The Great Lakes Loons of the Class-A Midwest League have had three players named to the 2015 All-Star team. Pitchers Grant Holmes, J.D. Underwood and infielder Michael Ahmed will represent the Loons on the Eastern Division team in the All-Star Classic to be played on June 23, 2015 at Dozer Park, the home of the Peoria Chiefs.

The Loons have recently made a move in the Midwest League climbing within 3.5 games of the Eastern Division leading Lansing Lugnuts. In their last ten games the Loons have gone 9-1 with Holmes, Underwood and Ahmed being a part of the resurgence.

Grant Holmes

Grant Holmes was selected by the Dodgers in the first round the 2014 First Year Player Draft. On the season the 19-year-old Holmes has gone 3-0 with an ERA of 3.22 in 44.2 innings pitched. He has given up only 36 hits and has struck out 58 the fifth most strikeouts in the league in considerably fewer innings pitched than the league leaders above him. In his last 29 innings Holmes has given up only five earned runs and 16 hits with an ERA of 1.55 while striking out 36. Unfortunately two of his starts were cut short by rain delays.

J.D. Underwood

J.D. Underwood has been a mainstay of the Loons bullpen all season. He was selected by the Dodgers in the fifth round of the 2013 First Year Player Draft out of Palm Beach State, FL. The 22-year-old right hander is the son of former MLB pitcher Tom Underwood and nephew of Pat Underwood who also had a four year MLB career. Underwood is in his first year at the Class-A level of minor baseball. On the season he is 2-0 in 14 appearances, all in relief. In 28 innings he has posted a 2.25 ERA and a 0.93 WHIP having given up 21 hits and only five walks while striking out 28. He has been especially effective at Dow Diamond in Midland having allowed two runs in 15.2 innings resulting in a 1.15 ERA.

Mike Ahmed

Infielder Michael Ahmed has been perhaps the Loons most versatile player in 2015 having played third base, shortstop, second base as well as left and right field. He has however been predominantly a third baseman and shortstop. He was drafted by the Dodgers in the 20th round of the 2013 First Year Player Draft and is the brother of Nick Ahmed of the Arizona Diamondbacks. In 2015 with the Loons Ahmed is hitting .254 with an OBP of .339. He leads the team in doubles with 13, in stolen bases with 17 and in walks with 23. He also leads the team in games played with 50 and in at bats with 193. His 49 hits rank second on the Loons one behind teammates Jimmy Allen and Jacob Scavuzzo. The 23-year-old Ahmed started the season with an eight game hitting streak and also had a nine game streak starting in the middle of May.