The 2014 Midwest League All-Star Game will be played at Fifth-Third Ballpark, the home of the West Michigan Whitecaps on Tuesday, June 17. The game features the best players from the Eastern and Western Divisions of the league. The all-stars are selected by the league’s managers. 

The Great Lakes Loons will be represented by Kyle Farmer, Joey Curletta and Mark Pope.

Dodger fans will be pleased to see Kyle Framer as the starting catcher in that game. Farmer, who was struck in the head by a back swing, missed several games in mid-May as a result of the accident. (He may choose to change his style of catching helmet). Farmer bats third and leads the Loons with 33 runs batted in. His .315 batting average on June 4th led the team. He has struck out 19 times along with 13 walks and eight stolen bases in ten attempts. He was drafted as a catcher by the Dodgers in the eighth round of the 2013 First Year Player Draft even though he was a shortstop with the Georgia Bulldogs.

Kyle Farmer
(Photo credit – Jon SooHoo)

Interesting enough, the next two Loons following Farmer in batting average are catchers Spencer Navin (.313) and Webster Rivas (.312).

Joey Curletta has cooled off in the past three weeks after challenging for the league lead in batting. However, he still leads the league with 70 hits along with 26 runs batted in and a .355 OBP. Selected by the Dodgers in the sixth round of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft he turned 20 in March. A right fielder with a strong throwing arm he has continued the strong play he began with the Rookie League Ogden Raptors in 2013. Still searching for his power stroke Curletta has 15 doubles and two home runs. 

Reliever Mark Pope was signed by the Dodgers as a minor league free agent following the 2013 season. The 24 year old had been a starter with limited success in his three year minor league career including a brief stop in the Independent Frontier League. As a reliever with the Loons he has posted amazing numbers in his 18 appearances. Along with eight saves he sports a 0.41 ERA and a .864 WHIP. In 22 innings Pope has limited the opposition to 11 hits and one run. He has struck out 24 and walked eight. An assignment to the high A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes should be in order following the Midwest All-Star game, or perhaps to the Class AA Chattanooga Lookouts.