FSL1 Dunedin Blue Jays

League-High Seven Dunedin Blue Jays Named 2014 FSL All-Stars

Published on June 3, 2014 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Dunedin Blue Jays News Release


DUNEDIN, FL - The Florida State League has announced its 2014 All-Star Team, and seven different Dunedin Blue Jays have been selected to represent their team on Saturday, June 14 at McKechnie Field in Bradenton, Florida: LHP Daniel Norris, RHP Taylor Cole, RHP Arik Sikula, CF Dalton Pompey, C Derrick Chung, 1B K.C. Hobson and LF Dwight Smith, Jr. The first place Blue Jays (39-17) are tied with the St. Lucie Mets for most All-Stars in the league. No more than six Blue Jays have participated in the same All-Star Game over the last 10 years.

LHP Daniel Norris (4-0, 1.12 ERA) was named the Blue Jays No. 6 prospect by Baseball America entering the 2014 season, and has allowed just seven earned runs in 56.1 innings this season. Norris has held opponents to one earned run or fewer in 10 of his 11 starts this season, and ranks second in the league with 66 strikeouts and a 10.54 strikeouts-per-nine ratio. Opponents are batting just .218 this season against the 21-year-old from Johnson City, Tennessee, who also ranks fourth among FSL starters with a 1.05 WHIP. Norris' 1.12 ERA leads all qualifying pitchers in the league. The Blue Jays selected Norris in the second round of the 2011 draft out of Science Hill High School in Johnson City, Tennessee.

RHP Taylor Cole (4-2, 2.31 ERA) has led the Florida State League in strikeouts since the first week of the 2014 season, and currently has 82 Ks against just 14 walks in a league-high 66.1 innings this season. The 24-year-old from Las Vegas, Nevada has collected at least seven strikeouts in nine of his 11 outings this season, including a career-high 10 punch outs against the Fort Myers Miracle on May 23 at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium. Cole leads the FSL in strikeouts-per-nine ratio at 11.19. Opponents are batting just .218 overall against the Blue Jays right-hander this year, and he has held FSL hitters to a .178 average with runners on base. Cole has not allowed more than three runs in any of his 11 games (10 starts) in 2014. He was selected by the Blue Jays in the 29th round of the 2011 draft out of Brigham Young University.

RHP Arik Sikula (0.92 ERA, 15 SV) established himself as the most reliable closer in the FSL, recording a league-high 15 saves in 16 opportunities. He earned a promotion to Double-A New Hampshire after a perfect outing on May 24, and continues to lead the rest of the FSL by four saves. Since moving up to the Eastern League, Sikula has posted a 1.93 ERA with five strikeouts and no walks in 4.2 innings for the Fisher Cats. He struck out 31 batters and walked just three in his 19.2 innings in Dunedin, and held opponents to a .136 average. Over his last 12 outings (12 innings from April 26 - May 24), he allowed a total of one run on four hits with no walks and 17 strikeouts. Overall, he surrendered two earned runs and 12 base runners in 20 appearances and led all FSL pitchers with a 0.62 WHIP.

CF Dalton Pompey (.332, 6 HR, 26 RBI, 21 SB), was named the Blue Jays No. 17 prospect entering the 2014 season, and is coming off a 2013 campaign in which he was honored with the Gold Glove Award for all minor league centerfielders. Pompey ranks fourth in the FSL in batting average (.332), fourth in on-base percentage (.410), third in OPS (.908) and seventh in runs scored (34). The 21-year-old from Mississauga, Ontario has been the best base stealer in the league by a wide margin, swiping 21 bags in 23 attempts. Pompey leads the Blue Jays with six home runs, which is also the sixth-highest total in the FSL. He is currently on a 14-game on-base streak and reached base in 26 of his first 27 games in 2014. The Blue Jays selected Pompey in the 16th round of the 2010 draft out of John Fraser Secondary School in Mississauga, Ontario.

C Derrick Chung (.338, 2 HR, 12 RBI) is currently on a 15-game hitting streak, which is the longest active streak in the league and one behind Jorge Polanco's league-best 16-game streak from May 1- May 19. During Chung's current tear, he is hitting .471 with four doubles and eight RBI. The 26-year-old from Garden Grove, California hit .405 in May, and currently ranks third in the FSL in batting average (.338) and on-base percentage (.413). Chung leads the Blue Jays with 11 doubles, and has 17 walks against 18 strikeouts. Behind the plate, he's thrown out 17 would-be base stealers, which is most among active FSL catchers. Chung was selected by the Blue Jays in the 31st round of the 2012 draft out of Sacramento State University.

1B K.C. Hobson (2 HR, 42 RBI) has been a top-three run producer in the Florida State League throughout the season, and currently ranks second in the league with 42 RBI. He knocked in 17 runs in his first 11 games of the season while hitting .341 to power the Blue Jays to a 10-2 record out of the gate. The 23-year-old from Bakersfield, California leads the FSL with six sacrifice flies, and ranks second in strikeouts-per-plate-appearance ratio at 10.48. Hobson has drawn 23 walks against 21 strikeouts in 51 games this season. He's also committed just three errors in the field this year, which is second fewest among FSL first basemen. The Blue Jays drafted Hobson in the sixth round of the 2009 draft out of Stockdale High School in Bakersfield, California.

LF Dwight Smith, Jr. (.282, 4 HR, 25 RBI) has set the table for the Blue Jays throughout the first half, scoring a team high 40 runs from the leadoff spot. That run total is good for third-most in the league, and Smith also ranks second with four triples in 2014. In addition to his leadoff prowess, the 21-year-old from Peachtree City, Georgia is hitting .357 with runners on base. Smith got off to a hot start in April, hitting .330 with a pair of homers - both coming against major league rehabber Cole Hamels. The Blue Jays selected Smith in the first round (53rd overall) in the 2011 draft out of McIntosh High School in Peachtree City, Georgia.

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Florida State League Stories from June 3, 2014


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