Arkansas second baseman Alex Yarbrough likely won’t repeat the feat he accomplished last year when he led all of minor-league baseball in hits, but he earned an honor Thursday that only three other Travs had before him.
Yarbrough was named the Texas League Player of the Year, becoming the first Travs player to win the award since Tyrone Horne in 1998. Hector Cruze (1973) and Ray Lankford (1989) are the only other Travs to have won the award.
Yarbrough also was named to the league’s postseason All-Star team. Going into Thursday’s game against the Springfield Cardinals, he was batting .285 and led the Texas League in hits (151) and doubles (38). He also was second in RBI (72) and fourth in runs scored (66).
Travs first baseman Brian Hernandez, relief pitcher Cam Bedrosian and starting pitcher Michael Roth also were named to the postseason All-Star team. Hernandez’ .310 batting average is second in the league. Bedrosian saved 15 games before being promoted to the Los Angeles Angels — he’s currently at Class AAA Salt Lake — and Michael Roth is 11-7 with a 2.62 ERA.
Northwest Arkansas Naturals starting pitcher Andy Ferguson (Benton/Arkansas State) was named to the postseason All-Star team as well, along with Naturals outfielder Lane Adams. Ferguson was 11-10 with a 2.93 ERA before being promoted to Class AAA Omaha, and Adams was hitting. 270 with 11 home runs, 36 RBI and 37 stolen bases going into Thursday.