The New York-Penn League will hold it’s annual All-Star game on Monday, August 12th and the initial rosters for the National League squad has seven players from the Jamestown Jammers. The first year Pittsburgh Pirates affiliate currently has the best record in the entire NYPL, so it is no surprise that they make up 1/4th of the roster.
“That Jamestown club is very, very fun,” Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said. “That’s gonna be a fun [All-Star] roster… We’ve had some guys get off to great starts there.”
Harold Ramirez is the top prospect of the Pirates that will be heading to the game. He is currently sixth in the league with a .322 average and ninth with an .831 OPS. He leads the league with 56 hits and is tied for second with 30 runs scored. Ramirez ranks second in the league with his 19 stolen bases, trailing teammate Jeff Roy, who also made the team. At 18-years-old, he is the youngest player on the Jamestown roster, sharing the same birth date as fellow outfielder Elvis Escobar.
Shortstop Adam Frazier leads the NYPL with his .357 average and ranks sixth with an .853 OPS. He had a 14-game hitting streak this season. Frazier was the Pirates sixth round pick this year and didn’t sign right away due to the fact his team made it to the finals of the College World Series.
Catcher Jin-De Jhang is hitting .277 with 21 RBI’s in 32 games. He has been hitting over .300 most of the season, but his average has dipped a bit after going 0-for-8 over his last three games. Jhang has made excellent contact this year, striking out just nine times in 112 AB’s. The 20-year-old backstop was named to the GCL post-season All-Star team last year.
Third baseman Erich Weiss made the team despite playing only 22 games. He is hitting .351, with an .886 OPS after signing right before the deadline for draft picks. He was taken in the 11th round and received an overslot($305k) bonus.
Outfielder Jeff Roy is hitting .303 with 24 runs scored and a league leading twenty stolen bases. He was the 18th round pick of the Pirates this season.
Infielder Mike Fransoso has been consistent all season long for Jamestown, hitting .281 in 43 games. He has split his time between shortstop and third base.
Finally, relief pitcher Roberto Espinosa was the only pitcher selected. An odd pick due to his limited mound time, he has pitched nine times, totaling 11.2 innings. Espinosa also spent time in the GCL and even pitched once for Bradenton this season. He has given up just one run, while striking out 14 batters.
