Shortstop is the youngest of 13 players selected by the league's field managers
DAVENPORT, Iowa (AUG. 30, 2013) - Quad Cities River Bandits shortstop Carlos Correa has been named the shortstop on the 2013 Midwest League Postseason All-Star team. The Houston Astros prospect is the youngest player on the team that was selected by the league's 16 field managers and announced by the league on Friday.
On a playoff-bound Quad Cities club, the 18-year-old Correa holds a .318 batting average that currently ranks third in the Midwest League and first among Houston Astros full-season minor leaguers. Correa is second in the league with a .405 on-base percentage and .868 on-base-plus-slugging (OPS) average, and he also leads the River Bandits with a 138 hits, 33 doubles, and 77 RBIs in 113 games. Correa won Quad Cities Player of the Month honors in both May and June, when he hit for a combined .360 average with two home runs, 33 runs scored and 33 RBIs in 47 games.
The native of Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico, and the No. 1 overall pick from the 2012 First-Year Player Draft was the starting shortstop for the Western Division All-Star team in the 2013 Midwest League All-Star Game June 18 in Dayton. Correa also won the fan vote for the final roster spot on the World Team for the 2013 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game July 14 at Citi Field in New York. In both games, Correa was the youngest player.
Correa entered the season ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the Houston Astros minor league system, according to Baseball America. In midseason prospect rankings, he was the top Astros prospect according to Baseball America, ESPN.com and MLB.com, and each of three outlets ranked him among the top 10 overall prospects in baseball.
Along with River Bandits pitcher and 2013 No. 1 overall pick Mark Appel, Correa is part of the first-ever pair of consecutive No. 1 overall picks to play on the same Minor League Baseball team. The two were in the same lineup for seven of Appel's eight Midwest League starts this season.
The River Bandits have had three postseason all-stars the past two seasons, as outfielder Anthony Garcia and designated hitter Colin Walsh each earned the distinction in 2012. The Quad Cities franchise has had four Midwest League Postseason All-Stars as a Houston Astros affiliate. Outfielder Richard Hidalgo (1994), left-handed pitcher Tony Mounce (1995) and designated hitter Jim Thomas (1998) were each postseason all-stars.
Correa and the River Bandits (40-25 second half, 78-56 overall) will take the field at Modern Woodmen Park for their final three regular season games Saturday through Monday, and the team begins a best-of-three Midwest League Western Division semifinal with Cedar Rapids at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Modern Woodmen Park.
UP NEXT: The River Bandits' final homestand of the regular season kicks off Saturday, Aug. 31, with a Dallas Clark Bobblehead Giveaway presented by Barrel House 211 and CBS4 when gates open at 5:30 p.m. for a 7 p.m. game. Fireworks will also follow the game. Single-game tickets are on sale at the River Bandits box office at Modern Woodmen Park, by phone at 563-324-3000 and online at www.riverbandits.com. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $50. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.
ABOUT THE BANDITS: The River Bandits ownership is making one of the biggest improvements to Modern Woodmen Park since the ballpark was first built back in 1931! A new Ferris wheel, standing 112 feet over the playing field, is planned for next spring, along with a carousel and other new games and attractions. This season, the team just unveiled a new 300-foot long dual zip line, a rock climbing wall, a Mediacom Frog Hopper, and a number of new bounce houses. The team also boasts a new major league affiliate, the Houston Astros, and fans can see the first team in Minor League Baseball history with back-to-back No. 1 overall draft picks - 2012 top pick Carlos Correa and 2013 top pick Mark Appel, as well as 2012 first-round draft choice Lance McCullers. With new rides, new attractions, new improvements, a new affiliate and future major league stars, the second half of this season is one every fan will not want to miss!
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