American Association SUNDAY Insider: The All Star Edition
We've got through May, cruised through June and are now into July, so of course that means All Star Game picks. The American Association version of the Mid Summer Classic will be in Fargo two weeks from Monday. A skills competition (haven't seen one of those in a long time) and the Home Run Derby will be on Monday July 21, with the All Star Game on Tuesday night. Players stats were as of July 4th.
West Division
Catcher: Juan Fernandez, Fargo-Moorhead. Fernandez after an injury plagued 2024, has stayed healthy and has been a mainstay of the RedHawks lineup thus far in 2025. Fernandez has 23 RBI and is batting .313
First Base: Matthew Warkentin, Winnipeg. Warkentin has come on strong in the last few weeks to become part of the conversation. I could see the votes putting Josh Rehwaldt at first base but he has been in the outfield more times than not lately. Warkentin going into Friday has nine home runs and 32 runs batted in with a .292 average.
Second Base: Rolando Espinosa, Lincoln. The safe pick here would've been Jailyn Williams. But to quote American philosopher Pam Halpert in addressing the party planning committee , "we didn't get to be where we are today by playing it safe". In doing the nightly recaps it seems like Espinosa is noticed by me more than Williams. The average is mid at .240 but he has 11 home runs and 36 runs batted in.
Third Base: Calvin Estrada, Sioux Falls: I know there will be some deliberation as to whether Estrada could should be considered for outfield, but he has played 34 games at third and 20 in the outfield. Maybe he'll be voted in as Utility Guy? Estrada had a 24 game hitting streak, and for the season is hitting .367 with nine home runs and 44 runs batted in.
Shortstop: Jordan Barth, Sioux Falls. This one will be an interesting vote as valid arguments can be made for Josh Day and Josh Bissonette. I'm going with Barth however to return to the All Star Game. Barth is batting .335 with nine home runs and 44 runs batted in.
Outfield: Josh Rehwaldt, Sioux Falls. Rehwaldt has been all everything for the Canaries thus far in 2025. The tall lefty has 14 home runs and 45 runs batted in while hitting .376 with an OPS of 1.176. Rehwaldt will likely be taking aim at a Home Run Derby contest championship.
Outfield: Henry George, Sioux City. George in his first season in the American Association after beginning his career in the Pioneer League, has established himself as a table setter in the Explorers lineup and is a big reason they currently sit in first place. George just sits outside the top ten in batting average, hitting .312. George has also swiped 17 bases.
Outfield: Max Murphy, Winnipeg. Murphy continues to add to his legacy in the Amercian Association batting .282 with eight home runs and 44 runs batted in. It's amazing how I remember him debuting for St. Paul in 2018. He was more of a table setter at the top of the order, but as years have gone by, Murphy has been known as a power hitter, breaking the Goldeyes record for career home runs earlier this season.
Utility/DH: Robbie Glendinning, Kansas City. Glendinning has played first base, third base and outfield thus far for the Monarchs. Glendinning has 10 home runs and 35 runs batted in while batting .271.
Starting Pitcher: Thomas Dorminy, Sioux Falls. Dorminy has picked up where he left off in his last foray in the American Association with the Chicago Dogs in 2020. Dorminy has yet to taste defeat going 6-0 with a 2.5 ERA. Dorminy has struck out 64 batters in 61 innings.
Starting Pitcher: Jake Wetherbee, Sioux City. Wetherbee, part of what was the deepest starting staff before Zach Willeman was signed, is 6-1 with a 2.53 and has struck out 68 batters in 61 innings. Wetherbee has lowered his ERA by nearly two runs from last season.
Starting Pitcher; Julian Garcia, Kansas City. Garcia has been a strikeout machine thus far, fanning 85 batters in 50.2 innings while winning four games and an ERA of 3.37 ERA. Garcia has hit double digits in strikeouts in five of his nine starts.
Relief Pitcher: Felix Cepeda, Sioux City. Cepeda may be the one that keeps the scouts at the All Star Game for the entire game. Cepeda in his first season in the American Association has 13 saves to lead the league while striking out 37 in 27.1 innings and racking up a 1.32 ERA.
Relief Pitcher: Christian Cosby, Sioux Falls. Cosby in a deep bullpen has emerged as one of the best relievers in the league. Cosby has struck out 30 batters in 21. 2 innings to go with a 0.83 ERA and five saves. It'll remain to be seen how many save opportunities Cosby will get with the return of Charlie Hasty.
East Division
Catcher: Erik Ostberg, Milwaukee. There hasn't been a ton of highlights in a tough first half, but one of the bright spots is from the second year Milkmen slugger. Ostberg has 11 home runs and 28 runs batted in while hitting .319.
First Base: Kyle Martin, Cleburne. The former Goldeye slugger made waves in the off season by signing with the Railroaders and he has not disappointed his new club. Martin for the season is hitting .267 with 17 home runs and 51 runs batted in. You'd have to think Martin will be joining Rehwaldt in the home run derby. Stay alert if you're on Albrecht Avenue in Fargo and maybe avoid parking beyond right field.
Second Base: Glenn Santiago, Milwaukee. Santiago has been the other highlight for the Milkmen. Santiago had a 22 game hitting streak, longest in the league till Estrada hit for 24 straight. Santiago has driven 27 runs and is hitting .302
Third Base: Olivier Basabe, Gary SouthShore. There wasn't much to choose from here. Luke Roskam has been playing some third base, but not enough for me to consider him. So, by process of elimination, it's Basabe. Basabe is batting .275 in 47 games. That's all I got. Chase Estep of Milwaukee will also garner consideration.
Shortstop: Daunte Stuart, Lake Country. Shortstop was deep as Shed Long and Elvis Peralta have both enjoyed good season, but I went with Stuart. Stuart currently sits seventh in the batting title race with a .330 average. Stuart also has five home runs, 24 runs batted in and has stolen 15 bases from the lead off spot for the first place DockHounds.
Outfield: Brian Rey, Lake Country. Rey has already passed last year's total with 12 home runs and and has 39 runs batted in, only six behind last season. Although Rey is batting .316, down from last year's .344, I'll take the increased power numbers.
Outfield: Trendon Craig, Kane County. Craig has been a bright spot at the top of the order for the Cougars in his second season batting .321 and stealing 14 bases. The batting average is consistent with his 2024 average of .322.
Outfield: Aaron Altherr, Cleburne. The former Philadelphia Phillies slugger has found a home in the middle of the Railroaders lineup. Though the batting average isn't likely where he wants it to be, the production numbers of 11 home runs and 38 runs batted in has more than compensated for it.
Utility/DH: Todd Lott, Kane County. Lott is a prime example of what happens to your power numbers at Northwestern Medicine Field if your name isn't Jimmy Kerrigan. Lott leads the American Association in batting average (.390) going into action on Saturday night. Lott has driven in 24 runs and is fourth in the American Association with 16 doubles.
Starting Pitcher: Konnor Ash, Kane County. If I didn't pick Ash, I shouldn't be allowed in an American Association ballpark again. Ash is 6-2 with an ERA of 2.00, striking out 69 batters in 63 innings. Only twice has Ash not lasted six innings, but ironically he won both of those games. Ash also has struck out ten batters in three of his ten starts.
Starting Pitcher: Derek Craft, Cleburne. Craft has been used out of the bullpen seven times while starting six games. Craft has won five games, including his last two starts. Craft has a 3.14 ERA and has allowed less than a hit per inning 38/48.2.
Starting Pitcher: Jeff Lindgren, Chicago. Lindgren, June's Rawling's Pitcher of the Month won five games in June while allowing a total of eight earned runs in six starts. For the season, Lindgren has a 3.29 ERA and has struck out 58 in 54.2 innings of work.
Relief Pitcher: Eric Torres, Lake Country. Torres trails Cepeda by two saves with 11 to go with a miniscule 0.82 ERA. Torres has allowed five hits in 22 innings pitched and struck out 35 batters. Torres was featured in a previous Sunday Insider as someone who could get signed. Like Cepeda, scouts will be checking out Torres in Fargo at the All Star Game.
Relief Pitcher: Jacob DeLabio, Chicago. DeLabio has been the steady presence of a bullpen that was maligned for a time picking up two wins and eight saves in 23 games. DeLabio has struck out 35 in 26.2 innings.
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