HIGH POINT, N.C. – High Point Rockers outfielders Ben Aklinski and Luis Gonzalez were each named to the Atlantic League Postseason All-Star team on Wednesday. The 13-member team represents the top players from around the league as voted on by the ALPB managers.

Aklinski, who recently completed his fourth season with the Rockers, became just the second player in league history to join the 30-30 club with 32 homers and 31 stolen bases. Aklinski posted a .283 batting average in 2025 and finished third in the league with 112 runs scored. During his four seasons with the Rockers, Aklinski set records in almost every offensive category. He is High Point’s career leader in games played, runs scored, home runs, RBIs, doubles, triples and grand slams.

Gonzalez, in his first year with the Rockers after having spent time in the Major Leagues with the Chicago White Sox and San Francisco Giants, hit .297 with 21 homers, 73 RBI and 36 stolen bases. He was fourth in the league with 110 runs scored and had a 37-game on-base streak during the regular season. As High Point’s right fielder, Gonzalez provided outstanding defense, having committed just one error in 2025.

Gonzalez and Aklinski give the Rockers eight players to have been named to the Postseason All-Star Team. Aklinski is a repeat member, having been named to the squad in 2023. Gonzales was previously an MLB.com Organization All-Star in the White Sox system in 2019, and the National League Rookie of the Month with the San Francisco Giants in May 2022.

Gonzalez and Aklinski were joined in the All-Star outfield by Gastonia’s Justin Wylie and Long Island’s River Town.

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point Rockers on Monday received the Atlantic League’s Player Transfer Award for 2025 for having the greatest number of players moving forward to Major League Baseball organizations and foreign leagues.

The Rockers moved 10 player contracts during the 2025 season while the Long Island Ducks and Gastonia Ghost Peppers each had six player contracts selected.

Notable among High Point’s transfers were right-handed pitcher Peter Solomon who joined the Chicago Cubs organization, and left-handed pitcher Jacob Edwards who was acquired by the Cincinnati Reds. Catcher Luke Napleton and first baseman Evan Edwards also had their contracts purchased mid-season.

A number of Rockers advanced to the Mexican League during the 2025 season including pitchers Kent Emanuel, Kyle Barraclough, Matt Solter and Tommy Doyle as well as outfielder Jordan Luplow. Rockers OF Luis Gonzalez was loaned to the Acereros de Monclova during the Mexican League playoffs before returning to High Point and helping lead the Rockers to the Atlantic League Championship Series.

The Rockers in 2025 completed their sixth consecutive winning season by winning the South Division in the first half and dispatching the Gastonia Ghost Peppers in a five-game South Division Championship Series. High Point advanced to its second League Championship Series before falling to the York Revolution.

Opening Day for the 2026 season is set for Tuesday, April 21, 2026 when the Rockers host Gastonia at Truist Point.

The High Point Rockers have tied the professional baseball record for grand slams in a season this year with 14.

Only four other professional baseball teams have hit as many grand slams in a season. At the Major League level, the 2006 Cleveland Indians and the 2000 Oakland A’s each hit 14.

At the minor league level, the Class AAA 2022 Albuquerque Isotopes (Colorado) mashed 14 slams as did the Class AAA 2023 St. Paul Saints (Minnesota).

The Rockers have set a club record for bases-loaded homers this year and broke the previous Atlantic League record of 10 set by the York Revolution in 2024.

This season, the Rockers grand slam bonanza has been led by Ben Aklinski with four and Evan Edwards with three. Also slugging grand slams in 2025 were SS Aidan Brewer, C Nolan Watson, C Isaiah Mirabal, OF Alex Dickerson, INF Max Viera, 3B Drew Mendoza and DH Braxton Davidson.

Remarkably, the Rockers hit at least one grand slam in each month of the season.

High Point opens the Atlantic League postseason on Saturday, September 20 at the Gastonia Ghost Peppers.

 

2025 High Point Grand Slams (14)

Date    Hitter  Opponent       Inning Opp Pitcher

4/26/25             Aidan Brewer at So. Maryland            2nd       Ian Kahaloa

5/9/25               Evan Edwards               at Gastonia     5th        Justus Sheffield

5/11/25             Ben Aklinski    at Gastonia     3rd        Kevin Smith

5/13/25             Nolan Watson               at Lexington    7th        Jimmy Loper

5/30/25             Ben Aklinski    Hagerstown    4th        David Richardson

5/31/25             Ben Aklinski    Hagerstown    6th        Donald Goodson

6/22/25             Isaiah Mirabal               at Lexington    7th        Dustin Beggs

6/26/25             Alex Dickerson             at Gastonia     5th        Jackson Boxx

7/17/25             Max Viera         at York (Gm 1) 3rd        Dallas Woolfolk

8/1/25              Braxton Davidson       at Lexington    5th        Wilson Castillo

8/17/25             Evan Edwards (2nd)   at Charleston 7th        Edison Suriel

8/20/25             Evan Edwards (3rd)    vs. Lexington  1st        Patrick Wicklander

9/10/25             Ben Aklinski (4th)        at So. Maryland            7th        Brandon McCabe

9/16/25             Drew Mendoza             vs. Charleston              4th        Maceo Campbell

 

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point Rockers have announced their playoff schedule for the upcoming Atlantic League playoffs.

As the ALPB South Division first half champion, the Rockers had their choice of home field advantage. The Rockers will open the best-of-five series with the South Division second half champion Gastonia Ghose Peppers on Saturday, September 20 at Gastonia’s CaroMont Health Park at 7 p.m.. Game two of the series will also be in Gastonia on Sunday, September 21 at 4 p.m.

The Rockers will then be home for as many as three games. High Point will host game three of the series on Tuesday, September 23 at 7 p.m. at Truist Point. The Rockers would also play at home on Wednesday, September 24 and Thursday, September 25, if games four and five are necessary. Both those games would be at 7 p.m.

The Rockers are in the playoffs for the fourth time in the past six seasons and will meet Gastonia for the South Championship Series for the third time. In 2022, High Point beat Gastonia in five games to advance to the League Championship Series. In 2023, the Ghost Peppers claimed game five from High Point to advance to the LCS.

The winner of the South Championship Series will advance to the League Championship Series against one of the two North Division champions, the York Revolution or Lancaster Stormers.

Tickets are available online at www.HighPointRockers.com and also at the Truist Point Box Office on Gatewood Ave. Discounted playoff tickets are available through Thursday with all seats going for $10 per game. On Friday, September 19, prices will increase to $12 per seat. Catalyst Club seats are available for $40 per seat. Group pricing is discounted to $8 per ticket through Thursday.

All postseason tickets are automatically included in Rockers season ticket holders packages.