Winston-Salem, NC – Three players from the Winston-Salem Dash were recently named to the Carolina League All-Star team.  Second baseman Dale Mollenhauer, outfielder Christian Marrero and starting pitcher Charlie Shirek were among the Carolina League starters from the Dash who earned the honor of competing against the California League in the annual midsummer showcase.  The game will be held on June 23 at The Diamond, home of the Lake Elsinore Storm, a San Diego Padres affiliate.

 

Mollenhauer, a 17^th round pick of the Chicago White in 2007, was selected as the starting second baseman.  He is currently hitting .303 with two home runs and 21 RBI while leading the Dash with 16 multi-hits games.  The former East Carolina Pirate has racked up nine doubles, two triples and has stolen seven bases.  Mollenhauer has also excelled defensively as he has only committed four errors and is sporting a .982 fielding percentage.

 

Marrero was signed as a free agent after attending Florida Broward Community College and has excelled in his first season in the Carolina League. The outfielder is currently hitting .312 with six home runs and 27 RBI.  Marrero is second on the Dash with 15 multi-hit contests, including three games in which he registered a team-high four hits.  His younger brother Chris is a former first round pick by the Washington Nationals and currently plays for Potomac.  Christian smacked a grand slam against his sibling’s squad in the nightcap of a doubleheader at Pfitzner Stadium on April 21.

 

Shirek is pacing the Carolina League with eight wins while maintaining a 3.88 ERA in 11 starts this season.  He was a 23^rd round pick in 2007 out of the University of Nebraska and was named by Baseball America as the best late-round pick of the draft by the White Sox.  The Minot, North Dakota native has exemplified good command by only surrendering 14 walks in 65 innings while recording 44 strikeouts.   Shirek has been exceptional at home going 4-0 with a 2.59 ERA in five starts at Wake Forest Baseball Park.

 

The midsummer event between the California League and Carolina League began in 1996 when the two teams played to a 2-2 tie.  The Carolina League currently leads the overall series with a 6-4-2 record against the California League, including last year’s 3-0 victory at Myrtle Beach.  The Carolina League All-Stars were selected by a vote of the league’s managers, general managers and media members.

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