HIGH POINT, N.C. – High Point Rockers third baseman Michael Russell on Tuesday was named to the Atlantic League’s Red, White and Blue All-Defensive team in voting by the league’s managers and coaches.

Russell started 98 games for the Rockers this year, including 47 at second base and 47 at third base. He made only eight errors on 314 total chances for a fielding percentage of .975.

“Russ is deserving to be on the all-defensive team because of his body of work throughout the season,” said Rockers manager Jamie Keefe. “No matter where he is playing, he is able to make the adjustment from position to position. He puts in the work to be a great defensive player and he is second to none in his work ethic.”

Offensively, Russell is hitting .392 this season with nine home runs and 53 RBI.

The Rockers open the Atlantic League Championship Series on Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. at Truist Point against the Lancaster Barnstormers.

HIGH POINT, N.C. – High Point Rockers outfielder Ben Aklinski and outfielder Zander Wiel have been named to the 2022 Atlantic League-Ballpark Digest Mid-Season All-Star team. Sponsored by Ballpark Digest, the club was assembled by a vote of the 10 Atlantic League managers.

“Both Ben and Zander have been battling injuries but when they are healthy, they are both among the top players in the Atlantic League and well-deserving of this honor,” said Rockers manager Jamie Keefe.  “Both are elite players who are putting up great numbers despite having to play through these injuries. I can’t thank either one of them enough for all that they are doing for our ball club and the league.”

Aklinski has spent most of his time in the Rockers’ outfield but has filled in a third base on occasion. Aklinski ranks third in the league with 20 doubles and fifth with 33 extra base hits while posting a .289 average with 11 homers and 41 RBI. Aklinski, a former University of Kentucky player, spent the 2021 season in Lexington before joining the Rockers prior to the 2022 season.

Wiel is hitting .277 with 56 RBI and 17 homers including four multi-homer games. He has started games at first base, third, left and right field this season while also serving as the designated hitter. Wiel’s .638 slugging percentage is the fourth-best in the Atlantic League this season. A member of Vanderbilt’s 2014 College World Series championship team, Wiel was with the Minnesota Twins organization until joining the Rockers this season.

2022 Ballpark Digest-Atlantic League Mid-Season All-Star Team

C             Colton Shaver, Lancaster
1B          Kelly Dugan, Lancaster
2B          Joseph Rosa, Gastonia
SS           Elmer Reyes, York
3B          Carlos Franco, York
OF          Courtney Hawkins, Lexington
OF          Ben Aklinski, High Point
OF          David Harris, Southern Maryland
DH          Zander Wiel, High Point
SP           McKenzie Mills, Southern Maryland
SP           Marcus Walden, Gastonia
RP          Endrys Briceno, Southern Maryland
RP          Tyler Wilson, Charleston
Managers: Stan Cliburn, So. Maryland; Mauro “Goose” Gozzo, Gastonia

HIGH POINT, N.C. – High Point Rockers starting pitcher Justin Nicolino had his contract purchased by the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday. Nicolino will report to Cincinnati’s Class AAA club in Louisville, Ky.

Nicolino was High Point’s Opening Day starter and has made six starts this season, posting a 4-1 record with a 2.06 ERA. He won his first three starts against Lancaster (4/27), Long Island (5/3) and York (5/8) before suffering a loss at Long Island in a 1-0, fog-shortened six inning game. Nicolino won his most recent start against Lexington on May 19, striking out seven in 5.1 innings.

“We couldn’t be happier for Justin,” said High Point manager Jamie Keefe. “He has been absolutely dominant this season. He’s fully healthy for the first time in six or seven years and he has been such a valuable part of this team. We couldn’t ask for any more than what Justin provided our club.”

Nicolino ranks second in the Atlantic League with four wins, tied for first with one complete game, fifth in innings pitched (35), fourth in WHIP (0.91) and sixth in opponent’s batting average (.198).

Drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays out of high school in the second round of the 2010 draft, Nicolino made his Major League debut with the Miami Marlins on June 20, 2015. The Orlando, Fla. native has won 10 MLB games over three seasons with the Marlins from 2015-17.

Nicolino is the second Rocker this year to have his contract purchased by a Major League organization and the 18^th player in club history. Most recently, RHP Brady Lail was acquired by the Toronto Blue Jays on May 9.

About High Point Baseball, Inc.

High Point Baseball, AKA The High Point Rockers, will begin their third season in the Atlantic League in 2022 in a state-of-the-art, $36M downtown ballpark, Truist Point. High Point Baseball is part of the fastest growing family sport in America and is committed to providing superior customer service and quality, affordable family entertainment for the Triad of North Carolina. The Rockers have built a fun and competitive atmosphere in both High Point and the Atlantic League while playing in the 2019 Ballpark of the Year.

About the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB)

With teams throughout the Mid-Atlantic, the ALPB is a leader in baseball innovation and a player gateway to Major League Baseball. Through its exclusive partnership with MLB, the Atlantic League tests Major League Baseball rules and equipment initiatives. The Atlantic League has sent over 1,000 players to MLB organizations while drawing more than 44 million fans to its affordable, family-friendly ballparks throughout its 24-year history. For more information, please visit www.AtlanticLeague.com.

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday purchased the contract of High Point Rockers righthanded pitcher Brady Lail. The Blue Jays are expected to assign Lail to their Class AA Eastern League team, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, who play in Manchester, N.H.

Lail made three starts for the Rockers and posted a 2-1 record with a 0.95 earned run average. His ERA is the second-lowest in the Atlantic League. Lail pitched 19 innings for the Rockers and struck out 19 while walking just two and holding opponents to 13 hits and a .183 batting average.

Lail, 28, is a native of South Jordan, Utah and has spent parts of three seasons in the Major Leagues. He broke in with the New York Yankees in 2019 and also made appearances with the Chicago White Sox in 2020 and the Seattle Mariners in 2020 and ‘21. Lail appeared in 11 MLB games before joining the Rockers prior to spring training in April.

As a Rocker Lail started against the Kentucky Genomes on April 23 and allowed five hits over six innings while striking out six in a 3-1 loss. He went seven innings and struck out nine in a 6-3 win over Charleston on April 29. In his final start, Lail threw six innings and scattered five hits in a 5-3 win over Long Island on May 5.

The Rockers are on the road at York on Monday and will return to Truist Point on Tuesday, May 10 when they will face the Charleston Dirty Birds at 6:35 p.m. at Truist Point.

“Honestly, I love it,” said Lail on playing in High Point. “I was a little skeptical (at first) but this environment, and (manager) Jamie (Keefe) and (pitching coach) Frank (Viola), I found the love of the game again. My career has kind of been up and down and it’s been really hard to find that again. And just meeting Frank and Jamie and knowing that they have our backs is really a breath of fresh air. There’s a reason I’ve played this game for so long and, honestly, I’m honored to be here.”

About High Point Baseball, Inc.

High Point Baseball, AKA The High Point Rockers, will begin their third season in the Atlantic League in 2022 in a state-of-the-art, $36M downtown ballpark, Truist Point. High Point Baseball is part of the fastest growing family sport in America and is committed to providing superior customer service and quality, affordable family entertainment for the Triad of North Carolina. The Rockers have built a fun and competitive atmosphere in both High Point and the Atlantic League while playing in the 2019 Ballpark of the Year.

 

About the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB)

With teams throughout the Mid-Atlantic, the ALPB is a leader in baseball innovation and a player gateway to Major League Baseball. Through its exclusive partnership with MLB, the Atlantic League tests Major League Baseball rules and equipment initiatives. The Atlantic League has sent over 1,000 players to MLB organizations while drawing more than 44 million fans to its affordable, family-friendly ballparks throughout its 24-year history. For more information, please visit www.AtlanticLeague.com.

HIGH POINT, N.C. – High Point Rockers pitcher Brady Lail on Wednesday was named the Atlantic League Pitcher of the Month for April. Lail is the third Rockers’ pitcher to receive the monthly honor, joining Cooper Casad (July 2021) and Tommy Lawrence (August 2021).

Lail, 28, made two starts for the Rockers in April, posting a 1-1 record with a 0.69 ERA. On April 23, Lail tossed six innings vs. Kentucky, striking out six and allowing just one walk in losing a 3-1 decision. On April 29, Lail threw seven innings and scattered three hits while striking out nine in a 6-3 win over Charleston.

For the month of April, the South Jordan, Utah native struck out 15 batters in 13 innings while allowing just eight hits and one walk and posting the league’s second-lowest ERA at 0.69.

Lail spent parts of three seasons in the Major League with the Yankees, White Sox and Mariners between 2019 and 2021. He has twice struck out more than 100 batters in a season while winning 52 career professional games.

HIGH POINT, N.C. – Six Kentucky pitchers held High Point to just three hits on Friday night as the Genomes took a 2-1 victory from the Rockers in 10 innings in front of 2,324 fans at Truist Point.

The Genomes did not allow a High Point hit after the second inning until there were two outs in the ninth.

Quincy Latimore staked the Rockers to a 1-0 lead with a two-out solo homer to left off Genomes starter Elih Villanueva in the second.

Kentucky tied the game at 1-1 in the sixth when Riley Mahan hammered a line drive homer over the right field fence off High Point starter Cooper Casad.

Villanueva threw five innings, yielded just two hits, walked one and struck out five before leaving for Josh Martin before the top of the sixth.  Villanueva retired the last seven hitters he faced. Casad went six innings and did not issue a walk while giving up five hits and striking out six. The only run he allowed was Mahan’s sixth inning homer.

The game remained deadlocked as each team’s bullpen locked down the other’s offense. Neither team was able to get a runner to second base over the seventh, eighth and ninth innings.

With two outs in the ninth, Michael Russell singled softly to center, marking the Rockers’ first base hit since Latimore’s homer in the second.

In the tenth, with Cleuluis Rondon starting the inning at second, Luke Becker’s sacrifice bunt moved him to third. Chase Vallot smashed a one-hopper at third baseman Zander Wiel who tried to tag Rondon but was ruled to have missed. Andrew Keefer singled to right to bring home Rondon with the go-ahead run.

The Rockers went down in order against Jack Weinberger in the 10th as he earned the save.

Besides Latimore’s homer in the second and Russell’s single in the ninth, High Point’s only other hit came in the first when Russell added a two-out single.

High Point’s Austin Glorius (1-1) took the loss while Kentucky’s Diego Moreno earned the win by pitching the ninth inning and allowing one hit while getting one strikeout. Glorius allowed two hits and recorded a pair of strikeouts in his lone inning of work.

The Rockers continue their homestand on Saturday night with the third of four games against the Genomes. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 at Truist Point.