TL Amarillo Sod Poodles

Roberts, Lawlar, Bliss Take Home Texas League Post-Season Awards

September 26, 2023 - Texas League (TL)
Amarillo Sod Poodles News Release


Amarillo, Texas - Earlier today, Major League Baseball announced full Texas League Postseason All-Stars. Votes were cast by all 10 Texas League Managers with the final decisions determined by the Commissioner's Office. Caleb Roberts was named an All-Star as an outfielder, Jordan Lawlar was named the Top MLB Prospect and the All-Star Shortstop in the league, while Ryan Bliss was named an All-Star as a Designated Hitter for his time as a Sod Poodle.

Roberts, a former fifth-round draft pick out of the University of North Carolina, hit .278 (102-for-367) in 97 games played this year for Amarillo during the regular season. He hit 23 doubles, eight triples, and 17 home runs with 66 RBI. He ended the year with the fourth-highest SLG in the league at .527 and ranked sixth in OPS at .907. His 47 XBH were fifth in the league while his eight triples were second among all Texas League players in 2023. He tied the Amarillo single-season record for triples.

Lawlar, a former sixth-overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft out of Jesuit Prep High School in the Dallas area, played in 89 games for Amarillo this season, hitting .263 (92-for-350) with 23 doubles, three triples, 15 home runs, and 48 RBI. He also stole 33 bases for the Sod Poodles. Lawlar entered the year ranked as the D-backs' no. 1-rated prospect and made his MLB debut earlier this month on September 7th. Over his final 57 games with Amarillo, Lawlar hit .313 (73-for-233) with 32 RBI, 10 home runs, 19 doubles, and 60 runs scored. His 77 total runs scored ranked ninth in the league while his 33 stolen bases were also ninth.

Bliss, a second-round pick by the Diamondbacks in the 2021 MLB Draft out of Auburn University, was on the Sod Poodles Opening Day Roster and appeared in 68 games for the Sod Poodles between the start of the season before leaving for the MLB All-Star Futures Game in Seattle in early July. During his time in the Texas League, Bliss led the league with his .358 AVG (105-for-293). He also ranked first in SLG (.594), OPS (1.008), hits, doubles (25), XBH (41), total bases (174), and runs (67). Bliss was also tied second in triples (4), second in stolen bases (30), fifth in OBP (.414), and tied ninth in RBI (47) at the time of his promotion to Triple-A Reno.

The three players named to the 2023 Texas League Post-Season All-Star team, join a list of former Sod Poodles to be named a Post-Season All-Star that includes: Luis Torrens (2019), Ivan Castillo (2019), Edward Olivares (2019), Lake Bachar (2019), Stone Garrett (2021), Juan Centeno (2022), Leandro Cedeño (2022), Blaze Alexander (2022), and Corbin Carroll (2022).

The Sod Poodles continue their 2023 Texas League Championship Series against the Arkansas Travelers with Game 2 on Tuesday night. First pitch from HODGETOWN is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

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Texas League Stories from September 26, 2023


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