Kernels with 6 MWL All-Stars, including 4 starters

CEDAR RAPIDS — The Cedar Rapids Kernels have six players selected to participate in the 2017 Midwest League All-Star Game, it was announced Wednesday afternoon.

That includes four starters for the West squad: third baseman Travis Blankenhorn, first baseman Lewin Diaz, shortstop Jermaine Palacios and designated hitter Mitchell Kranson. All all-stars were selected via vote of the 16 managers in the league.

The other Kernels all-stars are starting pitchers Clark Beeker and Sean Poppen. The Midwest League All-Star Game is June 20 at Midland, Mich., home of the Great Lakes Loons.

Going into Wednesday night's game at Clinton, Blankenhorn had a .240 batting average with six home runs and 33 RBIs. Diaz had a .283 batting average with seven homers and 34 RBIs.

Palacios ranks fifth in the MWL with a .327 batting average. He has eight home runs and 32 RBIs.

Kranson was hitting .249 with three homers and 18 RBIs, playing catcher, third base and first base.

On the pitching side, Poppen has made 10 starts, nine of them quality (six innings or more and three or less earned runs). He has a 4-1 record and 2.12 earned run average.

Beeker is 5-2 with a 2.51 ERA in 10 starts. His WHIP is a stellar 0.96.

The Kernels' four starters are the most in the game. Dayton, which had seven players selected, has three starters for the East team.

The coaching staffs for the game will be provided by Clinton (West) and Great Lakes (East).

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