Syracuse Sends Two To Triple-A All Star Game

Rosters for the Triple-A All Star Game were announced earlier this week, with a pair of Chiefs among those who’ll play in the game on July 11th in Buffalo. Like Major League Baseball, the winner of the annual International League vs. Pacific Coast League battle will gain home field advantage for the Triple-A Championship at season’s end.

Outfielder Corey Brown has been having an impressive season to date. He’s batting .304/.390/.594 on the year with Syracuse, adding 18 home runs which places him squarely among the league leaders despite a brief callup to Washington in late May. Brown’s never ranked among the top prospects in the Nationals’ minor league system but he’s emerged as a player worth keeping an eye on thanks to his combination of patience at the plate, solid defensive ability, and power. He’ll never hit for a high average, if you believe most scouting reports, but he could factor into Washington’s outfield mix again before the season concludes.

Syracuse will also send their veteran left-hander to the game, though not John Lannan. Free agent Zach Duke was brought in on a minor league contract at the end of Spring Training and has found himself among the league leaders in wins. He’s 9-3 with a 3.69 ERA through 15 starts (90.1 innings). He could prove to be useful later this season as an option with some Major League experience (with Pittsburgh and Arizona) once Stephen Strasburg is shut down due to his innings limit.