The 2019 Midwest League All-Star Game featured familiar Fort Wayne TinCaps faces, as Xavier Edwards and Henry Henry both appeared for the East Division All-Stars at Four Winds Field (home of the South Bend Cubs) on a sunny Tuesday evening, helping to lead their side to a victory over the West Division. Ryan Weathers was also named to the East Division team yet did not pitch in the game, as he had started for the TinCaps over the weekend.

Edwards led off for the East Division and immediately made his presence felt in the first, singling to center field and promptly stealing second base. The middle infielder paced the Midwest League in the first half of the regular season with a .346 batting average (the next closest batter was .326), and he was tied for third in the league with 18 stolen bases.

Henry’s turn to shine came in a tie game at 3 in the top of the ninth. The 20-year-old Dominican entered the game with no one on base and two outs in the frame. After allowing a double, he buckled down, fanning Trey Dawson on three straight strikes (the final two swinging) to eliminate the threat. The right-hander would prove to be the final East Division pitcher on the night. Henry led the Midwest League with seven wins in the first half of the season.

Weathers did not appear in the game, but his performance in the first half of the regular season spoke volumes. The 7th overall pick in the 2018 Draft posted a 3.00 ERA in 10 starts with 43 strikeouts and just seven walks in 39.0 IP. Weathers also had a 1.05 WHIP and an opposing batting average of .236 in the season’s first half.

The 55th Midwest League All-Star game remained tied, 3-3, at the end of nine innings. In lieu of extra innings (to avoid the over-use of pitchers), the game was settled by a home run derby. Tampa Bay Rays prospect Chris Betts of the Bowling Green Hot Rods, who won the true MWL Home Run Derby on Monday night, won the head-to-head showdown against the West Division’s Blaze Alexander of the Kane County Cougars. See below for a further description.

The TinCaps kick off the second half of the regular season Thursday evening at 7:05 in Midland, Michigan against the Great Lakes Loons (Los Angeles Dodgers). Great Lakes won the Eastern Division in the first half with a 43-24 record.