Midwest League All-Star Game Has Michigan Flavor

The Class A Midwest League is taking a couple days off to showcase the league’s top talent. The Midwest League All-Star Game will be played June 22 at Fort Wayne, Indiana’s Parkview Field and will feature a number of players that currently play their home ball in the state of Michigan.

The All-Star of greatest interest to Tigers fans would have to be Jacob Turner, the ninth overall draft pick from last year’s amateur draft. His first half record was only 2-3 but keep in mind the West Michigan Whitecaps went just 26-43. The 19 year old is finding early professional success with a 3.67 ERA and 51 K’s against just nine walks in 54 innings. A forearm issue cost Turner some time earlier in the year but the effects haven’t seemed to linger.

Turner will be joined by one other Tigers farmhand: Giovanni Soto. Despite being just a 21st round draft pick a year ago, the left-handed Soto has been able to put up numbers that show he is a legitimate prospect. No other regular Whitecaps starter finished with a record above .500 or an ERA better than Soto’s 2.05.

The Eastern Division team will feature eleven other players that play across Michigan. The Great Lakes Loons (Dodgers) have a league-high seven All-Stars while the Lansing Lugnuts (Blue Jays) placed four players on the squad.