Wander Franco Leads A Star-Studded Group Of Midwest League All-Stars

Image credit: Wander Franco (Photo by Dan Arnold)

Wander Franco, the Rays phenom who in a few weeks will almost certainly inherit the title of the best prospect in the game, leads a group of five Top 100 prospects to be included in the Midwest League All-Star Game, which will be held on June 18 in South Bend.

Franco’s season has been nothing short of marvelous. The 18-year-old began the year as the youngest player in the MWL and near’s the halfway point as the league’s third-leading hitter behind behind fellow all-stars Brice Turang (Wisconsin) and Xavier Edwards (Padres). His .916 OPS is also third in the league, behind another pair of all-stars in Will Benson (Lake County) and Niko Hulsizer (Great Lakes).

He will be flanked on the Eastern Division infield by Edwards and Miguel Vargas, a Dodgers prospect who is showing a knack for hitting and getting on base in a return to Great Lakes after 23 games there in 2018. Vargas will be joined by teammate Hulsizer, who has burst on the scene with 16 doubles, 13 home runs and 44 RBIs through his first 49 games with the Loons.

The league’s top four strikeout artists each earned spots on the team. That list includes Clinton’s Chris Vallimont (70 strikeouts), Bowling Green lefty Shane McClanahan (68), Wisconsin’s Aaron Ashby (67) and Burlington’s Jose Soriano (61). 

Burlington righthander Robinson Pina, who is notable as the only pitcher in pro ball to strike Franco out more than once, also made the team. 

The Western Division’s infield features a pair of 2018 first-rounders in Peoria’s Nolan Gorman, who was drafted 19th overall by the Cardinals a year ago, and Wisconsin’s Brice Turang, whom the Brewers took 21st in the 2018 draft. Gorman has made his money as a bruiser, and he has already swatted 27 career home runs as a pro. By contrast, Turang’s game emphasizes hitting over power, and his .415 on-base percentage is the best in the league. 

Edwards, too, has made plenty of noise. The Padres’ supplemental first-rounder from last season is just behind Turang and is getting on base at a .411 clip. So, if OBP is something you want, X gon’ give it to you.

WESTERN DIVISION

Name Position Team MLB Org
PITCHERS      
Eric Martinez RHP Beloit Athletics
Aiden McIntyre RHP Beloit Athletics
Robinson Pina RHP Burlington Angels
Jose Soriano RHP Burlington Angels
Cristopher Molina RHP Burlington Angels
Josh Winder RHP Cedar Rapids Twins
Humberto Mejia RHP Clinton Marlins
Chris Vallimont RHP Clinton Marlins
Blake Workman RHP Kane County Diamondbacks
Diego Cordero LHP Peoria Cardinals
Matt Ruppenthal RHP Quad Cities Astros
Austin Hansen RHP Quad Cities Astros
Adam Hill RHP Wisconsin Brewers
Aaron Ashby LHP Wisconsin Brewers
Logan Gillespie RHP Wisconsin Brewers
CATCHERS      
David Fry C Wisconsin Brewers
Cesar Salazar C Quad Cities Astros
INFIELDERS      
Brady Whalen 1B Peoria Cardinals
Blaze Alexander 2B Kane County Diamondbacks
Nolan Gorman 3B Peoria Cardinals
Brice Turang SS Wisconsin Brewers
Gabe Snyder INF Cedar Rapids Twins
Trey Dawson INF Quad Cities Astros
Buddy Kennedy INF Kane County Diamondbacks
Jeremy Pena INF Quad Cities Astros
Delvin Perez INF Peoria Cardinals
OUTFIELDERS      
Alek Thomas OF Kane County Diamondbacks
Austin Dennis OF Quad Cities Astros
Chris Williams OF Cedar Rapids Twins
Jesus Lujano OF Wisconsin Brewers

EASTERN DIVISION

Name Position Team MLB Org
PITCHERS      
Easton McGee RHP Bowling Green Rays
Shane McClanahan LHP Bowling Green Rays
Alan Strong RHP Bowling Green Rays
Caleb Sampen RHP Bowling Green Rays
Ryan Weathers LHP Fort Wayne Padres
Henry Henry RHP Fort Wayne Padres
Jose Chacin RHP Great Lakes Dodgers
Austin Drury LHP Great Lakes Dodgers
Manuel Alvarez RHP Lake County Indians
Josh Winchowski RHP Lansing Blue Jays
Cobi Johnson RHP Lansing Blue Jays
Jeff Passantino RHP South Bend Cubs
Brailyn Marquez LHP South Bend Cubs
Riley Thompson RHP South Bend Cubs
Cam Sanders RHP South Bend Cubs
CATCHERS      
Chris Betts C Bowling Green Rays
Pabel Manzanero C Dayton Reds
INFIELDERS      
Jake Brodt 1B Lansing Blue Jays
Xavier Edwards 2B Fort Wayne Padres
Miguel Vargas 3B Great Lakes Dodgers
Wander Franco SS Bowling Green Rays
Dillon Paulson INF Great Lakes Dodgers
Andy Weber INF South Bend Cubs
Nick Podkul INF Lansing Blue Jays
Tyler Freeman INF Lake County Indians
Ryan Gold INF Lansing Blue Jays
OUTFIELDERS      
Niko Hulsizer OF Great Lakes Dodgers
Will Benson OF Lake County Indians
Ulrich Bojarski OF West Michigan Tigers
Grant Witherspoon OF Bowling Green Rays

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