Carolina League Announces 2018 All-Star Rosters

The rosters for the Carolina League all-star game—to be played on June 19 at Carolina’s Five County Stadium—were revealed on Monday and included a pair of prospects from Baseball America’s Top 100 Prospects list.

That highest spot on that list belongs to Down East outfielder Leody Taveras (No. 45), who entered the season as the third youngest player in league, behind Salem righthander Bryan Mata and Myrtle Beach shortstop Aramis Ademan.

Taveras hasn’t blown up the league, but he has shown flashes of the ability that vaulted him so high on the list in the first place. Those abilities include power, speed and the defensive prowess to stay in center field long-term.

The second member of BA’s most recent Top 100 ranking is Carter Kieboom, who is tearing up the league after missing much of 2017 with injuries. Kieboom (No. 89), has swatted 11 home runs this season, just two behind league leader Bobby Dalbec. He’s also among the league’s top five in batting average (.303), on-base percentage (.392) and OPS (.896).

Wilmington outfielder Khalil Lee brings star power and a .426 OBP to the game, as well as special skills in the outfield.

On the mound, Winston-Salem righthander Dylan Cease should supply plenty of heat. One of the top prizes in the deal that sent lefthander Jose Quintana to the Cubs last summer, Cease has a league-best 78 strikeouts and has touched triple-digits with his fastball this season. In his most recent start, a seven-inning gem against Carolina, Cease hit 98 mph on his 95th and final pitch of the game.

The league’s top five strikeout artists (save for Jonathan Hernandez, who was promoted to Double-A Frisco) made their respective all-star squads.

And if you’re a Northern Division baserunner thinking of trying to steal a base, don’t. Just don’t. Carolina catcher Max McDowell made the team, and he’s thrown out 55.6 percent of attempted thieves this season. 

NORTHERN DIVISION

PITCHERS
Cristian Alvarado — RHP, Frederick
Bryan Brickhouse — RHP, Wilmington
Wil Crowe — RHP, Potomac
Daniel Gonzalez — RHP, Salem
Matthew Gorst — RHP, Salem
Sam Hentges — LHP, Lynchburg
Tyler Mapes — RHP, Potomac
Sterling Sharp — RHP, Potomac
Dalbert Siri — RHP, Lynchburg
Alex Wells — LHP, Frederick

CATCHERS
Roldani Baldwin — Salem
Tres Barrera — Potomac

INFIELDERS
D.J. Burt — 2B, Wilmington
Jerry Downs — 1B, Salem
Santiago Espinal — SS, Salem
Carter Kieboom — SS, Potomac
Jake Noll — 3B, Potomac
Preston Palmeiro — 2B, Frederick

OUTFIELDERS
Connor Capel — Lynchburg
Khalil Lee — Wilmington
Ryan McKenna — Frederick
Kort Peterson — Wilmington

SOUTHERN DIVISION

PITCHERS
Brett Adcock — LHP, Buies Creek
Edgar Arredondo — RHP, Down East
Brandon Bielak — RHP, Buies Creek
Dylan Cease — RHP, Winston-Salem
Marcos Diplan — RHP, Carolina
Bernardo Flores — LHP, Winston-Salem
Matt Foster — RHP, Winston-Salem
Jonathan Hernandez — RHP, Down East*
C.D. Pelham — LHP, Down East
Tyler Peyton — LHP, Myrtle Beach
Cam Roegner — LHP, Carolina
Trey Supak — RHP, Carolina*
Matt Swarmer — RHP, Myrtle Beach*

CATCHERS
Max McDowell — Carolina
Jhonny Pereda — Myrtle Beach

INFIELDERS
Aramis Ademan — SS, Myrtle Beach
Andretty Cordero — 1B, Down East
Keston Hiura — 2B, Carolina*
Charles LeBlanc — 3B, Down East
Tucker Neuhaus — 2B, Carolina
Anderson Tejeda — SS, Down East

OUTFIELDERS
Luis Alexander Basabe — Winston-Salem+
Joel Booker — Winston-Salem
Ronnie Dawson — Buies Creek
Leody Taveras — Down East

DESIGNATED HITTER
Abraham Toro — Buies Creek