Former Southeast pitcher Winkelman selected to all-star game

It's been less than a month since former Southeast Missouri State pitcher Alex Winkelman was promoted to the Houston Astros' short-season Class-A affiliate Tri-City ValleyCats.

Since he joined the ValleyCats on July 10 he's continued to excel and on Saturday afternoon it was announced that he was selected as a 2015 New York-Penn League All-Star.

Winkelman, who was drafted following his junior season in the 21st round by the Houston Astros on June 10, has a 4-0 record with the ValleyCats. He has a 1.45 ERA in 18 2/3 innings with 23 strikeouts and has walked just four batters. He was named the ValleyCats Pitcher of the Month for July by the Astros Player Development department.

The 6-foot-2, 180-pound lefty began his professional career with the Rookie-level Greeneville Astros on June 23 before his promotion to the ValleyCats. He was 2-1 with a 4.35 ERA and 14 strikeouts in four games with the Astros.

Winkelman and three of his Tri-City teammates will represent the North Team in the All-Star game on Aug. 18 at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen, Maryland.