NEW YORK -- Reigning MVP Ichiro Suzuki leads American League players in balloting for next month's All-Star game.

Suzuki, who won the MVP and Rookie of the Year for the Seattle Mariners last year, has 299,685 votes. Suzuki started the day batting a league-leading .376.

New York Yankees second baseman Alfonso Soriano, third in last year's Rookie of the Year balloting, has the second-most votes in the AL with 239,477.

Boston's Shea Hillenbrand, another second-year player, leads third baseman with 165,969 votes.

Other leaders are Yankees first baseman Jason Giambi, Texas shortstop Alex Rodriguez and catcher Ivan Rodriguez, and outfielders Manny Ramirez of Boston and Mike Cameron of Seattle.

The All-Star game will be played in Milwaukee on July 9 and the AL team will be managed by New York's Joe Torre.