Double-A Leagues Choose Their All-Stars, A Few Braves Get Selected

The teams for the Double-A All-Star game were selected on Wednesday afternoon and the Atlanta Braves organization’s affiliate, the Mississippi Braves, have six players chosen.

The Southern League of Professional Baseball All-Stars will take the field against the North Division on Tuesday, June 17 at AT&T Field in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

The Mississippi Braves had six players selected to go to Tennessee to represent the team.  Outfielder Mycal Jones, shortstop Elmer Reyes, Pitchers Aaron Northcraft, James Hoyt, Williams Perez and Shae Simmons.

Simmons has recently been promoted to the Atlanta Braves and it is yet to be determined if he will stay in ATL for a good period of time or go back to the minors.  The way he is pitching, there is no chance he’ll be moved back down…especially to Double-A.  Shae will probably not attend this game.  Either way, it’s a nice tip of the hat to him as he had a very good season going with Mississippi.  He was leading the Southern League with 14 saves and had a 0.78 ERA in 20 outings.

Reyes is leading the team and second in the Southern League with a .335 batting average with two home runs, one triple, 13 doubles, 25 RBIs, 19 runs scored and two stolen bases.

Jones, playing center field, has a .301 batting average, three home runs, nine doubles, 14 RBIs, 24 runs scored.  He started the season in Triple-A Gwinnett but the injury bug happened.  When returning from the DL on April 25th he was transferred to Mississippi.

Perez currently holds a 1.91 ERA in 11 starts in 2014 and has a 0.96 WHIP.  The 23-year-old has a 3-3 record for the Braves.

Northcraft has a 6-2 record for the Braves and has struck out 45 hitters in 44 innings pitched.  He currently has a 3.42 ERA in his 26 starts in 2014.

Hoyt is a Mississippi relief pitcher and the guy who was inserted in the game before Simmons.  How with Simmons in the MLB, Hoyt may get a chance to pick up some saves.  He has seven holds in 2014 and a 1.40 ERA in 23 appearances in 2014.

Kyle Tait, the voice of the Mississippi Braves mentioned on Twitter that there is a possibility another Braves player could be selected to the All-Star game.

The one name that I’m thinking is Mississippi’s catcher Matt Kennelly.  He’s having a pretty good season batting .309/.374/.345 with 13 RBIs and 15 runs scored.  The 26-year-old has made only one error this season.

Congrats to the six players from the Mississippi Braves who have been selected to represent them in the Double-A All-Star game!