The Louisville Bats got some doubly good news Thursday.
First, infielder Irving Falu was named to the International League All-Star team.
Then, later in the day, the Cincinnati Reds’ No. 1 prospect - right-handed pitcher Robert Stephenson - tweeted that he’s heading to Louisville to join the Bats.
Falu, a 32-year-old second baseman who entered the day with the fifth-highest batting average (.316) among all qualifying hitters in the IL, will suit up for the IL when it takes on the Pacific Coast League in the 28th Annual Triple-A All-Star Game on July 15 at Werner Park in Omaha, Neb.
In addition to leading Louisville in hitting, Falu also tops the team in stolen bases (11), on-base percentage (.380), on-base plus slugging (.793) and is tied for the lead in triples (three). He’s also second on the squad in runs (37), runs batted in (31), total bases (101) and is tied for second in doubles (12). Falu spent most of the 2014 season with the Nashville Sounds, the former Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. He hit .291 with the Sounds.
Falu, who has a lifetime batting average of .280 in the minors and has hit .277 in 47 games in the Majors, is the cousin of former big league infielder Luis Alicea, who played for the Louisville Redbirds in the late 1980’s and early 90’s.
Meanwhile it looks like Stephenson is being promoted from Double-A Pensacola to the Bats.
“huge thanks to everyone with @BlueWahoosBball for everything these past three years!! can’t wait to join @LouisvilleBats #OneStepCloser,” Stephenson tweeted.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound, 22-year-old flame-thrower, who is ranked as the No. 1 Cincinnati minor-league prospect (and 18th overall) by mlbpipeline.com, has compiled a 4-7 record with a 4.68 earned-run average in 14 starts to far for Pensacola. In 78.1 innings pitched he has struck out 89 and opposing hitters have a paltry .197 batting average against him.
Stephenson was a first round (27th overall) pick by the Reds in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft out of Alhambra High School in Martinez, Calif. He should be a welcome addition to a Louisville pitching staff that entered Thursday ranked 13th in the 14-team IL in ERA (4.26) and 14th in strikeouts (497).
Meanwhile Louisville’s Thursday night game against Columbus was suspended in the bottom of the third inning with the Clippers leading 1-0. The game will resume at 5 p.m. Friday afternoon at Louisville Slugger Field as part of a doubleheader (the first game will be played to the full nine innings, while the second will be a seven-inning game). The second game will be followed by the Bats’ July 3 Fireworks Extravaganza.
Photo courtesy Louisville Bats Facebook Page
