Miracle lose shortstop to Double-A promotion

By SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-PRESS

The ninth player this season has moved up from the Fort Myers Miracle.

Shortstop J.R. Taylor was promoted to Double-A New Britain of the Eastern League on Friday, while the Miracle will receive infielder Luke Hughes from low-A Beloit of the Midwest League.

The Miracle are the high-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins and play in the Florida State League.

The 22-year-old Taylor was hitting .256 with no homers and 23 RBI in 73 games.

In 262 at-bats he struck out just 34 times. He had 10 stolen bases. The switch-hitter was a 24th-round pick by the Twins in 2000.

Hughes, 20, from Perth, Australia, was hitting .257 with 7 homers and 42 RBI in 72 games. In 292 at-bats he had 14 doubles and 21 walks while striking out 63 times.

The right-handed hitter was a non-drafted free agent in 2002.