2019 Triple-A All-Star Game Rosters

The El Paso Chihuahuas have been the talk of the minor leagues this season, thanks to a home run surge (due in part to the major league baseball making its way to Triple-A) that has the Chihuahuas up to 172 home runs through June 30, which is more than all but four MiLB teams hit in all of 2018. El Paso will become the epicenter of Triple-A on July 10, when the Pacific Coast and International leagues square off in the classification's all-star game. 

And while home runs will surely be a hot topic of conversation, the game's biggest prospect is on the mound. Indianapolis' Mitch Keller was voted the IL's starter, and will be opposed by Memphis' Jake Woodford. Keller has long been the Pirates' top pitching prospect, and he has already made his big league debut this season. The righthander is 6-2, 2.82 with Indianapolis, and he checks in at No. 23 on the latest iteration of Baseball America's Top 100 Prospects list. 

Lauded for his combination of fastball, curveball and changeup, Keller has struck out 82 batters in 70.1 innings with Indianapolis this season and should help neutralize a potent PCL lineup in one of the game's most hitter-friendly environments. 

The PCL will send two of its most dangerous hitters—El Paso shortstop Luis Urias and Reno first baseman Kevin Cron—into action against Keller and the IL. Urias and Cron have been two of the league's biggest boppers this season and have combined for 43 long balls. Cron's 26 home runs are the most in the minor leagues, two ahead of Gwinnett's Adam Duvall. The PCL's lineup will also get a boost from New Orleans second baseman Isan Diaz, whose 18 home runs lead the Miami organization and are two shy of matching his career-best, set with low Class A Wisconsin in 2016 when he was a member of the Brewers' organization.

Astros' top position prospect Kyle Tucker also earned a starting nod for the PCL for his work with Round Rock this year. The sweet-swinging lefty has swatted 23 home runs this season and put up a .939 OPS. Like Diaz, Tucker is also two shy of tying his career-best home run mark, which he established in 2017 while playing at high Class A Buies Creek and Double-A Corpus Christi. 

The IL could counter with Durham shortstop Jake Cronenworth, who has opened a few games (even getting a crack at Yankees sluggers Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton in a rehab appearance) while also posting a .343 batting average. That figure is second only to teammate Kean Wong. Cronenworth and Wong were both elected to start the game. 

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