Ynoa and Viola Earn 2013 Annual All-Star Team Nods

RHP Gabriel Ynoa is SAL’s Most Outstanding Pitcher 

Savannah, GA – The South Atlantic League announced their post-season 2013 Annual All-Star Team Thursday. Two Sand Gnats representatives, RHP Gabriel Ynoa and pitching coach Frank Viola, were honored. 

Gabriel Ynoa has been named the 2013 Most Outstanding Pitcher for the South Atlantic League. Ynoa, 20, heading into his final start of the regular season tonight at Rome, has compiled a 14-4 record and a 2.71 ERA in 21 starts. He has been nothing but solid in his performances for the Sand Gnats: his 105 strikeouts rank third among his fellow pitchers and he was the first starter to throw a complete game in the SAL. 

A right-hander from the Dominican Republic, Ynoa was signed by the New York Mets in 2009 as a Free Agent. 

Pitching Coach Frank Viola is recognized as the All-Star Team’s Coach alongside Manager Tripp Keister of the Hagerstown Suns. Viola has sculpted a strong pitching staff for the Sand Gnats, with accomplishments that include a First Half Championship and a 43-26 record. Currently, the team sits at 72-59 with a 3.18 ERA that stands second in the league behind Lexington. 

In his own playing career, Viola is best recognized as the 1987 World Series Champion and World Series MVP. In 1988, arguably his best year, he won the coveted AL Cy Young Award by a landslide.

Press Release