Four Hickory Crawdads make All-Stars

Catawba native Hunter Harvey to start 

South Atlantic League President Eric Krupa has announced the rosters for the 55th Annual SAL All-Star Game in Hickory on June 17, with four Crawdads and Catawba native Hunter Harvey highlighting the squads.

'Dads outfielder Evan Van Hoosier (.308/.368/.532) was voted in as the starting center fielder for the Northern Division squad, while teammate Cody Kendall (3-2, 0.98 ERA) was selected to the team as well as a reliever. Hickory manager Corey Ragsdale and athletic trainer Sean Fields have also been named to the Northern Division staff.

Joining the Crawdads contingent on the Northern team will be former Bandys High School star Hunter Harvey, who was voted in as the team's starting pitcher.

"We are excited about all the local appeal for the game," said Crawdads General Manager Mark Seaman. "Not only will four Crawdads be represented, but this will be a great chance for fans to see a local star in Hunter Harvey. The way he is pitching, he is definitely a candidate to get called up. Combine that with the fact that Delmarva doesn't come to Hickory until July 26, and this might be the only chance local people will have to see him pitch as a professional in his home town."

Van Hoosier, 20, is hitting .308 with four home runs and 30 RBI over 38 games played with the Crawdads through June 2nd. The Henderson, NV native compiled a 'Dads season-high 10-game hitting streak from May 7 - 16, and currently ranks third in the SAL with five triples while leading the Crawdads in doubles with 12. Van Hoosier was selected by the Texas Rangers in the eighth round of the 2013 Draft out of the College of Southern Nevada.

Kendall, 24, has led the Hickory bullpen with a 0.98 ERA and .217 batting average against over 15 appearances through June 2nd. Kendall has averaged more than a strikeout per inning in 2014, with 28 Ks to just 10 walks over 27.2 innings pitched, while also leading the 'Dads with two saves. Kendall was an eighth round selection of the Rangers out of Fresno St. Univ. in 2012.

Ragsdale is in his second season as Crawdads manager and fourth year total in Hickory after serving as an infield coach in 2011 and playing as a relief pitcher in 2009. He guided the 'Dads to a 76-63 record in 2013, after leading the Arizona League Rangers to a 34-22 mark and a league title in 2012.

Fields is in his fifth year in the Rangers organization and his first as the head trainer in Hickory. Fields served as the head trainer for the Spokane Indians the past two seasons, after serving in the same capacity in the AZL in 2011.

Harvey, 19, has dominated the SAL while pitching for the Delmarva Shorebirds this year. The 6'3" right-hander has accumulated a 3-3 record and a 1.68 ERA through June 2nd, with 64 strikeouts and a .174 batting average against over 53.2 innings pitched. A first round selection by the Baltimore Orioles in 2013, Harvey went 8-0 with a 0.38 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 54.2 innings his senior year at Bandys HS.

Rounding out the Northern Division roster are six players from both Hagerstown and Greensboro, five total players from Delmarva, four representatives of Lakewood, two West Virginia Power players, and one athlete from Kannapolis.

The Southern Division team consists of seven players from the division leading Savannah Sand Gnats, four each from Charleston and Greenville, three players from Asheville, Augusta, and Rome, and two representatives from Lexington.

The entire Northern Division All-Star roster can be found here, while the complete Southern Division team can be found here.

The 55th Annual SAL All-Star Game is scheduled for Tuesday, June 17 at the newly renovated L.P Frans Stadium in Hickory, NC. It is the third time the city has hosted the SAL's Midsummer Classic, joining the 1994 and 2001 games.

The All-Star Game will serve as the centerpiece of a two-day All-Star celebration in Hickory. The Downtown All-Star Bash "Under the Sails" in downtown Hickory will kick off the festivities on Monday night, with a Fan vs. All-Star Cornhole Tournament beginning at 6 pm. Tuesday's events begin at 11 am with the 2014 SAL Hall-of-Fame Induction Luncheon at The Crossing at Hollar Mill, with Crawdads minority owners Charles Young and Luther Beaver joining former Hickory Mayor George Murphy and former Rome Braves Manager Randy Ingle as the inductees.

A free Fan Fest prior to the All-Star Game will run from 2 - 5 pm in the L.P. Frans Stadium parking lot, followed by the Pre-Game VIP Picnic at 5:30 pm in the brand new Picnic Pavilion.

The 55th Annual South Atlantic League All-Star Game at L.P. Frans Stadium will start at 7 pm and will be followed by a post-game fireworks show. The day will conclude with a Post-Game After Party at the ballpark, with a live band and concessions.

For more information regarding the SAL All-Star Game rosters, contact the Crawdads front office at (828) 322-300.

- Crawdads