More than a dozen Miners selected to compete in ABL All-Star Game

PALMER — The Mat-Su Miners are at the top of the standings during the Alaska Baseball League’s all-star break and will be well-represented during the league’s annual all-star game.

Fourteen Miners have been selected to compete in the 2017 ABL All-Star Game, slated for Sunday at 4 p.m. at Mulcahy Stadium in Anchorage.

The list includes a handful of league-leaders. Outfielder Quin Cotton is among four outfielders selected. Cotton currently leads the ABL with a .380 batting average. The Grand Canyon product also leads the ABL with nine doubles. Infielder Blake Benefield is one of a pair of Miners on the all-star rosters. Benefield is the top run-producer in the league, with a league-high six home runs and 30 RBI.

Thaddeus Ward is among a half-dozen Miners from the Mat-Su pitching staff on the all-star squad. Ward leads the ABL with five wins. Josh Green has a 0.00 ERA in 14 2/3 innings, and is second in the ABL with four saves.

Mat-Su’s Calvin LeBrun will make his second appearances in an ABL All-Star Game. He was also selected during his first season with the Miners in 2015.

Mat-Su pitchers Spencer Henson, John Doxakis and Payton Robinson were also selected. The Miners will also be represented by infielder Austin Bull, catchers Ryan Haug and Andy Thomas, and outfielders Justin Ammons, Austin Dennis and Elijah MacNamee.

The ABL is also hosting its annual home run derby Sunday at 1 p.m. at Mulcahy. Benefield, Cotton and Nick Brooks are all slated to compete. Miners have won the home run derby three times in the last six years. Former catcher Adam Martin won the inaugural ABL derby in 2011. Former outfielders Gio Brusa (2013) and Cam Montgomery (2016) have also won the event.

The league takes an annual three-day vacation from league-play for the ABL/MLB Scouts Showcase. ABL teams played nonleague games on Friday and Saturday before capping the long weekend Sunday with the all-star game and derby. Mat-Su entered the break at 20-12 with a 2 ½ game lead on the second-place Anchorage Bucs (17-14).

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.

2017 ABL All-Star Game Rosters

National:

Pitcher — Calvin LeBrun, Miners; Thaddeus Ward, Miners; Josh Green, Miners; Spencer Henson, Miners; John Doxakis, Miners; Payton Robinson, Miners; Eli Villalobos, Pilots; Jacques Pucheu, Pilots; Kyle Tyler, Pilots; Tyler Wilburn, Pilots; Raymond Kerr, Oilers; Mike Labeau, Oilers; Catcher — Ryan Haug, Miners; Andy Thomas, Miners; Carter Bins, Pilots; Infield — Andre Gregory, Pilots; Ian Evans, Pilots; Cuba Bess, Pilots; Austin Bull, Miners; Outfield — Cameron Thompson, Pilots; Will Brennan, Pilots; Justin Ammons, Miners; Austin Dennis, Miners; Quin Cotton, Miners; Elijah MacNamee, Miners; Thomas Ruddy, Oilers; Kellen Strahm, Oilers; Michael Fuchs, Bucs.

American:

Jared Morton, Bucs; Logan Boyer, Bucs; Robert Winborne, Bucs; Andrew Kneussle, Bucs; Harrison Pyatt, Bucs; Micah Carpenter, Bucs; Robert Winslow, Chinooks; Michael Batten, Chinooks; Greg Smith, Chinooks; Caleb Hicks, Oilers; Devin Hayes, Oilers; Trent Paddon, Oilers; Catcher — Pete Derkay, Bucs; Mikey Hoehner, Oilers; Justin Gomez, Chinooks; Infield — Cody Sporres, Bucs; Jake Vieth, Bucs; Aaron Schackleford, Chinooks; Brandon Michie, Chinooks; Utility — David Hensley, Bucs; Outfield — Nathan Webb, Oilers; Jace Vanderbrake, Bucs; Todd Lott, Bucs; Jeremy Johnson, Chinooks; Micah Pries, Chinooks; Blake Benefield, Miners.

ABL Home Run Derby Participants:

Nick Brooks, Miners; Quin Cotton, Miners; Blake Benefield, Miners; Caleb Hicks, Oilers; Nathan Webb, Oilers; Todd Lott, Bucs; David Hensley, Bucs; Sam Cohen, Pilots; Armani Smith, Pilots; Preston White, Chinooks; Luke Coffey, Chinooks.