6 Yard Goats Players Selected for Eastern League All-Star Game

HARTFORD, CT — Six members of the Hartford Yard Goats, the Double-A Eastern League affiliate of the Colorado Rockies, have been selected to the Eastern League All-Star team.

Infielder Brendan Rodgers, outfielders Yonathan Daza and Sam Hilliard and pitchers Peter Lambert, Matt Pierpont and Mitch Horacek have been named to the Eastern Division All-Star team. The six selections are tied for the most in the Eastern League.

The 2018 Eastern League All-Star Game between the Eastern Division and Western Division will take place on Wednesday, July 11 at 7 p.m. at ARM & HAMMER Park in Trenton, New Jersey, home of the New York Yankees affiliate, the Trenton Thunder.

Rodgers, 21, is currently leading the Eastern League with 36 extra-base hits and 143 total bases, ranks tied for 2nd in EL with 20 doubles, ranks 5th in EL with 51 RBI and 14 home runs. The Winter Park, Florida native is listed by Baseball America as the Colorado Rockies #1 prospect. He was named Eastern League player of the week on April 23rd. Rodgers is the highest ever draft pick to play for Yard Goats as he was the third overall pick in 2015.

Daza, 24, is already on the Colorado Rockies 40-man Major League Roster. He has enjoyed a successful first season at the Double-A level batting .306 with 16 doubles, four home runs, and 25 RBI in 45 games for the Yard Goats. He put together a season-high 9-game hit streak, May 6 through May 15 and ripped four hits, May 19 vs Akron. Daza is batting .321 in home games at Dunkin’ Donuts Park.

Hilliard, 24, ranks tied for fourth in the Eastern League with 18 stolen bases. He has put together a fantastic first half, batting .289 with 13 doubles, six home runs and 24 RBI in his first season with the Yard Goats. The Mansfield, Texas product has been an All-Star for the third consecutive season (Low-A Asheville- South Atlantic League in 2016 and High-A Lancaster-California League in 2017). Hilliard batted .366 with 7 doubles in 20 games in month of June.

Lambert, 21, tied a franchise record by winning his fifth consecutive start Thursday against Richmond. He is currently leading the Eastern League with a 2.23 ERA, 92.2 innings pitched and a 0.99 WHIP. The San Dimas, California native also became just the second Yard Goats pitcher ever to record 8 wins before the All-Star break, tying current Colorado Rockies right-hander German Marquez. He hurled the Yard Goats first ever 9 inning complete game on June 2 vs Altoona. Lambert, who is the youngest player on the club and turned 21 on April 18th, is 5-0 with a 1.50 ERA in seven starts at Dunkin’ Donuts Park.

Pierpont, 27, is leading the Eastern League with 21 saves and 27 games finished and ranks second on the circuit in strikeouts per 9-innings ratio. He has converted on 21 saves in 22 opportunities including his last 16, which is a Yard Goats franchise record. The Winter Springs, Florida native has posted a 1.83 ERA. He has surrendered only two earned runs in 17 appearances since May 12th. Pierpont is the Yard Goats all-time wins leader (16), games leader (98) and relief ERA leader (2.36). This is his third season with the Yard Goats.

Horacek, 25, has enjoyed a fine first season with the Yard Goats and Colorado Rockies organization. He ranks second in the Eastern League with 8 holds and ranks third on the club 2.37 ERA. He has posted a 0.96 ERA in nine games this month and has allowed just one earned run over his last 12 outings (14.1 IP) since May 20th. The Littleton, Colorado native was selected by the Rockies in the Rule 5 draft in the Winter Meetings last December. He was originally drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 9th round in 2013 out of Dartmouth College.

Story and photo courtesy of Hartford Yard Goats

To sign up for Greater Hartford breaking news alerts and more, click here.