Nearly 20 NECBL Alumni Earn MiLB.com All-Star Recognition
By MiLB.com

MiLB.com announced their 2013 Organizational All-Stars in November and December.  The award is given to the best player in a Major League Organization’s system, regardless of their level.

18 NECBL alumni from 14 different organizations- nearly half of Major League Baseball- were recognized during the announcements.  The below article shows MiLB.com’s commentary on each honoree.

Arizona
OF Justin Greene- Justin Greene, Mobile (117 games): After slugging 24 homers from 2010-11, Greene's power disappeared this summer, but his knack for getting on base (and stealing a few more) has improved. While the 27-year-old hit just one homer in 380 at-bats, he batted .308 with 19 doubles, nine triples, 30 RBIs, 42 walks and 31 stolen bases. Greene led the Southern League in batting, while his .377 OBP helped set the table for Mobile and earned him Southern League mid- and postseason All-Star nods.

Greene hit .292 with eight extra base hits and 17 steals for the 2006 Manchester Silkworms.

Atlanta
Left-handed starter -- Alex Wood, Mississippi (10 games), Gwinnett (one game), Atlanta (29 games): The thinking here is not to punish Wood for exceeding expectations so tremendously and arriving in Atlanta ahead of schedule. The 2012 second-round pick reached the Majors in July after posting a 1.31 ERA in 11 Minor League starts. He was aided by a spike curveball picked up from Craig Kimbrel and Jonny Venters in Spring Training, and he paired that pitch with his fastball and changeup to emerge as a legitimate Major League starter.

"He added the spike curve with his ability to command his changeup and his fastball and his makeup to compete every day," Richardson said. "He adjusted well at Double-A and took what he learned there and really impacted the MLB club, where you saw him make several starts for a first-place team."

In eight starts for the 2010 Keene Swamp Bats, Wood had a 3.96 ERA, struck out 36 and walked just 10.

Boston
OF Alex Hassan, Greenville (eight games), Pawtucket (55 games): Like Brentz, Hassan's season was marred by injuries. He suffered a fractured foot that kept him out of the Pawtucket lineup for two months early on, while a fractured finger in mid-August sidelined him for two more weeks. His numbers while on the field, however, were noteworthy.

The 25-year-old Massachusetts native owned a .321/.431/.460 slash line with 14 doubles, four homers and 28 RBIs in 55 games during his second season in Pawtucket. He'll be back in the IL next year, hoping to get at least close to those stats over a longer stretch.

Hassan hit .303, had a .408 on base percentage and stole 18 bases in 19 attempts for the 2007 Pittsfield Dukes.

Chicago Cubs
OF Brian Bogusevic: AZL (seven games), Iowa (79 games), Chicago (47 games): Bogusevic hit .317 with 10 homers, 14 doubles and 16 stolen bases at the Triple-A level. That was good enough to earn the Minor League veteran a prolonged trip to the big leagues, where he finished the season.

"He really swung the bat well. He played all three outfield positions [in the Minors] and he played them well," Hyde said. "He's hard-nosed [and has] got a great work ethic and drive."  Bogusevic hit .273 for Chicago.
First round pick Bogusevic hit .320 with eight doubles for the 2003 Danbury Westerners.

2B John Andreoli, Daytona (68 games), Tennessee (59 games): Andreoli's .318 batting average in the FSL was impressive, and in his first crack at the Double-A level, he hit .289.

"He's a blue-collar mentality type of player. He got promoted halfway through the season and didn't miss a beat," Hyde said. "He gives 100 percent at all times. He's an unbelievable makeup kid, and he made some nice adjustments. He's still improving. He's a grinder. He grinds it out."  Andreoli stole 40 bases in 45 attempts across the two leagues to lead the system and he scored 74 runs.

Andreoli hit .261, and fielded at a .974 clip, for the 2009 Pittsfield Defenders.

Left-handed starting pitcher -- Eric Jokisch, Tennessee (27 games): Last year's recipient of this honor, Jokisch put together another solid season.

"We got a really good year from Eric. He threw a nine-inning no-hitter in Jacksonville. He has a plus changeup that he keeps the hitters off balance with," Hyde said. "His breaking ball is improving, and he put together a good year."  The no-hitter was one of two complete games Jokisch tossed. He was something of a workhorse for the Smokies, going 160 2/3 innings over 27 games, 26 of which were starts. He posted an 11-13 record with a 3.42 ERA. He struck out 137 strikeouts while walking only 54.

Jokisch had a 3.45 ERA in seven starts for the 2008 Torrington Twisters, where he struck out 44 in 47 innings.

Chicago White Sox
Second base -- Micah Johnson (Pictured), Kannapolis (77 games), Winston-Salem (49 games), Birmingham (five games): After a solid debut with Rookie-level Great Falls last summer, Johnson tore up the South Atlantic League in his full-season debut. The 22-year-old hit .342/.422/.530 with Kannapolis, stealing 61 bases and scoring 76 runs in 77 games and earning MVP honors at the Sally League All-Star Game before a promotion to Winston-Salem.

The Johnson juggernaut hit a snag in the Carolina League, where his numbers dropped to .275/.309/.360. Promoted to Birmingham near the end of the season, he was a key contributor to the Barons' championship run, delivering 14 hits, 12 runs scored, seven RBIs and seven steals (without getting caught) in 10 playoff games. In the decisive fifth game of the Finals against two-time champion Mobile, Johnson hit his first Double-A homer as the Barons overcame a two-run deficit to win, 4-2.

Johnson hit .292 with eight extra base hits and 11 steals for the 2010 Vermont Mountaineers.

Cleveland Indians
Second base -- Joe Wendle, Carolina (107 games): Wendle, who's playing in the Arizona Fall League, made the jump from short-season to the Class A Advanced Carolina League and showed no signs of being overwhelmed. The 2012 sixth-round pick hit .295 with 16 homers and 64 RBIs, tying Aguilar for the organizational home run lead. He also stole 10 bases, hit five triples and posted a .372 OBP in 413 at-bats.

"He kind of sets the bar for us in the Minor Leagues for a teammate being open-minded and looking to improve constantly," Atkins said. "He's always, always consistent about his routines and work. He's a great selection and really someone who is raising the bar for others in our system."

All-NECBL pick Wendle hit .311 with eight extra base hits for the 2010 Sanford Mainers.

Colorado Rockies
Catcher -- Tom Murphy, Asheville (80 games), Tulsa (20 games): After being selected in the third round out of the University at Buffalo last year, Murphy exploded in his first full Minor League season. He slashed .288/.385/.590 with 19 homers and 74 RBIs for Asheville, which is admittedly a haven for hitters. Still, his .897 OPS in road contests was nothing to shake a stick at, and he was named a South Atlantic League midseason and postseason All-Star for his efforts.

"Everything was positive out of him," said Asheville manager Fred Ocasio. "He's got the total package as a catcher. … He does a good job of handling a staff, and you can see the passion he has for the game in everything he does. You have to respect that."

Murphy also performed well in a late-season Texas League stint, batting .290 with an .831 OPS, three homers and nine RBIs in 20 games. In the end, his .948 OPS between the two levels finished fifth among all full-season Minor Leaguers.

All-NECBL pick Murphy hit .291 with nine homers and 29 RBI for the 2011 Holyoke Blue Sox.  He was runner-up for the home run title.

First base -- Ben Paulsen, Colorado Springs (123 games): Paulsen spent two full seasons with Tulsa in 2011 and 2012 before moving up to Triple-A ball this season, and he took advantage of his first cuts in the PCL. The former Clemson Tiger, who turned 26 on Oct. 27, had his best offensive season since 2010 at Modesto with a .292/.345/.523 line, 18 homers and 79 RBIs.

The 6-foot-4, 205-pound first baseman surprisingly tied for third in the circuit with 10 triples and also finished tied for seventh with 32 doubles. He could be an outside candidate to replace Helton at first next season, although it's likely that he will need to make a big impression come spring time.

"If he comes into Spring Training and makes a loud noise, he will definitely get into contention," said Colorado Springs manager Glenallen Hill, who also called Paulsen "athletic and versatile." "But make no mistake, he has to be loud for that to happen."

Paulsen hit .318 with six extra base hits, and did not make an error, for the 2007 Keene Swamp Bats.

Kansas City Royals
Honorable Mention.  Relief Pitcher -- Zach Jackson, Northwest Arkansas (33 games), Omaha (two games): Dominant. That's the only word to describe Jackson's season. Converted to the bullpen after starting for most of his pro career, the 2004 first-round pick led the organization with 18 saves, posted a stellar 1.32 ERA and limited Minor League hitters to a .221 batting average against.

"He had a little bit of a hiccup in Spring Training and he was in extended just to get healthy," Sharp said. "He went out and I don't think it was a coincidence that, when he got to Double-A, [the Naturals] turned it around. Very professional guy, kind of a funky sidearm lefty -- did a really nice job there."

A 2002 Manchester Silkworm, Jackson had a 3.38 ERA in eight starts, striking out 31 and walking just seven.

Milwaukee Brewers/ 2010 Laconia
First base -- Jason Rogers, Huntsville (133 games): The 2013 Milwaukee Minor League Player of the Year led the Double-A Southern League with 87 RBIs and tied Joc Pederson (Dodgers) for second with 22 homers. The 25-year-old was also named the Brewers' Minor League Player of the Month in July and August.

The Georgia native primarily plays first base but has also played some outfield and third base and will be working more on the hot corner in the Dominican Republic this winter to add value to his resume.

"Jason's a very good hitter," Nichols said. "He's got a good eye at the plate, he battles at every at-bat (and) he's a good first baseman."

Rogers appeared in three games for the 2010 Laconia Muskrats.

Minnesota Twins/2004 Mill City and 2005 Torrington
First base -- Chris Colabello, Rochester (89 games), Minnesota (55 games): The fairy-tale story hit its heart-plucking apex this summer as the seven-year independent league veteran parlayed a 2012 Minor League contract offer into 160 Major League at-bats in 2013. The 30-year-old earned International League MVP honors by hitting .352 with a 1.066 OPS, and although he struggled with a .194 average in Minnesota, he still emerged as a versatile piece (since he also plays outfield) and now figures into the Twins' roster plans for the next few seasons.

"I think it's a great credit to him as an individual to stick with it and believe in himself for as long as he did," Steil said. "Once he got the opportunity, he really took advantage of it. He started a little slow last year in Double-A, but I think once he got comfortable, you could see the kind of hitter he is."

An All-NECBL pick, Colabello hit .345 with seven doubles, eight homers and 33 RBI for the 2004 Mill City All-Americans.

Left-handed starter -- Andrew Albers, Rochester (22 games), Minnesota (10 games): Another feel-good independent league story, Albers signed with Minnesota after pitching for Quebec in the Can-Am League in 2010 and has since been one of the Twins' best starters in the upper Minors. The 28-year-old posted a 2.86 ERA in Triple-A in 2013, striking out 116 and walking 32 over 132 1/3 innings. He did well in the Majors too, posting a 4.05 ERA as a starter and emerging as a potential building block for Minnesota's rotation.

Albers won the Torrington Twisters’ pitching Triple Crown in 2006, going 5-1 with a 1.81 ERA and 45 strikeouts.

New York Yankees/2011 North Shore
Third base -- Eric Jagielo, Gulf Coast League (four games), Staten Island (51 games): It's obviously early, but the Yankees like what they saw in their own backyard from the 26th overall pick in the 2013 Draft. The 21-year-old ranked among the New York-Penn League leaders in OBP (.376, seventh), slugging (.451, seventh) and OPS (.827, third). While Newman dismissed the necessity of starting on the right foot -- "look at how Derek Jeter or Robinson Cano started" -- he admitted it was nice to see in the case of Jagielo.

"He's certainly got some power," Newman said. "What he did was reflective of what our guys saw in him before the Draft. … He's got a lot of at-bats under him and is off to a solid start after building off the great year at Notre Dame."

An All-NECBL pick, Jagielo hit .313 with 11 extra base hits for the 2011 North Shore Navigators.  

Philadelphia
First base -- Jim Murphy, Reading (139 games): Murphy batted .273 with the Fightin Phils, leading all Phillies first basemen with 23 homers and 83 RBIs, both career highs. In his first tour of the Eastern League, the Washington State University product also ranked first among Philadelphia prospects at his position with 59 walks and 49 extra-base hits.

"Jim is a middle-of-the-lineup guy," Cacciatore said. "He is the kind of guy that has an unconventional approach to the ball, but he maintains some consistency with his stroke. He had to work on his rhythm and getting ready early because his natural setup has a lot of moving parts. I thought he did a great job and he finished very, very strong.

"Darryl Strawberry had the hands low and he had to get them in the hitting position and he had the leg kick. [Murphy] has the same characteristics, but he's not the same as him. Darryl Strawberry had to work on getting to that good launch position and he had to take a lot of reps to get his timing. We didn't want to take away from [Murphy's] natural tendencies, but we wanted him to shorten up a little bit."

The 2006 NECBL MVP, Murphy hit 14 doubles, nine homers and drove in 40 for the Newport Gulls.  He also hit .358.

San Diego
OF- Jeremy Baltz. Lake Elsinore (67 games), Fort Wayne (43 games): San Diego's second-round pick in 2012 showed off his power at two levels, hitting .293 with 15 homers, 87 RBIs and a .348 OBP. Baltz whiffed 95 times and drew only 29 walks, but he still posted a great average and finished with 126 hits, including 30 doubles and three triples.

"He's a guy who has actually gotten stronger in his first full year -- he progressed to the Cal League, and we think his power will continue to increase as he continues to fill out," said Smith. "He's got a good frame -- we think he'll become a more dangerous hitter. The walks will go up and the strikeouts will improve as he matures."

Baltz’s .301 average for 2010 Keene Swamp Bats ranked in the NECBL’s top ten.  He also had eight extra base hits that summer.

San Francisco
3B- Chris Dominguez, Fresno (132 games): Dominguez may never replicate his 20-homer, 100-RBI season from the South Atlantic League in 2010, but he has maintained his power stroke while improving his average and cutting down the strikeouts.

Dominguez batted a career-high .294 with 15 homers, the latter of which ranked second among third basemen. His 44 extra-base hits also ranked second among Giants at the hot corner and his 65 RBIs were enough to finish third. Boosted by the inflated average, his .334 on-base percentage, .464 slugging percentage and .798 OPS percentage were all personal bests.

"He was a guy that was a high-strikeout guy when I was a roving instructor, but he has high power upside -- light-tower power, he's so strong," Mariano said. "If he eventually figures it all and cuts down on those strikeouts, he'll have big-time power to all fields.

"He's outstanding defensively and he has a Howitzer for an arm. I saw him make plays that I've not seen third basemen in the big leagues make.”

The 2006 NECBL Home Run champion while a Newport Gull, Dominguez also finished in the League’s top five in total bases.