International League
Indians Announce 2008 Team Roster
INDIANAPOLIS -- Five first-round draft picks highlight a list of 25 players who are en route to Indianapolis for the 2008 Triple-A Baseball season. The Indians' Opening Day roster will also feature 14 returning players and eight members of Pittsburgh's 40-man roster.
LHP Sean Burnett (2000), RHP John Van Benschoten (2001), RHP Bryan Bullington (2002), INF Neil Walker (2004) and OF Andrew McCutchen (2005) were all selected by the Pirates in the opening round of Major League Baseball's annual First-Year Player Draft.
Burnett (15 Triple-A starts, 4-5 record, 4.48 ERA), Van Benschoten (19, 10-7, 2.56) and Bullington (26, 11-9, 4.00) all spent significant time with Indianapolis in 2007. Van Benschoten also pitched in 11 games for Pittsburgh, while Bullington saw action in five contests for the Pirates.
Van Benschoten was the Tribe's 2007 Right-Handed Pitcher of the Year, while Bullington earned Comeback Player of the Year accolades. Bullington, a former Ball State University star who was born in Indianapolis, also earned the Indians' 2005 ERA Award after going 9-5 with a 3.38 ERA in 18 starts.
Walker and McCutchen spent most of 2007 with Double-A Altoona (Pa.) before receiving Aug. 17 promotions to the Tribe. Walker hit .288 with 13 HR and 66 RBI in 117 games for Altoona, while McCutchen batted .258 with 10 HR and 48 RBI in 118 contests for the Curve.
Four of Pittsburgh's Top-10 prospects will also start the campaign in Indianapolis. McCutchen (No. 1) and Walker (No. 2) are joined by 1B/RF Steve Pearce (No. 3) and INF Brian Bixler (No. 8).
Pearce covered four levels in 2007, starting with High-A Lynchburg (Va.) and finishing with Pittsburgh. Named Minor League Baseball's Player of the Year by MiLB.com & Topps, he collected 31 HR and 119 RBI while hitting better than .300 at three of the four stops.
Bixler, who was named the Tribe's 2007 Most Valuable Player, hit .274 with five HR and 51 RBI in 129 Triple-A affairs. He also earned International League Mid-Season and Postseason All-Star honors.
RHP Jonah Bayliss (16 Triple-A appearances, 3-2 record, 7.06 ERA), RHP Jesse Chavez (46, 3-3, 3.92), RHP Luis Munoz (3, 2-1, 3.12), C Carlos Maldonado (46 Triple-A contests, .219 average, 1 HR, 19 RBI), INF Adam Boeve (29, .277, 4, 6), INF Matt Kata (19, .278, 2, 5) and INF Luis Ordaz (102, .302, 3, 36) also return in 2008.
The list of newcomers includes RHP T.J. Beam, RHP Jason Davis, RHP Marino Salas, RHP Romulo Sanchez, RHP Ty Taubenheim, RHP Mike Thompson, C Raul Chavez, C Michel Hernandez, INF Josh Wilson, OF Jorge Cortes and OF Kevin Thompson.
Beam (Scranton/W-B, 29 appearances, 4-3 record, 3.59 ERA), Taubenheim (Syracuse, 19, 4-7, 6.37), R. Chavez (Scranton/W-B, 86 games, .221 average, 4 HR, 31 RBI), Hernandez (Durham, 51, .276, 4, 19) and K. Thompson (Scranton/W-B, 77, .281, 5, 37) all spent significant time in the International League a season ago.
Salas (Nashville, 14, 0-1, 4.94) and M. Thompson (Portland, 23, 4-11, 6.24) come over from the Pacific Coast League, while Davis (Cleveland, 8, 0-0, 4.76 and Seattle, 16, 2-0, 6.31) and Wilson (Washington, 15, .053, 0, 0 and Tampa Bay, 90, .251, 2, 24) join the Indians after spending a good portion of 2007 in the big leagues.
Sanchez has been promoted from Altoona after going 6-3 with a 2.81 ERA in 40 Double-A tilts a year ago, while Cortes hit .293 with two HR and 38 RBI in 112 games for Double-A Tennessee.
Bullington has been designated as the Tribe's Opening Day starter, while Davis, Munoz, Taubenheim and Van Benschoten will also begin the year in the starting rotation. Bayliss, Beam, Burnett, J. Chavez, Salas, Sanchez and M. Thompson will see action out of the bullpen.
Maldonado, Hernandez and R. Chavez will fight for playing time behind the plate, while Boeve (1B), Walker (3B), Bixler (2B/SS), Ordaz (2B/SS), Kata (2B/SS/3B) and Wilson (2B/SS/3B) will compete for innings at the other four infield positions. Cortes, McCutchen, Pearce and K. Thompson will be the club's four outfield options.
Manager Trent Jewett will lead Indianapolis for a fourth straight year, while Hitting Coach Hensley "Bam Bam" Meulens, Trainer Jose Ministral and Strength & Conditioning Coach Mubarak Malik also return to the Tribe's 2008 field staff.
The lone newcomer to the Indians' field staff is Pitching Coach Ray Searage, who spent the past two seasons in the same capacity for Altoona. He replaces Jeff Andrews, who is now pitching coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The regular season begins on Thursday when Indianapolis travels to Pawtucket for a 7:05 p.m. contest.
Opening Night at Victory Field is Friday, April 11, when the Indians entertain Norfolk at 7:15 p.m. The Tribe is guaranteeing warm weather for the home opener. If the game starts with a temperature of below 60 degrees, everyone in attendance will receive a FREE ticket to another home game in April.
Season-ticket packages are available by visiting
Indianapolis Indians: Home or calling 317-269-3545 ext. 258. Single-game tickets are available by going on-line, visiting the Victory Field Box Office or calling Ticketmaster at 317-239-5151.