The Texas League has announced rosters for the 2017 Texas League All-Star Game, with five Springfield Cardinals being selected to the North Division Team – CF Oscar Mercado, SS Alex Mejia, RHP Jack Flaherty, RHP Dakota Hudson and RHP Matt Pearce.
Mercado, 22, has been one of the best all-round players in the Texas League this year. Currently hitting .325 with seven home runs, 22 RBIs and 40 runs scored through 60 games, Mercado ranks among league leaders in hits (1st, 79), batting average (5th), stolen bases (2nd, 19), runs scored (t-4th), triples (t-3rd, 4) and total bases (3rd, 117). He began the season by reaching base in 34 straight games, which included a Springfield Cardinals record-setting 20-game hitting streak from April 11 – May 5. Mercado was selected by St. Louis in the 2nd round of the 2013 June Draft out of Gaither High School in Florida.
Mejia, 26, has not only provided premium defense at shortstop, but has also provided veteran production in the lineup with a .252 average, three homers and 24 RBIs through 61 games this season. The Sylmar, CA native is currently tied for 2nd in the league with 17 doubles and tied for 3rd with 61 games. A 4th-round pick in the 2012 June Draft out of the University of Arizona, Mejia was the PAC-12 Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in 2012, helping guide the Wildcats to the College World Series Championship that year.
Flaherty, 21, who is currently in AAA-Memphis, put together one of the most dominant starts to a season in recent Texas League history by going 4-0 with a 0.56 ERA through five starts in April. With just two runs allowed in 32.1 innings in April, Flaherty collected both the Texas League Player of the Month and St. Louis Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Month Awards for the first month of the season. Overall in Double-A, the Burbank, CA native went 7-2 with a 1.42 ERA through 10 starts with Springfield before being promoted to AAA-Memphis on June 1. He still ranks as the current Texas League leader in ERA, wins and WHIP (0.92), while ranking 4th in average against (.205). Flaherty was selected in the 1st round of the 2014 June Draft out of Harvard-Westlake High School in California.
Hudson, 22, has been the picture of consistency through his first 11 starts of the season, going 4-3 with a 3.12 ERA that ranks as the 7th-best ERA in the league. In just his first full professional campaign, Hudson has tossed six straight quality starts and has limited his opponents to two earned runs or fewer in eight of his 11 outings overall. Hudson wrapped up a dominant month of May, going 2-1 with a 2.05 ERA through five starts, allowing just seven earned runs all month. Hudson was selected by St. Louis in the 1st round of the 2016 June Draft out of Mississippi State University.
Pearce, 23, has also dominated Texas League bats this year, going 5-5 with a 2.78 ERA through 12 starts. He put together one of the best months of May in all of Minor League Baseball, going a perfect 5-0 with an incredible 0.69 ERA through five starts, earning the Texas League Player of the Month and St. Louis Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Month Awards. Pearce concluded his remarkable month with consecutive nine-inning complete games, including a shutout of the San Antonio Missions on May 26. The Bonita Springs, Florida native currently ranks among the league’s best in ERA (6th), complete games (1st, 2), innings pitched (1st, 77.2), WHIP (4th, 1.04) and fewest walks per nine innings (3rd, 1.51). In his first full season of Double-A, Pearce was selected by St. Louis in the 13th round of the 2014 June Draft out of Polk State College in Florida.
The 2017 Texas League All-Star Game will be played on Tuesday, June 27 at Dr Pepper Ballpark, the home of the Frisco RoughRiders.
