Monday, June 4, 2012
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jesse Goldberg-Strassler
( 517) 485-4500, extension 233

Seven Lugnuts named Midwest League All-Stars

Eastern Division All-Star Roster PDF
Western Division All-Star Roster PDF

BELOIT, Wisc. – Seven Lansing Lugnuts, including four pitchers, were selected to the 2012 Midwest League Eastern Division All-Star Team, MWL President George Spelius announced on Monday.

Pitchers Justin Nicolino, Aaron Sanchez, Noah Syndergaard and Ajay Meyer, second baseman Jon Berti, and outfielders Chris Hawkins and Kevin Pillar will represent Lansing at the 2012 MWL All-Star Game at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark on Tuesday, June 19th in Geneva, Illinois.

The Bowling Green Hot Rods were the only ballclub with eight All-Stars, with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers and the Beloit Snappers joining the Lugnuts in placing seven players on the All-Star rosters.

The Lugnuts and Timber Rattlers are the only teams with four pitchers honored.

The Lugs received an added benefit due to reaching the 2011 Midwest League Championship Series:  manager John Tamargo, Jr. and his staff of hitting coach Kenny Graham, pitching coach Vince Horsman, athletic trainer James Gardiner and strength/conditioning coach Jason Dowse will serve as the Eastern Division All-Star coaching staff.

Nicolino, Sanchez and Syndergaard, ranked among the Top 10 prospects in the Blue Jays system, have all impressed in their first full season in the Midwest League.

Justin Nicolino (2-0, 0.92 ERA), 20, has posted 37 strikeouts compared to just five walks, allowing a mere four earned runs in his 39 innings.

Aaron Sanchez (5-0, 0.47), 19, opened the season with a 20-inning scoreless streak and has limited batters to a microscopic .137 average, compiling 44 strikeouts while allowing only two earned runs in 38 innings.

Noah Syndergaard (3-1, 4.62), 19, serves as the team leader in strikeouts, whiffing 49 batters in only 37 innings.

In his first season with the Lugnuts, Ajay Meyer (3-1, 5.06), 24, leads the Midwest League with 18 saves, 26 relief appearances, and 25 games finished.

Outfielder Kevin Pillar, 23, was the lone Lugnuts position player voted to start the All-Star Game.  The first-year Midwest Leaguer leads Lansing in games played (54), at-bats (212), batting average (.321), base hits (68) and runs batted in (30).

Outfielder Chris Hawkins, 20, and second baseman Jon Berti, 22, were both selected as All-Star reserves in their first year in the MWL.  Hawkins tops the Lugnuts with 21 multi-hit games, helping him compile a .319 batting average with 66 hits in 51 games.  Berti paces the league with 24 stolen bases while ranking second with a .416 on-base percentage.

The All-Stars were determined in a vote by the Field Managers of the Midwest League, selected off a ballot of nominees compiled by the managers.

The Eastern Division-leading Lansing Lugnuts, boasting a league-best record of 40-17, return to Cooley Law School Stadium for the start of a six-game homestand on Wednesday, June 6th.  The Lugs’ next victory will clinch a first half postseason berth. Tickets are available for purchase online at www.lansinglugnuts.com, at the stadium box office, and by calling 517-485-4500.

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