June 23, 2011 at 9:23 PM
Portland teammates Will Middlebrooks and Chih-Hsien Chiang named to Futures Game
A pair of Sea Dogs teammates have been named to the 2011 Futures Game, which is part of the festivities surrounding the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Third baseman Will Middlebrooks will be a member of the United States team while outfielder Chih-Hsien Chiang will participate for the World squad. This year's game will take place on July 10 at 6 PM EST at Chase Field in Arizona.Middlebrooks, 22, is in the midst of a stellar fourth season as a professional. Hitting .294/.335/.478 with 8 home runs and 32 RBI, Middlebrooks is on pace to have his best season of his young career. Drafted out of Liberty-Eyalu High School in Texarkana, Texas in the fifth round of the 2007 amateur draft, Middlebrooks is known as a solid offensive third baseman and ranks as the number six prospect on SoxProspects.com. Currently on the disabled list with a right triceps strain, it is unknown if the injury will affect his participation in the contest.
Chiang, 23, was originally signed as an international free agent by the Red Sox in October of 2005. A veteran of the 2008 Olympics and 2009 World Baseball Classic with Taiwan, Chiang is having a breakout 2011 campaign. Chiang is currently hitting .307/.363/.620 with 11 home runs and 41 RBI through 53 games this season, leading the Sea Dogs in RBI (41), doubles (21), total bases (119), and triples (3). A left-handed hitter at the plate, Chiang originally began his career as a second baseman before being converted to the outfield before the 2009 season.
The Futures game, now in its thirteenth season, has seen a wide array of Red Sox prospects and stars participate over the years. Middlebrooks and Chiang are the latest participants after left-hander Stolmy Pimentel was selected for last years contest and pitchers Junichi Tazawa and Casey Kelly, now a member of the San Diego system, were selected in 2009. Outfielder Che-Hsuan Lin won Futures Game MVP award honors in 2008 and current Boston stars Jacoby Ellsbury and Clay Buchholz participated in the 2007 game. Other notable participants from Boston have included Hanley Ramirez and Anibal Sanchez in 2005, Kevin Youkilis in 2003 and Adrian Gonzalez in 2001.
In addition, former Red Sox prospect Reymond Fuentes, who was traded to the San Diego Padres in December for Gonzalez will be a member of the World team. The 20-year-old outfielder who is a member of the Single-A Lake Elsinore Storm is currently hitting .294/.354/.351 with 18 RBI and 30 stolen bases.