Andy Wilkins also made the post season all star team.

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/ar...p;tcid=tw_share

 

Ian Gac doesn't have much more to prove at the Class A Advanced level, especially after collecting some hardware on Thursday.

 

The Winston-Salem Dash slugger turned in another big season in 2011, earning the Carolina League MVP award as the circuit announced its award winners and postseason All-Star team.

 

Myrtle Beach Pelicans left-hander Robbie Ross was selected Pitcher of the Year and Aaron Holbert of the Kinston Indians was named Manager of the Year.

 

Selected in the 26th round of the 2003 Draft, Gac has yet to advance past Class A Advanced, despite totaling 159 home runs and 545 RBIs over nine seasons with the Rangers and White Sox.

 

With Winston-Salem, the 26-year-old designated hitter is hitting .279 and leads the Carolina League with 33 homers, 93 RBIs and a .537 slugging percentage. He was a midseason All-Star and earned Player of the Week honors on Aug. 8.

 

Ross, 22, went 9-4 with a 2.26 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 123 1/3 innings with Myrtle Beach before his promotion to Double-A Frisco. The midseason All-Star still leads the league in ERA and was Pitcher of the Week on June 27.

 

In his second year with Kinston, Holbert had the K-Tribe in contention for the Southern Division second-half title heading into the final week of the season.

 

The league's top hitter, Andrelton Simmons of the Lynchburg Hillcats, is the All-Star shortstop after batting .306 with 51 RBIs. The Braves prospect is the only Carolina Leaguer with an average over .300.

 

Potomac Nationals catcher Sandy Leon and second baseman Jeff Kobernus joined Lynchburg first baseman Joey Terdoslavich, Pelicans third baseman Mike Olt around the infield, with Winston-Salem's Andy Wilkins selected as a utility player.

 

Pelicans teammates Ryan Strausborger and Jared Prince were selected to the All-Star outfield along with Potomac's Destin Hood and Bryce Brentz of the Salem Red Sox.

 

Kinston right-hander Preston Guilmet was chosen as the relief pitcher after leading the league with 34 saves.

 

All-Stars were chosen by league managers, general managers and media. Trainer Masanobu Koyanagi of the Wilmington Blue Rocks was selected in a vote of his peers conducted by the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society.

scottmerkin Scott Merkin

Make that 9th pro season for Gac, who is hitting .280, with 33 homers, 30 doubles and 93 RBIs. Has caught attention of organization

 

scottmerkin Scott Merkin

Make that 9th pro season for Gac, who is hitting .280, with 33 homers, 30 doubles and 93 RBIs. Has caught attention of organization

 

how can he be 26 and have 9 pro seasons?

how can he be 26 and have 9 pro seasons?

Graduated high school at 17 (August 10 birthday makes him about as young as you can get for a year in school) and was drafted out of high school.

Graduated high school at 17 (August 10 birthday makes him about as young as you can get for a year in school) and was drafted out of high school.

Way to old to be a real prospect anymore.

Graduated high school at 17 (August 10 birthday makes him about as young as you can get for a year in school) and was drafted out of high school.

 

ahhh...thanks. Solved that mystery for me.

Way to old to be a real prospect anymore.

 

I couldn't care less how old he is...if he can rake...who cares. Who would you rather have at the plate right now...Dunn or Gac? I've never seen the kid play...but that's a no-brainer.

I couldn't care less how old he is...if he can rake...who cares. Who would you rather have at the plate right now...Dunn or Gac? I've never seen the kid play...but that's a no-brainer.

If he could rake as you say he would not be 26 in A ball still, lets get real here.

Edited September 1, 201114 yr by Soxfest

If he could rake as you say he would not be 26 in A ball still, lets get real here.

Probably. You have to think about prospects in percentages, there are no absolutes. He may have, MAY have, figured it out. The test is to put him in AA or even AAA in 2012 and see what happens. If he continues to put up numbers like that, and if he shows some plate discipline, then it may be time to take him seriously.

 

We've been through this before. Who was the last guy to win Carolina League MVP for Winston-Salem? Leo Daigle. Remember David Cook?

 

Generally, they're not prospects, no question. I'm still of the theory of pushing them a bit to give them another shot. What's the harm?

We've been through this before. Who was the last guy to win Carolina League MVP for Winston-Salem? Leo Daigle. Remember David Cook?

 

Generally, they're not prospects, no question. I'm still of the theory of pushing them a bit to give them another shot. What's the harm?

Exactly. He's probably Micah Schnurstein, but you never know, so why not push him and see what happens?

 

Exactly. He's probably Micah Schnurstein, but you never know, so why not push him and see what happens?

 

As a league MVP he almost has to start in Birmingham next year. Is he going to block, or be blocking, anyone?

As a league MVP he almost has to start in Birmingham next year. Is he going to block, or be blocking, anyone?

The sox don't have much anywhere in the system as far as 1B prospects, so I don't think blocking is an issue. Unless he goes to another org, he's probably the starting 1B in B-Ham next year, or maybe they even put him in Charlotte.

 

The sox don't have much anywhere in the system as far as 1B prospects, so I don't think blocking is an issue. Unless he goes to another org, he's probably the starting 1B in B-Ham next year, or maybe they even put him in Charlotte.

 

The only 1B I could think of is Dan Black, because he had a great season. I couldn't even think of the AA and AAA 1Bs off of the top of my head. How sad is that?

He could also DH. He done a lot of that this year. He hasn't missed a single game for W-S.

He could also DH. He done a lot of that this year. He hasn't missed a single game for W-S.

 

You might be watching another light tower power next year!

Isn't he the same age as De Aza?

Edited September 2, 201114 yr by klaus kinski

They'll prob have to put Gac on the 40 man roster to keep him.

They'll prob have to put Gac on the 40 man roster to keep him.

 

I can't see a scenario where someone picks in in the major league Rule 5.

26 year olds in A ball should put up some numbers. On the other hand, I wonder if Dunn could have hit .220 in A ball this year.