase destination for Minor League Baseball's best. They will join eight other current and former Pelicans on that squad.

Strausborger's fellow outfielder Prince gets a much-deserved nod as the Carolina League's utility outfielder on the circuit's year-end All-Star squad. After a brutal 4-for-45 start to the season, the Washington State University product has been a constant engine in the Myrtle Beach order, batting .297 in 116 games since. The versatile offensive performer has spent 13 games or more at the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh spots in the order and currently leads Pelicans regulars in games played (128), average (.278) and RBI (67) and is tied with Strausborger for the team lead in hits (131), walks (45), and doubles (29). Prince leads the Carolina League in on-base percentage (.371) and is the second-hardest batter to strike out in the league with one K per 11.83 plate appearances. The Poulsbo, Washington native also has made his mark on the Carolina League in a more painful way. Prince has been hit by pitches 29 times this season, a mark that ranks second in all of Carolina League history, one behind the single-season league record set by Winston-Salem's Seth Loman last season.

Voting for the Carolina League's superlative awards and the honorary year-end All-Star club was done by league managers, general managers, and media members. In addition to Ross's Pitcher of the Year award, Winston-Salem slugger Ian Gac was named the league's Most Valuable Player, and Kinston's Aaron Holbert took home Manager of the Year honors.

The Pelicans wrap up their 2011 regular season road slate with Thursday night's series finale of four at Wilmington. Myrtle Beach sends lefty Miguel De Los Santos (6-3, 3.59) against Wilmington right-hander Michael Mariot (8-4, 3.28) with first pitch for the 2011 finale between these two clubs slated for 6:35 p.m. Saturday night, the Pelicans return to Myrtle Beach for their final three regular season contests against the Salem Red Sox before opening the 2011 Carolina League Southern Division Championship Series on Wednesday, September 7 at BB&T Coastal Field. Myrtle Beach's opponent for the postseason's first round is still undetermined. Tickets for all Pelicans home games can be purchased by visiting the BB&T Coastal Field box office, the Tickets page at MyrtleBeachPelicans.com, or by calling (843)918-6000 or (877)918-TIXX.

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Carolina League Stories from September 1, 2011


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