LINCOLN — Lindsey Caughel was named American Association ‘Pitcher of the Year.’ Curt Smith and Luis Alen also garnered Postseason All Star recognition for the Saltdogs.
Caughel leads the league with a 2.11 ERA and ranks second with 120 strikeouts. The 26-year old from Orlando, Fla. was also voted a mid-season All Star and selected as the Saltdogs Pitcher of the Year.
Caughel’s 120 strikeouts in 2016 is the second-most by a Saltdogs pitcher in franchise history.
Smith currently ranks sixth in the league with a .331 batting average, second in slugging percentage (.553) and has mashed a career-best 17 home runs.
The “Dutch Driller” was the starting D.H. in this summer’s All Star game and won the A.A. Home Run Derby. He also earned Saltdogs Player of the Year honors for the second straight season.
Alen is hitting .292 with eight home runs (second highest total in his career) and 46 RBI. The 31-year old backstop from San Francisco, Venezuela catches a staff that leads the American Association in ERA.
The 2016 American Association Postseason All Stars: C Luis Alen (Lincoln); 1B David Rohm (Winnipeg); 2B Brett Wiley (Kansas City); 3B Josh Mazzola (Fargo-Moorhead); SS Nate Samson (Sioux City); OF Alonzo Harris (St. Paul); OF Willie Cabrera (Winnipeg); OF Keury De La Cruz (Fargo-Moorhead); DH Curt Smith (Lincoln); Pitcher of the Year Lindsey Caughel (Lincoln); Relief Pitcher of the Year Ryan Rodebaugh (St. Paul); Defensive Player of the Year Jose Gonzalez (Gary SouthShore).
The Postseason All Stars were determined by soliciting votes from league managers and media personnel.