SAL1 Charleston RiverDogs

Heathcott, Murphy, O'Brien and Roller Named to 2011 SAL All-Star Team

Published on June 7, 2011 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston RiverDogs News Release


CHARLESTON, SC - The South Atlantic League announced Tuesday that the Charleston RiverDogs will send four players to participate in the 52nd SAL All-Star Game on June 21 at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium in Salisbury, Maryland, home of the Northern Division's Delmarva Shorebirds.

RiverDogs center fielder Slade Heathcott earns a starting nod for the Southern Division All-Star team, while catcher J.R. Murphy and first baseman Kyle Roller come off the bench, and starting pitcher Mikey O'Brien will be available out of the bullpen.

Heathcott has been a vacuum cleaner in center field, and a force out of the leadoff spot for Manager Aaron Ledesma all season. The 2009 first round pick, rated the No. 9 prospect in the Yankees' system by Baseball America, is batting .291 in 47 games, with four home runs, 11 doubles, four triples, 16 RBI, 36 runs scored and six stolen bases.

Like Heathcott, Murphy has made enormous strides in his second season with the RiverDogs. The Bradenton, Fla. native leads the club with 23 multi-hit games, and ranks sixth in the league in hits and 12th in batting average. Murphy, who has spent the bulk of his time at catcher and designated hitter, is hitting .315 with six home runs, 20 doubles, 29 RBI, and 30 runs scored.

Roller, a hulking left-handed hitter from East Carolina, has shown his power-hitting prowess while gaining more of a comfort level in the field at first base. The former Cape Cod League MVP ranks eighth in the circuit in slugging percentage and OPS. An eighth round pick of the Yankees in the 2010 draft, Roller is raking at a .312 clip with a team-leading nine home runs as well as 17 doubles, 29 RBI and 29 runs scored.

O'Brien, a 5-11 right-hander from Roanoke, Va., has been a consistent presence in the Charleston rotation. A 2010 New York-Penn League Mid-Season All-Star a year ago, O'Brien holds a 3-4 record with a 3.79 ERA over 11 starts, while striking out 56 batters in 59.1 innings. The 2008 ninth round selection has worked at least five frames in nine of his 11 outings, while fanning at least six batters in six of those showings.

The Savannah Sand Gnats lead all league squads with six players selected. Delmarva, Hagerstown, and Lakewood all have five players receiving the honors from the Northern Division.

2011 South Atlantic League All-Stars

POSITION NORTHERN DIVISION

MANAGER Brian Daubach Hagerstown

COACH Ryan Minor Delmarva

COACH Chris Michalak Hagerstown

PITCHERS David Buchanan Lakewood

Taylor Jordan Hagerstown

Roman Mendez Hickory

Jameson Taillon West Virginia

Brandon Cumpton West Virginia

Jacob Pettit Delmarva

Jared Rogers Greensboro

Garett Claypool Lakewood

Christopher Manno Hagerstown

David Walters Delmarva

Lisalberto Bonilla Lakewood

CATCHERS David Freitas Hagerstown

Michael Ohlman Delmarva

Tomas Telis Hickory

FIRST BASEMAN Jim Murphy Lakewood

SECOND BASEMAN Ross Wilson Kannapolis

THIRD BASEMAN Blake Kelso Hagerstown

SHORTSTOP Manuel Machado Delmarva

UTILITY INFIELDER Tyler Kelly Delmarva

UTILITY INFIELDER Christian Villanueva Hickory

RIGHT FIELD Bryce Harper Hagerstown

CENTER FIELD Trayce Thompson Kannapolis

LEFT FIELD Brady Shoemaker Kannapolis

UTILITY OUTFIELDER Dan Grovatt West Virginia

UTILITY OUTFIELDER Christian Yelich Greensboro

DESIGNATED HITTER Anthony Hewitt Lakewood

TRAINER Will Lawhorn Delmarva

POSITION SOUTHERN DIVISION

MANAGER Ryan Ellis Savannah

COACH Jose Carreno Savannah

COACH Steve Kline Augusta

PITCHERS Taylor Whitenton Savannah

Chase Huchingson Savannah

Edwar Cabrera Asheville

Gregory Peavey Savannah

Taylor Rogers Augusta

Manuel Rivera Greenville

Michael O'Brien Charleston

Caleb Brewer Rome

Josh Edgin Savannah

Stephen Harrold Augusta

Juan Perez Asheville

CATCHERS Bryce Massanari Asheville

Chris Wallace Lexington

JR Murphy Charleston

FIRST BASEMAN Miles Head Greenville

SECOND BASEMAN Carlos Willoughby Augusta

THIRD BASEMAN Adam Duvall Augusta

SHORTSTOP Jiovanni Mier Lexington

UTILITY INFIELDER Kyle Roller Charleston

UTILITY INFIELDER Robbie Shields Savannah

RIGHT FIELD Kyle Parker Asheville

CENTER FIELD Slade Heathcott Charleston

LEFT FIELD Brandon Jacobs Greenville

UTILITY OUTFIELDER Adam Bailey Lexington

UTILITY OUTFIELDER Cory Vaughn Savannah

DESIGNATED HITTER Jakob Delfonso Rome

TRAINER David Herrera Greenville

Check out the Charleston RiverDogs Statistics

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South Atlantic League Stories from June 7, 2011


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