Luis Lara Named International League All-Star, Highlights Nashville’s Strong Season

LAS VEGAS, NV - Major League Baseball’s promise of future stars took center stage Saturday as Minor League Baseball unveiled the All-Star teams and award winners for the International League and Pacific Coast League during the Triple-A Championship Game festivities at MGM Resorts in Las Vegas.

Nashville outfielder Luis Lara earned top recognition, named one of three International League All-Star outfielders and the only Sounds player selected for the 2026 season. The honor caps a breakout year for the 21-year-old, who appeared in 78 games for Nashville and turned in one of the most productive seasons in the franchise’s recent memory.

Lara’s statistical impact was both broad and consistent. He slashed .321/.432/.470 while pacing the Sounds in runs (67) and stolen bases (24). He ranked among the club leaders in nearly every major category, finishing second in hits (92), third in walks (54), and fourth in total bases (135). He also tied for fourth in triples (three) and found extra-base power repeatedly, tying for sixth in home runs (nine) and doubles (10). He drove in 42 runs to place seventh, and added 22extra-base hits for eighth.

Perhaps the most notable power surge came in the home run department. Lara’s nine long balls crushed his previous career-high of four, while also setting a new personal best in RBI. Even after his final Nashville appearance on July 5, his season-long production had already separated him from his peers.

Before his midseason path shifted, Lara entered 2026 as the fourth-youngest player in Triple-A. From the beginning of the year until his recall to Milwaukee on July 7, he led the International League in on-base percentage and runs, ranked third in batting average and walks, placed fifth in hits, and tied for eighth in stolen bases.

Lara also delivered signature moments, including a career highlight on June 23 vs. Gwinnett, when he went 5-for-5 with two doubles and two RBI.

Off the field, his rise is backed by recent organizational commitments. Lara signed a seven-year extension with the Milwaukee Brewers on June 9, months before his major league debut. He has since appeared in 61 games for Milwaukee, hitting .246 with doubles and RBI production, and was twice named to the MLB “Play of the Week.”

The selection marks the second time Lara has earned league All-Star recognition, following a Dominican Summer League Mid-Season All-Star nod in 2022. It also underscores Nashville’s recent success in postseason honors, with the Sounds having at least one International League Post-Season All-Star representative in five of the last six seasons.