Ventura to Play in Futures Game, Myers & Odorizzi Too
Published on June 21, 2012 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release
Wilmington, DE - One current Wilmington Blue Rocks player and two from years past have been selected to take part in the 14th annual SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game. Blue Rocks alumni Wil Myers and Jake Odorizzi will play for the U.S. team while current Blue Rock Yordano Ventura will be a part of the World roster. The game begins at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 8 from the Royals' Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO. The Royals are the only organization in baseball to place three players in the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game. The game will be televised live on ESPN2, ESPN2 HD and MLB.TV and is also available on the radio at MLB Network Radio (XM channel 89).
Assuming he is still on Wilmington's roster at the time, Ventura is set to become the third active Blue Rock to appear in the game. Southpaw Danny Duffy (2009) and first baseman Eric Hosmer (2010) are the only two that have done so before. Ventura is the Royals' 10th-best prospect according to Baseball America, has lit up radar guns with ease this year, touching 100 MPH. Blessed with the "Best Fastball" in the Kansas City farm system according to the same publication, the flame-throwing righty has recorded a 3-5 record with a 3.10 ERA in 13 starts this season. As of Wednesday morning, his ERA checks in at seventh-best in the circuit. He is second in the league in strikeouts with 78, fourth in batting average against with a .227 mark and holds the top K/9 IP ratio in the league at 11.51. The 21-year old has surrendered just 52 hits in 61.0 innings this year. Born and raised in Samana, Dominican Republic, the 5-foot-11, 167-pounder was signed by the Royals as a non-drafted free agent on October 8, 2008.
Myers, 21, will be making his second straight appearance at the XM All-Star Futures Game, also appearing last July at Chase Field in Phoenix, AZ. The 6-foot-3, 206-pound outfielder has combined to hit .336 (86-for-256) with 18 doubles, three triples, 24 home runs, 62 RBIs and 60 runs scored in 68 games, posting a .416 on-base pct. and .711 slugging mark between Triple-A Omaha and Double-A Northwest Arkansas. In 2010 with the Blue Rocks, he hit .346 in 58 games with four homers and 38 RBIs. He was a third-round pick by the Royals in 2009.
The 22-year-old Odorizzi has also played for both Northwest Arkansas and Omaha this season. The 6-foot-2 right-hander has compiled an 8-2 record with a 2.89 ERA in 13 games (12 starts), recording 81 strikeouts in 71.2 innings while holding opponents to a .219 average. In 2011 with the Blue Rocks, he made 15 starts with a record of 5-4 and an ERA at 2.87. He logged 78.1 innings and struck out 103 batters. Odorizzi was acquired along with shortstop Alcides Escobar, outfielder Lorenzo Cain and pitcher Jeremy Jeffress from the Milwaukee Brewers on December 19, 2010 in exchange for pitcher Zack Greinke and infielder Yuniesky Betancourt.
Along with Myers, Blue Rocks alum Kelvin Herrera also played in the 2011 All-Star Futures Game after starting that season with the Blue Crew. Former Wilmington stars in Dee Brown, Clay Buchholz, Jacoby Ellsbury, Rubén Gotay and Julio Pimentel all played in the game after finishing their Wilmington tenure. G reinke and AnÃ-bal Sánchez were selected to play in the game while on the Riverfront, but were promoted before the contest took place.
Be sure to come out to Frawley Stadium this season as we celebrate 20 years of Wilmington Blue Rocks baseball. The Blue Rocks begin a three-game set with the Lynchburg Hillcats starting on Thursday, June 28 at 7:05 p.m. For ticket information, please call 302-888-BLUE or visit bluerocks.com.
Carolina League Stories from June 21, 2012
- P-Nats Walk-Off in Extras to Start Second Half - Potomac Nationals
- Mudcats Overwhelm Blue Rocks, 7-3 - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- Aguilar, Wolters Shine in Rout of Blue Rocks - Carolina Mudcats
- Unearned Run Pushes Potomac to Win in 10th - Winston-Salem Dash
- Keys Stumble Late for Seventh Consecutive Loss - Frederick Keys
- Pelicans Two-Hit Keys to Start Second Half - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Epic Rain Postpones Second-Half Opener - Salem RidgeYaks
- 'Cats and Sox Postponed Due to Weather - Hill City Howlers
- Blue Rocks Game Notes - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- Ventura to Play in Futures Game, Myers & Odorizzi Too - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- INF Mark DeRosa Rehabbing with Potomac Tonight - Potomac Nationals
- Bundy Selected to Futures All-Star Game - Frederick Keys
- Carlos Sanchez Selected to All-Star Futures Game - Winston-Salem Dash
- Lynchburg Hillcats Game Notes - Hill City Howlers
- Pelicans Face Bundy Saturday in Frederick - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
