As we draw closer to the end of the first half of the minor league baseball season we begin to see minor league All-Star teams named. Today the Southern League released their initial All-Star squad (injuries and promotions will alter the roster by the time the game arrives – they always do) and it features four Pensacola Blue Wahoos.

Pitchers Amir Garrett, Alejandro Chacin and Jackson Stephens all made the team. Only one position player made the squad from Pensacola, infielder Brandon Dixon.

24-year-old Amir Garrett currently sports a 1.63 ERA in 66.1 innings pitched. The left hander has walked 23 batters and struck out 67 opposing hitters to go along with a 1.04 WHIP.

22-year-old Jackson Stephens has a 3.36 ERA in 61.2 innings pitched for the Blue Wahoos. The right hander has walked just 14 batters and he’s struck out 52 to go along with a 1.09 WHIP.

23-year-old Alejandro Chacin has served as the closer for most of the season for Pensacola. He’s posted a 0.76 ERA in 23.2 innings with 15 walks and 29 strikeouts to go along with 10 saves.

24-year-old Brandon Dixon has spent most of his time at second base for the Blue Wahoos this season, but he’s also seen time at first, third, left and right. He’s hit .310/.360/.594 with 11 doubles and 11 home runs this season in 47 games and 172 plate appearances.

There were also two surprising omissions from the selections. Super-play-anywhere player Tony Renda was left off of the team despite hitting .319/.364/.459 in 225 plate appearances. The 25-year-old has seen time at second base, third base, left field and right field this season.

While Renda’s omission is surprising, the biggest one has to be reliever Nick Routt. The 25-year-old left hander has a 0.57 ERA in 31.1 innings pitched, has allowed just 16 hits and walked six batters. He’s got a WHIP of 0.70 and he’s struck out 25.8% of the batters he’s faced (30 out of 116). How that guy isn’t on the all-star team is mind boggling. He doesn’t have a save this season, so it appears the managers that voted on the team simply didn’t look beyond that category.