Introducing the 2016 Gulf Coast League All-Stars

Gulf Coast League Announces 2016 All-Star Team Nationals outfielder Juan Soto named Most Valuable Player  

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Gulf Coast League today announced its 2016 All-Star Team, Most Valuable Player and Manager of the Year.

Nationals outfielder Juan Soto was named the league MVP after leading the league in hitting (.361), slugging (.550), OPS (.960) and total bases (93), while finishing second in the league in hits (61). Soto, 17, recorded 18 multi-hit games and had separate hitting streaks of seven, nine and 10 games. He was promoted to the Auburn Doubledays in the New York-Penn League on Sept. 1. The Washington Nationals signed the Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic native as a 16-year-old non-drafted free agent in 2015.  

Phillies manager Roly deArmas was named Manager of the Year after guiding the Phillies to a 43-15 record and a berth in the Gulf Coast League Championship Series. deArmas played in the Philadelphia Phillies organization as an infielder from 1973-1977 and began his professional coaching career in 1978. He has managed the GCL Phillies to a 430-337 record over for 13 seasons (2001-2002, 2004 and 2007-2016).  

The GCL Cardinals claimed their first league championship in franchise history with a 2-1 series victory over the Phillies.  

2016 GULF COAST LEAGUE ALL-STAR TEAM

1B David Jacob  21 Toronto  
2B Daniel Brito  18 Philadelphia
3B Michael Brosseau  22 Tampa Bay
SS Bo Bichette  18 Toronto   
C Carlos Sanchez  20 New York (NL)
UTL Aaron Whitefield  20
DH Randy Ventura  19 Atlanta  
OF Juan Soto  17 Washington
OF Jesus Sanchez  18 Tampa Bay
OF Lorenzo Cedrola  18 Boston  
RHP Sixto Sanchez  18 Philadelphia
LHP Nick Fanti  19 Philadelphia
RP Jared Carkuff  23 Toronto  


About the Gulf Coast League  
Founded in 1964, the Gulf Coast League has operated rookie-level teams in Minor League Baseball throughout the central area of Florida for more than 50 years. The Minor League Baseball office, located in St. Petersburg, Florida, assumed league operations in 2010. The league consists of 17 teams from 15 Major League Baseball affiliates. For more information, visit milb.com

ICYMI: RIP Yankees Prospect Sandy Acevedo

The New York Yankees announced some terrible news yesterday that sent shock waves throughout the entire organization, the untimely passing of Yankees prospect Sandy Acevedo. Acevedo was an 18-year old infielder in the Yankees minor league system and the team announced that Acevedo was in a fatal car crash on Saturday night.

Acevedo died in the Dominican Republic and a moment of silence was held for the 18-year old at Yankee Stadium yesterday afternoon when the team faced off with the Tampa Bay Rays. Acevedo was signed as an international free agent last July and was scheduled to make his rookie debut with the Gulf Coast League Yankees this season before the crash.

RIP Sandy Acevedo.

Yankees Rename Four Fields After Four Yankees Legends

The New York Yankees were busy being the Evil Empire again this week when they renamed four of their fields at the team’s minor league complex after four former Yankees legends. The Yankees have four fields down in their minor league complex that were aptly named Field 1, Field 2 so on and so on but now these fields are named after the Yankees legends who wore those specific numbers.

Field 1 is now known as Billy Martin Field, the Yankees former player and manager who has his #1 jersey retired by the team. Field 2 is obviously known as Derek Jeter Field for the former Yankees legend who retired now two seasons ago. Field 3 and Field 4 should be obvious, Babe Ruth Field and Lou Gehrig Field respectively.

Martin, Ruth and Gehrig all have their numbers retired by the Yankees while Jeter is expected to join that exclusive list soon. The minor league facility hosts Yankees minor league players during spring training and also lets the extended spring training players and Gulf Coast League Yankees use the facilities during the regular season.

Another great gesture by another great organization. I am proud to be a part of this family.

TGP Prospects Month Top 29 Prospects List - #4 James Kaprielian

What can you say about the Yankees first pick, 16th overall, in the 2015 MLB First year Players Draft that hasn't already been said? James Kaprielian was taken 16th overall out of UCLA in last years draft and was deemed MLB ready out of the draft. New York needed a fast riser and they got one in Kaprielian who could reach the Major Leagues as soon as the 2016 season. Kaprielian did nothing last year to keep any of the Yankees brass up at night after spending time in the Gulf Coast League and in the New York/Penn League with the Staten Island Yankees.

Kaprielian was considered to be a middle-of-the-rotation type starter as his ceiling with a fastball that sat around 92 MPH but somehow Kaprielian has found a couple ticks in his velocity getting up to 94-95 MPH consistently. If Kaprielian can keep this velocity and cut down on the 7.7 BB/9 ratio he had with the GCL Yankees, and he did in Staten Island in a larger sample size, he could easily be a #2 starter if he reaches his ceiling.

By the way, because I've heard about every pronunciation of his name possible thus far, the Yankees 4th best prospect on our Top Prospects List is pronounced as if it was spelled Kaprilian.

4. James Kaprielian
5. Robert Refsnyder
6. Domingo Acevedo
7. Dustin Fowler
8. Wilkerman Garcia
9. Ian Clarkin
10. Brady Lail
11. Jacob Lindgren
12. Bryan Mitchell
13. Drew Finley
14. Mason Williams
15. Slade Heathcott
16. Abi Avelino
17. Hoy-Jun Park
18. Luis Torrens
19. Cale Coshow
20. Chance Adams
21. Miguel Andujar
22. Jonathan Holder
23. Tyler Wade
24. Nick Rumbelow
25.Jordan Montgomery
26.Trey Amburgey
27. Ben Gamel
28. Austin DeCarr
29. Thairo Estrada
30. James Pazos