Gulf Coast League Announces 2017 All-Star Team

For Immediate Release                                                       September 1, 2017 

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Gulf Coast League today announced its 2017 All-Star Team, Most Valuable Player and Manager of the Year. 

Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman/outfielder Mason Martin was named the league’s Most Valuable Player. He leads the league with 11 home runs, a .632 slugging percentage (in first place by over 100 points) and a 1.082 OPS. His .450 on-base percentage is second in the league and he has walked 30 times in his 38 games entering today. The Pirates selected Martin in the 17th round of the 2017 First Year Player Draft out of Southridge High School in Kennewick, Washington. 

Nationals manager Josh Johnson was named Manager of the Year after guiding the Nationals to a 34-20 mark entering today’s action. Johnson played 12 seasons in the minor leagues (six with the Royals and six with the Nationals) before beginning his managerial career in 2016. Johnson has a career record of 64-43 (.598) as a minor league manager entering today’s game. 

 The Philadelphia Phillies had four players named to the 12-man All-Star squad, which features players from five different countries. 

The Gulf Coast League playoffs begin Sunday. 

2017 GULF COAST LEAGUE ALL-STAR TEAM 

Position    Player   Age   Organization   Home

1B Mason Martin 18 Pittsburgh Kennewick, WA 

2B Max Hogan 23 Baltimore Tulsa, OK 

3B Elehuris Montero 19 St. Louis Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic 

SS Rodolfo Castro 18 Pittsburgh Los Llanos, Dominican Republic 

C Gresuan Silverio 18 Detroit Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic 

DH Quincy Nieporte 23 Philadelphia Bayville, NY 

OF Ben Pelletier 19 Philadelphia Varennes, Quebec, Canada 

OF Jean Carlos Arias 19 Minnesota Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic 

OF Canaan Smith 18 New York (AL) Dallas, TX 

RHP Jaison Vilera 20 New York (NL) Caracas, Venezuela 

LHP Manuel Silva 18 Philadelphia Sabana Grande de Palenque, Dominican Republic

RP Anton Kuznetsov 19 Philadelphia Moscow, Russia 

### About the Gulf Coast League Founded in 1964, the Gulf Coast League has operated rookie-level teams in Minor League Baseball throughout the central area of Florida for more than 50 years. The Minor League Baseball office, located in St. Petersburg, Florida, assumed league operations in 2010. The league consists of 17 teams from 15 Major League Baseball affiliates. For more information, visit milb.comhttp://www.milb.com/index.jsp

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