July 13, 2010

CURVE, Pa. - Former University of Memphis pitcher Derek Hankins has been selected to represent the Altoona Curve in the 2010 Double-A All-Star Game to be held on Wed., July 13, at Metro Bank Park in Harrisburg, Pa.

Hankins, who is one of six Curve players to be named to the Eastern League's All-Star roster, has had a stellar first half of the 2010 season to garner his first professional All-Star selection. The Altamont, Ill., native is 5-1 and leads the Eastern League with a 1.39 ERA. He has split time as both a starter and a reliever for the Curve. In 20 appearances, Hankins has earned the starting nod five times and has one complete game performance. He has three saves. In 71 innings of work, the right-hander has fanned 44 and holds opposing hitters to a .206 batting average.

A 10th-round pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2004 Major League First-Year Player Draft, Hankins excelled in one season with the Tigers. He went 8-5 in a staff-high 15 starts and fanned 114 batters in 2004--second on Memphis' single-season strikeouts list. Hankins struck-out a program-record 17 versus Murray State and added a 14-strikeout performance against Louisville in the 2004 season. Hankins earned several honors in 2004, including three C-USA Pitcher of the Week honors, Louisville Slugger National Pitcher of the Week, NCBWA Co- National Pitcher of the Week and Second Team All-C-USA recognition.

In his seven seasons of professional baseball, Hankins has recorded 35 wins and over 450 strikeouts. Hankins put together his strongest season to-date in 2007 when he posted a career-high eight wins while with Lynchburg.