Seven Paints Named Prospect League All-Stars
August 21, 2018 - Prospect League (Prospect)
Chillicothe Paints News Release
CHILLICOTHE, Ohio - The Prospect League announced 2018 Postseason All-Stars and Awards Tuesday and the Chillicothe Paints, presented by Adena Health System, had seven players honored for their efforts during the recently-completed season.
Andrew Czech (first base), Dillon Dingler (outfield), Chad Roberts (designated hitter), Michael Jacob (starting pitcher), Chris Modrzynski (starting pitcher), Jack Raines (relief pitcher) and Ben Bulchik (relief pitcher) were all named Prospect League Postseason All-Stars, as voted by league field managers, general managers and local media.
Raines, from Baldwin Wallace University, was also named Galen Woods Fireman of the Year as the league's top reliever. The left-handed pitcher from Akron, Ohio, appeared in 20 games during the regular season, allowed just three earned runs and struck out 35 batters over 27 innings and had an ERA of 1.00. Raines collected nine saves on the season, second-most in the Prospect League in 2018.
The Ohio State University's Dillon Dingler was named co-Roland Hemond Pro Prospect of the Year. Dingler hit .374 with two home runs and 32 RBIs in 35 games for the Paints. The North Canton, Ohio, native also hit 13 doubles and a pair of triples while splitting time between right field and catcher.
Czech, from Walsh University, was one of the top hitters in the entire league in several categories. The six-foot-six, 260-pound first basemen led the league with 56 RBIs and 21 doubles, played in the second-most games (58), his 73 hits were second-most, ranked second with 32 extra-base hits, ranked third in total bases with 125, tied for fourth with 39 walks, tied for fifth with nine home runs, had the fifth-most at bats with 215, had the fifth-best slugging percentage at .581 and ranked seventh with a .340 batting average. Defensively, Czech made just four errors in 39 games at first base.
Roberts, who completed his collegiate eligibility at Northern Kentucky University last Spring, made his third season with the Paints his best. The Wilmington, Ohio, native hit .316 and had the most at-bats of anyone in the league with 234 and led the league with 74 hits. His 58 games played was tied for second-most, 46 runs scored was fifth-best, eight home runs ranked in the top 10 league-wide. Roberts' 116 total bases ranked fourth in the league. Including two playoff appearances, Roberts hit .291 with 198 hits, 30 doubles, five triples and 17 home runs in 171 career games.
Jacob, from the University of Toledo, earned more all-star votes than any other East Division pitcher after his efforts in the 2018 season. The St. Clairsville, Ohio, native was 5-1 with a 3.05 ERA in 10 appearances, including eight starts in the regular season. Jacob struck out 58 batters in 53 innings, walked just 16 batters and allowed only 38 hits in his starts. His 58 strikeouts ranked fifth in the Prospect League. Jacob lasted more than five innings in five of his eight starts, a task made more difficult in 2018 due to league pitch count rules. Jacob started for the Paints in game one of the East Division Championship Series and earned the win for the Paints. He tossed eight innings and allowed only one unearned run on six hits, walked none and struck out a season-high eleven batters.
Western Michigan University's Modrzynski started 10 games for the Paints during the regular season, earned a 4-2 record and a 2.46 ERA. The six-foot-four left-hander threw 58 1/3 innings, allowed 52 hits, struck out 37 and walked just 10. In the Playoffs, Modrzynski allowed just one run on five hits, walked two and struck out four over five innings of work.
Bulchik, from Walsh University, was an essential piece of the Paints' strong back end in the bullpen. The six-foot-five, 240-pound right-hander was 3-0 with a 1.35 ERA in 20 appearances. The Lakewood, Ohio, native allowed just six earned runs over 40 innings, struck out a Prospect League third-best 59 batters and walked 21. Bulchik ranked third in the league with six saves, behind teammate Raines.
The Paints finished the 2018 regular season in second place in the East Division with a record of 34-26 and qualified for the Prospect League Playoffs for the seventh time in the 10-year history of the league. The Paints led the league in both average and total attendance for the fifth-straight season and ranked in the top 20 nationally in both categories (12th in total, 18th in average attendance).
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Prospect League Stories from August 21, 2018
- Seven Paints Named Prospect League All-Stars - Chillicothe Paints
- Prospect League Announces 2018 All-Stars & Awards - Prospect
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