Team Rankings
1. Corpus Christi Hooks
Statistics: .296/.349/.425/.774 42 Extra Base Hits 53 RBI 83 Runs 43 BB-86 K
The Hooks led the Texas League in batting average and stolen bases from the second base position. They finished 2nd in OPS, slugging %, runs scored, and total bases. They finished 3rd in on base percentage as well. Brandon Wikoff appeared in the most games at second base for Corpus Christi with 50. He batted .307 with a .403 on base percentage in those 50 games. The Hooks also received 312 of the team's 594 plate appearances at second base from Jimmy Paredes (.283/.315/.424/.739 with the Hooks) and Jose Altuve (.387/.409/.613/1.022 with the Hooks). Both of those players spent time with the major league club in 2011 and figure to be starters in 2012.
2. San Antonio Missions
Statistics: .270/.355/.419/.774 49 Extra Base Hits 69 RBI 86 Runs 69 BB-93 K
A staple at the top of each position so far, the San Antonio Missions received no less of top production from second base than any of their other positions. There is little doubt as to why the Missions were the top team in the Texas League in 2011. Vincent Belnome earned the most games played at second base for the Missions, despite missing time with injury. Belnome appeared in 52 games at second base, one of three infield positions that he played for San Antonio. In those 52 games, Belnome hit .314/.411/.573/.984 with 25 extra base hits (11 homeruns) over 220 plate appearances. Anthony Contreras also appeared in 48 games at second base and hit .246/.284/.339/.623 for the Missions. Late in the year, Dean Anna made an impact with 31 games (118 plate appearances) for San Antonio. He batted .250/.398/.359/.757 with 23 walks to just 8 strikeouts. Overall, Anna walked 41 times to just 19 strikeouts in 246 plate appearances in AA.
3. Springfield Cardinals
Statistics: .295/.346/.430/.776 48 Extra Base Hits 74 RBI 82 Runs 38 BB-92 K
The Springfield Cardinals led the league in OPS and RBI and ranked near the top in extra base hits and runs. They received good production from both Jose Garcia and Eric Duncan, who combined for 391 plate appearances at second base. Garcia hit .331 and reached base at a .379 clip for the Cardinals. He slugged .421 giving him an even .800 OPS for the season at second base. Former New York Yankees top prospect Eric Duncan signed with the Cardinals on April 19th and finished with his first .800 or higher OPS season since 2004. As a second baseman, Duncan hit .263/.293/.526/.819 with 7 homeruns in 123 plate appearances. Overall, he batted .274/.322/.527/.849 with 22 homeruns in 385 plate appearances. Donovan Solano, Jermaine Curtis, and Domnit Bolivar each appeared in at least 10 games as well. Curtis led the trio with a .340/.468/.500/.968 clip at second base.
4. Frisco RoughRiders
Statistics: .277/.342/.410/.752 43 Extra Base Hits 67 RBI 86 Runs 45 BB-94 K
Two players for Frisco saw nearly all of the playing time in 2011. Davis Stoneburner led the team with 96 games at second base with Renny Osuna finishing 2nd with 43 games played. Stoneburner's 406 plate appearances were the most by a second baseman in the Texas League. Only the Tulsa Driller's Thomas Field (395 PA) came close to Stoneburner. In those 406 plate appearances, Davis hit .273/.346/.425/.771 with 8 homeruns, 40 RBI, 17 steals, and 30 BB-66 K. The Frisco RoughRider's career hits leader, Renny Osuna, also had 199 plate appearances at second base in 2011. He batted .294/.343/.400/.743 as a second baseman, which was very similar to his overall line of .294/.341/.404/.745. Mitch Hilligoss, Edwin Garcia, and Erik Morrison combined for the other 15 plate appearances.
5. Arkansas Travelers
Statistics: .275/.374/.387/.761 35 Extra Base Hits 53 RBI 62 Runs 73 BB-94 K
Led by On Base machine Ryan Mount, the Arkansas Travelers second basemen got on base better than any other team in the Texas League in 2011. In 130 plate appearances, Mount batted .361/.442/.583/1.025 as a second baseman. Matt Cusick, who led Arkansas in games at second base, also got on base well as he walked 38 times to 25 strikeouts, and hit .245/.374/.342/.716. As the team excelled at getting on base, however, they struggled at hitting for power. Only two teams had fewer extra base hits from second base in the league and no team had fewer homeruns, total bases, RBI, or runs scored.
6. Tulsa Drillers
Statistics: .283/.353/.411/.764 34 Extra Base Hits 63 RBI 74 Runs 48 BB-111 K
The only team in the league to have more than 100 strikeouts from their second basemen, what the Tulsa Drillers did negatively via strikeouts and power (34 XBH were tied for the lowest in the league), they overcame with solid production elsewhere. The team's .283 batting average was the 3rd best in the league, their .353 OBP was 4th, and the 48 walks were 4th. Thomas Field led the team with 395 plate appearances. Eventually promoted to the big league club in September, Field batted .259/.342/.399/.741 for the Drillers as a second baseman. His 11 homeruns were tied for the most with Belnome among second basemen and his 41 RBI led the league at the position. James Cesario appeared in 40 games as well and hit .321/.380/.440/.820, while Erik Wetzel and Warren Schaeffer appeared in a combined 12 games.
7. Northwest Arkansas Naturals
Statistics: .272/.356/.384/.740 34 Extra Base Hits 61 RBI 79 Runs 59 BB-93 K
Five players earned playing time at second base in 2011 for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals and all five appeared in at least 15 games there making the position almost a revolving door. Only Jeff Bianchi did not have at least a .700 OPS in his time at second base, but he also led the team with 62 games there, or nearly half of the games in a Texas League season. Anthony Seratelli played 25 games at second base and batted .306/.479/.569/1.049. Like he did at first base, Seratelli walked a good amount with 22 walks, while limiting his strikeouts (13). In a breakout year, Seratelli (28 years old), had a full minor league season career best .790 OPS overall. He stole 35 bases in 40 attempts as well and showed power that had not been seen in full season ball with a career best 9 homeruns. Kurt Mertins also showed solid production at second base as he had an .817 OPS in 79 plate appearances.
8. Midland Rockhounds
Statistics: .271/.343/.392/.735 38 Extra Base Hits 57 RBI 73 Runs 43 BB-98 K
Coming in last in the league at second base, the Midland Rockhounds weren't terrible at the position, but it was so solid all-around that someone had to finish last. Amazingly, there were two teams that had sub .700 OPS's at a usual offensive position like first base, and zero with an OPS sub .730 at a usual non-offensive position like second base. Anyways, Tyler Ladendorf earned the most playing time at second base for the Midland Rockhounds with 64 games (245 plate appearances). In that time, he batted just .202/.278/.289/.567 with as many extra base hits (13) as RBI (13). Wes Timmons led the team with RBI at the position with 23. Timmons appeared in 34 games at second base and hit a ridiculous .400/.442/.533/.976. The longtime minor league player had the best season of his career to date as he hit .341/.420/.468/.888 with career bests 8 homeruns and 62 RBI between AA Midland and AAA Sacramento. Adam Heether was also productive in his short playing time at second base as the utility player hit .253/.374/.471/.845 over 107 plate appearances. Jason Christian appeared in 21 games as well and hit .273/.325/.364/.689 while Josh Horton finished up the second base position with 1 game.
Previous Positions:
Catcher
First Base
Second Base
Third Base
Shortstop
Left Field
Center Field
Right Field
Designated Hitter
Starting Pitcher
Relievers
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