2 Wild Things chosen for FL all-star game
Their hitting has carried the Wild Things to within a half-game of first place in the Central Division, so it was fitting that two of Washington’s hitters were chosen for the Frontier League All-Star Game that will be played July 16 at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium in Troy, N.Y., home of the Tri-City ValleyCats.
Selected from Washington to play for the Midwest Conference are shortstop Ethan Wilder and outfielder Wagner Lagrange.
It’s the second all-star game selection for Lagrange. He was an all-star in 2022, when Washington hosted the game. He is the 10th Washington play to be selected for multiple Frontier League All-Star Games.
A former New York Mets minor leaguer, Lagrange has been the Wild Things’ most consistent hitter during the first half of the season. Lagrange is batting .349 with 10 doubles, three home runs and 20 RBI. His 18 multi-hit games lead the Wild Things.
Lagrange has been selected as one of the three outfield starters for the Midwest Conference. He has been bothered recently by a knee injury and did not play during the Wild Things’ 10-game road trip that ended Sunday night at Mississippi.
For Wilder, it will be his first all-star appearance. In his second year in the league after signing with Washington out of Lander University last year, Wilder got off to a torrid start and was the league’s Player of the Week in the opening week of the season. He has played in all 51 games this season and is batting .292 and has 11 multi-hit games. Wilder has eight doubles, two home runs, 27 RBI and four stolen bases.
Lander was selected as one of the backup infielders for the Midwest Conference.
Gateway, with five players, had the most players selected to the Midwest team. Lake Erie will have four.
The Quebec Capitales will have the most players in the game. They had seven players chosen for the Atlantic Conference squad.
Roster moves
The Wild Things made several roster moves Monday ahead of their series-opening game Tuesday morning (10:35) against the Evansville Otters at EQT Park.
Washington traded relief pitcher Ryan Chasse to the High Point Rockers of the Atlantic League in exchange for infielder Carlos Amezquita and a player to be named; placed both first baseman Tyreque Reed and relief pitcher Jackson Hicks on the seven-day injured list and signed left-handed pitcher Ethan Brown.
Brown played this spring for the University of Tampa that won the NCAA Division II national championship. Brown had a 2-1 record, a 5.06 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 26.2 innings. He did issue 27 walks.
Brown previously played at South Florida.