ATLANTA — Former Tiger and now Shreveport Captains right-hand pitcher Kurt Ainsworth participated in the 2000 All-Star Futures Game as part of Major League Baseball’s All-Star weekend Sunday in Atlanta.
Although Ainsworth did not appear in the 3-2 victory, he was selected as one of 12 pitchers to represent the United States team against the World’s team that was comprised of Minor Leaguers from 13 countries.
One year after leading LSU to the NCAA Super Regional, Ainsworth has been named the San Franciso Giants’ No. 1 prospect by Baseball America.
Currently, he holds a 5-5 record with the Class AA Shreveport Captains of the Texas League. He is tied for the team lead in innings pitched (99 2/3) and games started (18), second on the team in victories (five) and strikeouts (83), and third in ERA (3.25) while holding opponents to a .227 batting average.
Along with being selected to the All-Star Futures Game, the Catholic High (Baton Rouge) grad was also named to the Texas League All-Star team that will face the Mexican League All-Stars on June 18 in E1 Paso and June 20 in Monterrey, Mexico.
In 1999, his first season with the Giants organization, Ainsworth pitched exceptionally well for the Class A Salem-Keizer Volcanoes. He posted a 3-3 record with a 1.61 ERA in 10 starts and 44 2/3 innings pitched. He struckout 64 and walked only 18.
He has twice been named the Texas League Pitcher of the Week this season.
The U.S. team was led by former Little League star Sean Burroughs who wen 3-for-4 including a crucial on-out single in the eight that led to the winning run. Burrough Last appeared on national television when he led his long Beach, Calif., Little League team to the 1992 and 1993 championships.