2018 Cal League All-Star Preview
The Hanger is home to the Cal League’s own Lancaster Jethawks, the Colorado Rockies Advanced-A affiliate, and will be hosting the 2018 All-Star Game and festivities. The hometown faithful will be treated to eight of their own Jethawks playing for the Southern Division squad. When manager Fred Ocasio looks to his bench or his bullpen, he will see some very familiar faces in his Jethawk players.
The festivities will kick off in Lancaster on Tuesday, June 19th with the gates opening at 4 pm for an autograph session. At 5 pm the Home Run Derby will commence. Followed by the Cal League Hall of Fame induction ceremony at 6:30 pm, which will be immediately proceeding the game itself at 7 pm.
Playing baseball in Lancaster can be tough. The wind can, at times, howl out to right-field. Helping a would be “can of corn” fly ball into a game-changing three-run home run. Weather conditions can also affect the defensive side of the equation. As always, the game in Lancaster should be interesting, and high scoring. Even with the excellent pitching going to this event, runs should come in steady doses throughout the evening. Pitching at the Hanger, can be a test of one’s patience and resolve.
Eight JetHawks named @CalLeague1 Mid-Season All-Stars. Ramos, Welker, Fernandez, Trejo, Garcia, Humphreys, Lawrence and Holder to represent the South June 19 at The Hangar. #RockTheHawk
READ: https://t.co/GnlONVUQGI pic.twitter.com/lm7ruXXaLy
— Lancaster JetHawks (@JetHawks) June 11, 2018
Roberto Ramos – All-Star
Ramos is having an absolutely stellar 2018 campaign this far. Most feel Roberto Ramos would be in Double-A already in most any other organization. The power-hitting First-Base / Designated Hitter has studied under Reggie Smith and Quakes Bench Coach Petie Montero. Ramos learned his lessons well and is knocking Cal League pitching around. The Rockies prospect is leading the league in home runs with 17 and is tied for the lead in total bases with 137. If he does not get promoted to Hartford before the end of the season, he could crush over 35 Cal League home runs. That is a lot!
Colton Welker – All-Star
Colton Welker started off the 2018 season in fine fashion at the plate, and he was named the Cal League Player of the Week the first week of the season. The Rockies highly touted prospect has shown his skills through his production. Welker is in the top ten of most of the important offensive categories. The Jethawks All-Star is fourth in the Cal League in hits (73), tied for sixth in runs scored (39) and doubles (15), in addition, he ranks eighth in the league in home runs (7), and batting average. (.303) Welker will be available off the bench for manager Ocasio, as The Quake Rylan Bannon will make the start at third base.
Rylan Bannon – All-Star
The Los Angeles Dodgers third base prospect has been raising eyebrows and expectations this entire season at Rancho Cucamonga. The Quakes had the MVP of the Cal League last year in D.J. Peters. This season, at the mid-way point, Bannon is among the league leaders in every offensive statistical you can think of. He is the league leader in walks (41) and is also tied for the league lead in total bases (137). Bannon is second in the Cal League in home runs with 15 behind Roberto Ramos. The Quakes slugger is also third in triples and in runs batted in. Bannon has been getting it done and is well deserving of this recognition on Tuesday. Rylan Bannon will be putting his muscle on display at the Home Run Derby on Tuesday. If it is anything like the first half of this season, it should be quite the show.
Buddy Reed – All-Star
Buddy Reed has been tearing apart the pitching in the Cal League and is an extremely deserving All-Star starter for the South. Reed is tied for the league’s lead in hitting with a .327 batting average. The San Diego Padres prospect has more hits than another other player with 83 and more stolen bases with 31. Buddy Reed has produced MVP type numbers so far in 2018.
Jahmai Jones – All-Star
#Angels No. 4 prospect Jahmai Jones talks about his move to the infield and his new trademark camera pose: https://t.co/GiFBtmwIOa pic.twitter.com/V5ijMdR5Gy
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) May 9, 2018
Jahmai Jones of the Los Angeles Angels organization will be joining the Southern Division squad as a second baseman this season, after playing as a centerfielder just a season before for the 66ers. Jones has a beaming smile, charming personality and a booming bat. Angels fans have a potential star in the making in Jahmai Jones. He gets the start at second Tuesday night.
All-Stars in the North
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