Baseball Notebook: Midwest League reveals postseason all-star team

CEDAR RAPIDS — Former Cedar Rapids Kernel Clark Beeker was selected to the Midwest League's Postseason All-Star Team, it was announced Friday.

Beeker joined Sam McWilliams of Kane County were the right-handed starting pitchers on the 14-member squad, which was selected via vote of league managers. Beeker was promoted to high-Class A Fort Myers this week after going 11-3 with a 2.03 earned run average in 20 starts for Cedar Rapids.

He had a pair of shutouts and was on a 32 2/3-inning scoreless streak at the time of his promotion. Beeker is a 24-year-old who was a 33rd-round draft pick last year out of Davidson College.

Shortstop Bo Bichette of the Lansing Lugnuts was named Player of the Year and Prospect of the Year in the MWL. West Michigan's Mike Rabelo was selectd Manager of the Year.

Here is the entire team:

First Base – Emmanuel Tapia (Lake County)

Second Base – Robbie Tenerowicz (Bowling Green)

Third Base – Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. (Lansing)

Shortstop – Bo Bichette (Lansing)

Outfield – Jose Siri (Dayton)

Outfield – Jesus Sanchez (Bowling Green)

Outfield – Marcus Wilson (Kane County)

Catcher – Chuckie Robinson (Quad Cities)

Designated Hitter – Li-Jen Chu (Lake County)

RH Pitcher – Clark Beeker (Cedar Rapids)

RH Pitcher – Sam McWilliams (Kane County)

LH Pitcher – Gregory Soto (West Michigan)

RH Reliever – Tommy Eveld (Kane County)

LH Reliever – Wyatt Short (South Bend)

2 MORE FORMER KERNELS TO BIG LEAGUES

Make that 413 former Cedar Rapids professional baseball players who have graduated to the major leagues.

Starting pitcher Aaron Slegers made his big-league debut in the back half of a Thursday double-header for the Minnesota Twins, going 6 1/3 innings and allowing just two hits and two runs in a no-decision against the Cleveland Indians.

Slegers was recalled from Triple-A Rochester, where 13-4 with a 3.18 ERA in 21 starts. Fellow 2014 Kernel Mitch Garver was recalled from Rochester on Friday but has yet to play in a game. The catcher was hitting .291 in 88 games for Rochester.

Nine former Kernels were on Minnesota's active 25-man roster Saturday: Garver, pitchers Trevor Hildenberger, Jose Berrios, Tyler Duffey, Taylor Rogers and Ervin Santana, infielder Jorge Polanco and outfielders Byron Buxton and Max Kepler.

SCHEBLER BACK WITH REDS

Former Cedar Rapids Prairie star Scott Schebler was activated from the disabled list Friday by the Cincinnati Reds.

The outfielder had been out with a bruised rotator cuff, incurred while making a diving catch in a game in June.

Schebler was hitting just .077 with one home run since the all-star break, seeing his batting average dip into the .220s. After going on the DL in early August, a MRI revealed his injury.

'I blame myself for not saying something earlier,' Schebler told the Cincinnati Enquirer. 'That's on me. I feel bad for the guys because they had to watch me struggle and I could have said something earlier and gotten this taken care of earlier. It's a lot on my shoulders because they can't read minds, obviously. That's one regret I have, that's something I'll learn for the future.'

HOW THEY'RE DOING

Jake Adams (University of Iowa) — First baseman won the New York-Penn League All-Star Game home run hitting contest last week. Is hitting just .177 hitting in 40 games for Short Season-A Tri-City (Astros), with eight home runs and 18 RBIs.

Joel Booker (University of Iowa) — Outfielder is hitting .208 in 44 games for high-A Winston-Salem (White Sox). Has had back-to-back two-hit, two-RBI games.

Matt Dermody (University of Iowa) — Relief pitcher has been recalled to the big leagues by the Toronto Blue Jays. Threw one shutout inning Thursday against Tampa Bay.

Ryan Erickson (University of Iowa) — Has no record and two saves in 11 appearances for the Arizona Rookie League White Sox. Has allowed 27 hits and struck out 14 in 14 innings.

Blake Hickman (University of Iowa) — Is 3-6 with a 4.23 ERA in 14 starts for low-A Kannapolis (White Sox). Allowed 74 hits in 76 2/3 innings.

Jon Keller (Cedar Rapids Xavier) — Pitcher is 0-1 with a save and 5.93 ERA in seven relief appearances for high-A Frederick (Orioles). Allowed 22 hits in 13 2/3 innings.

Mitch Keller (Cedar Rapids Xavier) — Has made three starts since being promoted to Double-A Altoona (Pirates) and has gone six innings in each, allowing two runs in each. Has 21 strikeouts in those 18 innings.

Derrick Loveless (Solon) — Outfielder hitting .253 in 59 games for Double-A New Hampshire (Blue Jays). Has a home run and 18 RBIs.

Mason McCoy (University of Iowa) — Shortstop continues to hit for Short Season-A Aberdeen (Orioles), going 3-for-5 Friday night against Brooklyn. Has .315 batting average in 38 games, with a home run and 24 RBIs. Has more walks (22) than strikeouts (20).

Tyler Peyton (University of Iowa) — Has 3-3 record and 3.61 earned run average in 15 games for low-A South Bend (Cubs), including four starts. Allowed 61 hits in 57 1/3 innings.

A.J. Puk (Cedar Rapids Washington) — Threw 5 1/3 innings in his lone start this past week for Double-A Midland (Athletics), allowing eight hits and two runs, striking out nine. Is 1-3 with a 5.36 ERA in 10 overall starts, with 61 strikeouts in 45 1/3 innings.

Scott Schebler (Cedar Rapids Prairie) — Cincinnati Reds outfielder was activated from the disabled list this week, where he has been nursing a shoulder injury incurred in June. Is hitting .228 in 102 games, with 23 home runs and 45 RBIs.

Jake Yacinich (University of Iowa) — Five hits in his last three games for high-A Inland Empire (Angels) has boosted shortstop's batting average to .268 in 80 games, with four homers and 26 RBIs.

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