Posted By NYFS Staff
June 26, 2009 - New York Mets prospect Wilmer Flores has been tabbed by Major League Baseball to play in the 2009 XM All-Star Futures Game to take place on Sunday, July 12 as part of the festivities surrounding the 2009 All-Star Game in St. Louis, Mo.  Flores becomes the first Sand Gnat to be selected to a futures game while with the club since Clint Everts participated in 2004 when Savannah was affiliated with Montreal.

The 17-year-old Flores will join fellow Mets prospect Jenrry Mejia, who is currently playing for Double-A Binghamton, on the futures roster.  Both Flores and Mejia are ranked in the Top-30 prospects in the Mets organization by Baseball America (Flores is No. 2 and Mejia is No. 7).

Flores, who hails from Valencia, Ven., has been hot as of late, hitting safely in 13 of his last 15 games and in six straight leading up to tonight’s game.  He’s raised his batting average from .244 on June 5 to its current spot at .273 during the streak.  Over his last six games, Flores is hitting .435 with two doubles, a triple, one home run and two RBI.

He will be joined on the World roster by two other South Atlantic League players; Manny Banuelos of the Charleston RiverDogs (Yankees) and Kyeong Kang of the Bowling Green Hot Rods (Rays).

The 11th annual XM All-Star Futures Game begins at 2 p.m. EDT on Sunday, July 12 at Busch Stadium and can be seen locally on ESPN2, ESPN2 HD and MLB.TV.  Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith will manage the U.S. squad while St. Louis Cardinals third-base coach Jose Oquendo pilots the World squad.

The Futures Game is part of Taco Bell All-Star Sunday and is the first in a series of events leading up to the 80th All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 14.

Savannah (0-0, 35-35) opens up a nine-game homestand tonight at 7 p.m. versus the Charleston RiverDogs at Historic Grayson Stadium.  For tickets and more information, visit www.sandgnats.com or call 912.351.9150.