Three Lugnuts Named Minor League High-A All-Stars

September 19, 2024 – Midwest League (MWL)
Lansing Lugnuts News Release

LANSING, Mich. – Lansing Lugnuts first baseman Will Simpson and outfielders Henry Bolte and Brayan Buelvas were named to the Midwest League 2024 High-A All-Star Team, Minor League Baseball announced Thursday.

The trio join a group of 26 previous Lugnuts to be named post-season All-Stars in franchise history, beginning with Corey Patterson in 1999, including Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. and 2017, and most recently seeing Tyler Soderstrom honored in 2022.

In addition, Lugnuts outfielder Nate Nankil was named to the California League’s 2024 Single-A All-Star Team for his strong season with the Stockton Ports prior to his promotion to Lansing.

Simpson and Bolte are currently with the Double-A Midland RockHounds, who play Game 2 of the Texas League playoffs tonight at 8:05 p.m. at Frisco; Buelvas is on Midland’s Injured List. In Game 1, Simpson homered on the first pitch he saw, launching the RockHounds to a 2-0 victory.

Will Simpson opened the season with a two-homer game against Michigan State in the 2024 Crosstown Showdown, including a grand slam. He finished the year ranked first in the Midwest League in slugging percentage (.480), extra-base hits (47) and runs batted in (81); second in OPS (.853); tied for second in total bases (190) and doubles (27); tied for third in walks (69); fifth in home runs (16); tied for fifth in runs scored (68) and seventh in on-base percentage (.373), while topping all Lugnuts in base hits (107).

If he had not been promoted to Double-A on July 1, Henry Bolte would have topped the Midwest League in both slugging percentage (.519) and OPS (.912). As it was, the 20-year-old outfielder from Palo Alto batted .278 with 60 runs scored in 69 games, collecting 19 doubles, six triples, 11 homers and 28 stolen bases.

While both Simpson and Bolte were enjoying smash Lansing debut seasons in 2024, Brayan Buelvas blossomed in his third year with the Nuts, slashing .272/.368/.443 in 80 games while adding 20 doubles, six triples, seven homers and 22 steals.

Thanks to the trio’s productivity, Lansing’s offense finished first in the Midwest League in batting average, base hits and triples, and ranked second in runs scored, total bases and doubles.

MLB Pipeline currently ranks the 21-year-old Bolte as the A’s No. 5 overall prospect, Buelvas at No. 26 and Simpson at No. 29.

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