Adames, Kittredge, Leonard, Marjama to represent Durham
Four Durham Bulls have been selected to the International League All-Star team for the 2017 Triple-A All-Star Game, the league announced Thursday. Infielders Willy Adames and Patrick Leonard, catcher Mike Marjama and relief pitcher Andrew Kittredge will represent the first-place Bulls at the 30th annual Triple-A All-Star Game at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, Wash. on Wednesday, July 12.
In his first season at the Triple-A level, Willy Adames is currently hitting .278 with five homers and 33 RBI. The 21-year-old shortstop has seen significant improvement throughout the season, as he batted just .210 in April and .245 in May, but has hit a blistering .372 in 25 games in June. The midseason All-Star selection is nothing new for the No. 16 prospect in baseball according to MLB.com, as the native of the Dominican Republic was selected to the Florida State League squad in 2015, and the Southern League All-Star team in 2016.
The All-Star selection marks the second of Patrick Leonard’s career, as the third baseman also earned the honors in 2014 as a member of the Advanced-A Charlotte Stone Crabs. The 24-year-old was named IL Player of the Month in April when he led the circuit with a .412 batting average. Leonard currently leads the Bulls with 72 games played, and is batting .284 with six homers and a team-best 40 RBI.
Catcher Mike Marjama currently leads the Bulls with a .286 batting average, and also has five home runs and 31 RBI. Behind the plate the 27-year-old has caught 51.7 percent of runners attempting to steal (14-of-27), the best mark of any catcher in the IL (min. 15 attempts). The selection to the All-Star team is the first selection of Marjama’s seven-year career.
Andrew Kittredge is the lone Durham Bulls pitcher selected to the team, as the right-handed reliever has gone 4-1 with a 1.79 ERA and one save in 45 1/3 innings. The 27-year-old native of Spokane, Wash. leads all IL relievers by averaging 8.62 baserunners per nine innings, and has struck out 46 batters compared to just nine walks. Kittredge’s selection to the All-Star team is the first All-Star nod of his seven-year career.
As previously announced, Bulls skipper Jared Sandberg will also represent the club in Tacoma as a member of the IL coaching staff.
The 2017 International League All-Star team is made up of 13 elected players who have received the most votes from ballots submitted by club’s field managers and general managers (1/3), members of the media (1/3) and online fan voting (1/3). The elected players are joined by 17 additional All-Stars selected by the International League office. The game will be broadcast live on MLB Network, the American Forces Network, MiLB.TV and the Triple-A All-Star Game Radio Network beginning at 9 p.m. ET on July 12.
Thanks to DBBC’s Matt Sutor for this capcom story & graphic.
