TWO LUMBERKINGS NAMED TO PROSPECT LEAGUE ALL-STAR TEAM

- Prospect League announces Post-season Awards -

CLINTON, IOWA – August 25, 2021 – Two LumberKings players from the club’s inaugural Prospect League season have been named as league All-Stars. Starting pitcher Ryan Miller and catcher Brett McCleary were named to the Western Conference team as the league all-stars were divided into conferences. The announcement was made today by the Prospect League. The all-star teams and awards were voted on by the league’s 16 field managers.

The LumberKings won the Great River Division before falling to eventual Prospect League champion Cape Girardeau in the Western Conference final. Listed below is the complete 2021 Prospect League All-Star team.

EAST CONFERENCE ALL-STARS

POSITION              NAME                                     TEAM                                                     COLLEGE

1B                            Cooper McMurray                   Danville Dans                                          University of Kansas

2B                            Denver Blinn                           West Virginia Miners                                               Indiana Wesleyan University

3B                            Keenan Taylor                         Danville Dans                                          Butler University

SS                            Keshawn Ogans                       Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp                    University of California - Berkeley

OF                           Alex Brunson                          REX                                                         University of Saint Francis

OF                           Chase Carney                           Champion City Kings                                               Flagler College

OF                           Trey Smith                               Chillicothe Paints                                     University of Indianapolis

C                              Angelo Peraza                          Danville Dans                                          University of San Diego

DH                           Ben Newbert                            Johnstown Mill Rats                                                Bloomsburg University

SP                            Ryan Eiermann                        Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp                    Kankakee Community College

SP                            Jake Miller                               Champion City Kings                                               Valparaiso University

SP                            Louis Lipthratt                         West Virginia Miners                                               Clark State Community College

RP                            Jake Leger                                                Danville Dans                                          Iowa Western Community College

RP                            Kaleb Honea                            Lafayette Aviators                                   Northwestern Oklahoma State University

RP                            Ruben Ramirez                        Chillicothe Paints                                     Point Park University

WEST CONFERENCE ALL-STARS

POSITION              NAME                                     TEAM                                                     COLLEGE

1B                            Jake Skrine                              Quincy Gems                                           Indiana University

2B                            Kolten Poorman                       Cape Catfish                                            Three Rivers College

3B                            Matt Sharck                             Quincy Gems                                           Jefferson College

SS                            Gino D’Alessio                        Quincy Gems                                           Quincy University

OF                           Ellison Hanna II                      Cape Catfish                                            Indiana State University

OF                           Billy Gerlott                             Normal CornBelters                                 Penn State University

OF                           Andrew Stone                          Cape Catfish                                            West Virginia State University

C                              Brett McCleary                         Clinton LumberKings                                              University of Iowa

DH                           Jackson Jones                          Burlington Bees                                       Young Harris College

SP                            Ryan Miller                              Clinton LumberKings                                              Creighton University

SP                            Ben Kowalski                          Normal CornBelters                                 Webster University

SP                            Masen Palmier                         O’Fallon Hoots                                        Missouri Baptist University

RP                            Anthony Klein                         O’Fallon Hoots                                        Southeast Missouri State University

RP                            Trey McDaniel                         Cape Catfish                                            Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

RP                            Jacob Lotz                                               Normal CornBelters                                 Lewis University

The Roland Hemond Pro Prospect of the Year and Starting Pitcher of the Year is Ryan Eiermann of the Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp. Eiermann finished the season 8-1 with a 2.12 ERA over 12 appearances (11 starts). The left-handed pitcher set a Prospect League record with 109 strikeouts, while walking 21 over 68 innings pitched. His 11 starts, 68 innings pitched were both league-highs. His 2.12 ERA ranked second among qualifying pitchers.

The Galen Woods Fireman of the Year, given to the league’s top reliever each season, is Anthony Klein of the O’Fallon Hoots. Klein appeared in 19 games, earning a 5-1 record and five saves. Over 33 1/3 innings pitched, Klein allowed just three runs on 14 hits, striking out 39 and amassing a 0.81 ERA. The right-handed pitcher owned an opponent on-base percentage of .260, held opponents to .162 slugging and a .125 batting average.

The 2021 Mike Schmidt Player of the Year is Jackson Jones of the Burlington Bees. Jones hit .295 over 57 games for the Bees while leading the Prospect League with 18 home runs and 17 doubles. He ranked second in RBIs with 51.

The 2021 Prospect League Manager of the Year, for a second-consecutive season, is Cape’s Steve Larkin, who guided the Catfish to the Prospect League Championship in the team’s second season. Cape overcame a slow start - a 6-8 record on June 12 - finishing the first half 18-12, then winning the second half of the West Conference’s Prairie Land Division with a 20-10 record. Overall, the Catfish finished the regular season with an overall record of 38-22, the second-best record of the league’s 16 teams.

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About the Prospect League

The Prospect League is an elite, collegiate wood-bat summer baseball league, providing college players with the opportunity to compete in a minor-league setting with high-level competition. The League’s members provide their communities with quality baseball and affordable, family-friendly entertainment. Founded in 2009 after merging with the Central Illinois Collegiate League, the Prospect League is made up of 16 teams competing in a seven-state region: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

About the LumberKings

The Clinton LumberKings play their home games at NelsonCorp Field, a park that has been home for the Clinton franchise since 1937. Since the club's inception, almost 300 former Clinton players have gone on to reach the Major Leagues.