Dickey-Stephens Park, North Little Rock, Arkansas - The Arkansas Travelers in conjunction with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim announce their roster for the opening of the 2008 baseball season. In his second year as Travs Manager Bobby Magallanes will work with a group consisting of 12 pitchers and 12 position players plus an average age of 24.6 years. Ten players will return to Arkansas from the 2007 season joined by 14 newcomers including OF Chris Pettit, the 2007 Angels Minor League Player of the Year, and SS Hainley Statia, LA's Minor League Defensive Player of the Year.
The 23-year old Pettit hit .327 with 18 home runs and 95 RBI splitting the 2007 season between Cedar Rapids and Rancho Cucamonga. Statia, 22, also performed well at the plate for Rancho Cucamonga with a .288 batting average, 74 RBI and 29 steals. Statia also led the California League in games played (135) and at-bats (549) while ranking second in base hits (158).
The Angels signed 1B Jesse Hoorelbeke and 3B Corey Smith out of the independent Atlantic League to handle the corner positions. Hoorelbeke, 30, is coming off a monster year for Bridgeport where he was the Atlantic League's co-Player of the Year with a league-best 33 home runs to go with a .313 average and 94 RBI. Formerly with the Mariners organization, Hoorelbeke swatted 22 homers with San Antonio in 2006. The 25-year old Smith is a former first-round pick of the Indians, and hit .274 with 18 homers for Newark in 2007. 2B Nate Sutton, who hit .277 last year at Rancho in 135 games, is expected to round out the starting infield with Ryan Leahy and Mike Collins returning to back up.
Pettit will be joined in the Travs' outfield by three returning players; Brad Coon, Aaron Peel and Cody Fuller. Coon, 25, joined the Travs in July and batted .301 in 51 games with 25 steals. Peel joins the Travs' opening day roster for the third straight season. The 25-year old batted .255 in 83 games with the Travs before a mid-season demotion. Peel finished the season with a flourish batting .346 with Rancho Cucamonga in the last month. Fuller, 25, played in 106 games for the Travs collecting a .221 average and 20 steals.
Both catchers on the club return to Arkansas with Ben Johnson due to start and Tim Duff backing up. Johnson, 26, hit 19 home runs between the Cal League and Arkansas and in 34 games with the Travs collected a .267 average, 5 homers and 18 RBI. Duff, 26, caught 46 games with the Travs last year and finished the season at Salt Lake.
The Travs' all right-handed starting pitching rotation includes four returnees; Fernando Rodriguez, Brok Butcher, Robert Mosebach and Jesse Smith. The opening day starter will be the 23-year old Rodriguez who was 8-4 for the Travs last year and holds a 19-12 record over the last two seasons. Butcher, 24, was 5-7 with a 2.69 ERA in 18 starts for Rancho Cucamonga before a promotion to Arkansas. Mosebach, 23, finished with two starts at Arkansas after an 11-7 season at Rancho Cucamonga. Smith, beginning his third season with the Travs, was limited to five appearances last year because of an arm injury. Anthony Ortega, 22, joins the Travs' rotation from Rancho Cucamonga where his 4.02 ERA ranked fifth in the Cal League.
RHP Stephen Marek, 24, will move into the bullpen for the first time and serve as the Travs' closer. Marek was 8-10 with a 4.30 ERA for Rancho Cucamonga last year. RHP Kevin Jepsen, 23, will also work late innings out of the bullpen after two years at Rancho where he averaged almost one strikeout per inning. Doug Brandt, 23, is the only left hander available in the pen and comes to Arkansas after splitting the 2007 season between Cedar Rapids and Rancho. Brandt tossed 104 innings allowing a 2.49 ERA with 115 strikeouts. RHP Francisco Rodriguez, 25, also joins the Travs' bullpen after two years at Rancho Cucamonga. RHP Bill Edwards returns for a third season with the Travs after a 4-4, 4.74 ERA season. RHP Von Stertzbach and RHP David Austen look to bounce back from injuries in their third years at Arkansas.
The Travs will open the season on Thursday by hosting the Midland RockHounds at Dickey-Stephens Park. First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m.
The Travs and Angels enter their eighth season of an affiliation dating to 2001. During the affiliation, the Travs hold a 433-541 (.444) record, claimed the 2001 Texas League Championship and the 2005 Texas League Eastern Division pennant.
Avalanche Set 2008 Opening Day Roster With Twelve Returnees
Carolina League
Salem, VA - The Salem Avalanche, Advanced Class-A affiliate of the Houston Astros, has locked in its 2008 Opening Day roster. The 2008 lineup includes a dozen former Salem players and 13 newcomers.
Outfielder Orlando Rosales returns to Salem after hitting .283 in his Advanced Class-A debut season. Rosales also finished with 20 doubles in 111 games with the Avalanche. He's joined by Ryan Reed, who played in 87 games last season despite a shoulder injury.
On the infield, Mark Ori is back to man first base. Ori finished third on the '07 Avalanche with nine home runs and hit .272 in his initial Advanced-A campaign. Middle-infielder Wladimir Sutil also returns to the Salem infield. He led the Avs in stolen bases with 35 in 2007. In addition, switch-hitter Tim Torres begins the season with Salem. The Oral Roberts product hit .262 in three stints with the Avalanche in 2007.
The list of returnees in the pitching staff includes left-hander Chris Salamida and righty Raymar Diaz, each of whom won eight games last season. Also, lefty Polin Trinidad, who joined the Avs for the playoff run last year, will be in the starting rotation.
The new faces include substantial power from the 2007 Lexington Legends. The South Atlantic League affiliate's top two home run men from last season, Koby Clemens and Jordan Parraz, dot the Salem roster.
Clemens, the son of former Major League right-hander Roger, moves from the hot corner to catcher for the 2008 season. In 2007, he hit .252 with 15 home runs and 56 RBI.
Jordan Parraz finished second to Clemens in Lexington home runs and led the Legends with 76 RBI. The Astros chose the 23-year-old from Nevada in the third round of the 2004 entry draft.
On the mound, the Salem starting rotation will contain the Lexington wins leader from a year ago, David Qualben. The lefty went 11-8 with a 3.94 ERA in the South Atlantic League last year.
PEORIA, IL- The Chicago Cubs have announced the players who will comprise the 2008 Opening Day roster for the Peoria Chiefs. Headlining for the Chiefs this year are Robert Hernandez, who is returning for his second season with the team, Josh Donaldson, Ryan Acosta, and Kyler Burke. Other returning Chiefs include infielder Jonathan Mota, outfielder Dylan Johnston, catcher Blake Lalli, and pitcher Blake Parker, among others.
The 2008 roster includes eight players who played with the Chiefs last season plus another who played for the team in 2006. Ten players were acquired from the 2007 draft, with the remaining fifteen having joined the Cubs system as far back as 2003. Eight of the players are from Latin American, with one hailing from South Korea. Among the infielders, Marwin Gonzalez and Jonathan Mota are switching between shortstop and second base, while Nathan Samson will also be working at second. Jovan Rosa is at third base, and Marquez Smith is covering second and third. Mota is returning for his third season with the Chiefs. Last year, he played shortstop, second, and third base for the infield and hit .307 at O'Brien Field. Mota was signed in 2003 as a non-drafted free agent.
Gonzalez had 17 hits in 17 games in Mesa last season, seven of which were for extra bases. He was signed by the Cubs as a non-drafted free agent in November of 2005.
Rosa hit .359 in 59 games with at Lake City Community College in 2007, with nine homers, 57 runs scored, 16 doubles, and 56 RBI. He was a 22nd round selection in the June, 2006 First-Year Player Draft. Rosa was named First Team All-Connecticut and Rawlings All-Region Player before being drafted by the White Sox after high school.
Samson played for the Chiefs last season, following a brief stint in Daytona. With the Chiefs, he batted .246 in 61 games. He was a 34th round selection from the June 2006 amateur player draft. Samson's father, Fred, played eight seasons with the Texas Rangers organization in the late 80's and early 90's.
Smith, an 8th round selection in the June 2007 amateur player draft, was selected as a preseason first-team All-ACC prior to his senior year at Clemson University. He was also rated the number one defensive third baseman in the ACC in the preseason by Baseball America. Smith is a veteran to the Peoria team and batted .297 in his 18 games with the Chiefs last year, collecting three homers and 14 RBI.
The 2008 outfield includes Cliff Andersen , Kyler Burke, and Dylan Johnston covering left field. Drew Rundle is expected to split time between the outfield and first base. Andersen spent the majority of the 2007 season in Mesa, where he batted .298 in 45 games, pulling in 11 doubles and 17 RBI. He also scored seven triples this year, tying him for third in the Northwest League. Andersen was selected in 2006 in the ninth round of the draft.
Burke signed with the San Diego Padres in 2006, but was traded to the Cubs system with Rob Bowen for Michael Barrett last summer after playing for Fort Wayne in the Midwest League. In 2007, Burke hit .254 in 63 games with Boise, with ten home runs and 41 RBI.
Johnston began the 2007 season with the Chiefs as the starting shortstop before being plagued with his second injury in just two years. He suffered an ankle injury in 2006 while playing with Peoria. In Johnston's 62 games with the Hawks last year, he hit .237 with three home runs and 16 RBI.
Rundle was rated the 106th best player by Baseball America pre-draft, projecting him as a 3rd or 4th rounder, but he wasn't selected by the Cubs until the 14th round of the 2006 draft. In 48 games in Boise last season, Rundle finished with a batting average of .199. Three catchers are leading off Peoria's 2008 season: Josh Donaldson, Blake Lalli, and Mario Mercedes.
Donaldson led all NWL catchers last year with a .990 fielding percentage, throwing out 38 percent of basestealers. He was a Cubs 2nd round selection in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft.
Lalli is returning for his third year with the Chiefs, where he is expected to split his time between catching, first base, and as a designated hitter. Lalli had a .295 average in 77 games last season. He was signed with the Cubs in 2006 as a non-drafted free agent.
Mercedes signed with the Cubs in 2003 when he was 16 as a non-drafted free agent. He allowed only four passed balls last year and made only two errors in 167 chances.
The 2008 Opening Day roster consists of 13 pitchers. The tentatively planned starting rotation includes Al Albuquerque, Robert Hernandez, Chris Siegfried, Zach Ashwood, Dae-Eun Rhee and possibly Ryan Acosta.
Albuquerque started the 2007 season in Peoria until a reoccurring injury to his arm sent him to Boise. He made six starts and went 3-2 with the Hawks as well as gaining one save and posting a 3.73 ERA in ten games.
Hernandez, a Venezuelan native, was the youngest pitcher in the Midwest League in 2007, at 18 years of age. Hernandez posted a 8-9 mark with a 3.20 ERA in 20 games, and in 18 of his 20 appearances, he worked at least five innings or more, helping him to the fifth-highest inning total (103 1/3) on the Chiefs staff. Five of his eight wins came at O'Brien Field.
Siegfried is returning to Peoria for his second season with the Chiefs. In 2007, he went 2-0 with a 5.59 in 10 games. He was an 11th round selection for the Cubs in the 2007 amateur player draft. The lefthander was the winning pitcher in the first ever no-hitter thrown at O'Brien Field last August.
Ashwood was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in 2004 but chose to go on to Texas Christian University instead. He finished his college career at Kansas and was drafted by the Cubs last June. In Boise last year, Ashwood went 4-3 with a 3.28 ERA in 18 games.
Rhee was signed by the Cubs as a non-drafted free agent in 2007 and will make his professional debut this season with the Chiefs. Rhee will be the first South Korean native to wear the Chiefs uniform.
Acosta was selected in 2007 as a 12th round pick by the Cubs. He pitched three games with the Hawks last year, going 0-2 with a 3.00 ERA. In 2007, Acosta was named an Under-Armour All-American and a Rawlings All-American.
The bullpen will be made up of seven more pitchers, including Alberto Cabrera, Jordan Lathem, Marcos Mateo, Craig Muschko, Blake Parker, Dustin Sasser, and Steve Vento.
Cabrera went 3-0 in five starts with Boise last summer, striking out 23 batters and walking ten in 26 innings of work with the Hawks. He was signed with the Cubs in July of 2005.
Latham is noted for his 87 to 91 MPH fastball, and last year in Boise he went 2-0 with a 3.74 ERA in 20 games. He was signed in the 29th round of the 2006 draft.
Mateo was traded to the Cubs in September of 2007 to complete the Buck Coats trade with the Cincinnati Reds. While with the Dayton Dragons, he was selected to the 2007 Midwest League All-Star team. In 41 games last year, Mateo went 2-4 with a 3.50 ERA and didn't allow a run in 5 1/3 innings against the Chiefs.
Muschko attended LaSalle University, planning on playing football but walking onto the baseball team as a freshman instead. After being selected in the 22nd round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft, Muschko played in 14 games, where he went 0-2 with a 6.86 ERA.
Parker played for four years while attending the University of Arkansas, where he split his time between right field, first base, and catcher, after pitching throughout high school. He returned to the mound with the Hawks last year, going 1-0 with a 3.18 ERA in 8 games. Parker was selected by the Cubs in 2006 in the 16th round and finished that season with the Chiefs at third base in the playoffs before becoming a pitcher.
Sasser spent all of 2007 with Boise, starting in all 14 games he played. He went 3-4 with a 4.59 ERA. He was selected in the 15th round of the 2007 draft.
Vento made 22 appearances last year in Boise while posting a 2-1 record with a 4.23 ERA. He struck out 29 and walked 21 in 33 1/3 innings of work with the Hawks. Vento's brother-in-law, Tommy Murphy, plays for the Anaheim Angels. The Chiefs players and their coaches will arrive in Peoria Monday night March 31 and will have two practices at O'Brien Field before the season opener in Burlington, IA on Thursday. The Chiefs will practice Tuesday April 1 at 10 AM and Wednesday April 2 at 8: PM. On Tuesday, The Chiefs will make Manager Ryne Sandberg available to all accredited media starting at 9:30 AM. If there are weather concerns, the players will be available in the clubhouse or dugouts. The Chiefs will also practice Wednesday at 8 PM at O'Brien Field following the Bradley University game. While the players will be available to the media during practice, Sandberg WILL NOT be conducting interviews on Wednesday.
The Great Lakes Loons, in cooperation with the Los Angeles Dodgers, have released the opening day roster for the second season of Loons baseball. The roster is highlighted by nine players who played for the Loons in 2007 returning to action at Dow Diamond and six players ranking in Baseball America's Top 30 prospect list.
Pitchers Steven Johnson, Thomas Melgarejo, Miguel Ramirez, Miguel Sanfler and Kyle Smit; catcher Kenley Jansen; infielders Brian Mathews and Preston Mattingly; and outfielder Scott Van Slyke all played for the Loons during the 2007 inaugural season.
The six players on the Loons' roster ranked in Baseball America's Top 30 prospect list in the Dodgers' organization are: third baseman Pedro Baez (10), pitcher Bryan Morris (12), outfielder Andrew Lambo (14), pitcher Justin Miller (22), second baseman Mattingly (28) and pitcher Geison Aguasviva (30).
The roster includes 27 players and five staff members. The roster will be amended to indicate the 25 active players by opening day.
The newest members of the Great Lakes Loons open their 2008 season April 3 against the Dayton Dragons at Dow Diamond. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm. Tickets still remain for the entire four-game series, April 3-6, online at Loons.com, by phone at 989-837-BALL or in person at the Dow Diamond ticket office.
The Loons are the second-year Single-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers and members of the Midwest League. For more information about the Loons, visit Loons.com or call 989-837-BALL.
Fort Wayne, IN - The official opening day roster for the 2008 Fort Wayne Wizards was announced today by members of the San Diego Padres, the major league affiliate of the Wizards.
Seven players who appeared with Fort Wayne last season will open the year with the Wizards and 16 players who were drafted by the Padres organization last summer will be a part of the club.
The outfield is led by Luis Durango, who won the Arizona League batting title in 2006 and the Northwest League batting title last season. Durango was also named the 2007 Topps Northwest League Player of the Year, hitting .367 with a league-best 110 hits and eight triples.
Also leading the outfield will be Brad Chalk, a second round pick from Clemson. He split the 2007 season between Peoria and Eugene, hitting a combined .276 in 34 games.
The infield will be anchored by Drew Cumberland, a supplemental first round selection by San Diego in the 2007 June Amateur Draft. He split time between Peoria and Eugene last year, combining to hit .320 over the span of 25 games between the two leagues.
The pitching staff consists of six players who spent time in Fort Wayne, including left-hander Allen Harrington, the Padres 13th round pick out of Lamar University.
Opening day for the Wizards is set for Thursday, April 3 at 6:00 p.m. when they play host to the Lansing Lugnuts, the Midwest League affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays.
The annual Meet the Team Night will be held Wednesday, April 2nd at Memorial Stadium from 6:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Fans are invited to meet the players, get autographs, and purchase new merchandise and souvenirs at the team store.
Former major leaguer Doug Dascenzo returns for his second season at the helm of the Wizards. He will be joined by hitting coach Tom Tornincasa and pitching coach Tom Bradley. Both Tornincasa and Bradley are familiar with Fort Wayne, having served in the same capacities for the Wizards in previous seasons. Tornincasa was the hitting coach from 2001-2004 and Bradley served as the pitching coach in 2006.
An updated roster follows this release and an updated roster with uniform numbers will be released later this week.
Burlington, IA - The Burlington Bees, the Single-A Midwest League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals, are pleased to announce their 2008 opening day roster. The roster is highlighted by shortstop Mike Moustakas, who was taken second overall by the Royals in the 2007 amateur entry draft. The roster also includes three players who spent time with the Bees during the 2007 season.
Moustakas, who is expected to be the everyday shortstop, played 11 games at Idaho Falls of the Pioneer league last season. In 41 at-bats, he hit .293 with 10 RBI. At age 19, Moustakas is one of the two youngest position players on the team. Two pitchers who appeared for the Bees last season are set to rejoin Burlington this season. Edward Cegarra appeared in 16 games with nine starts for the Bees last season. He finished the season with a record of 1-6, 1 save and a 5.12 ERA. He struck out 37 batters while only walking 16. Danny Gutierrez started seven games for Burlington during the 2007 campaign. He finished with a record of 1-2 with a 4.88 ERA. In 31.1 innings pitched, Gutierrez struck out 27 batters.
Outfielder Jamar Walton is the only returning position player. Originally drafted by the Marlins in the fourth round of the 2004 amateur entry draft, he spent the first three years of his career in the Florida organization. He appeared in 54 games last season for the Bees and finished with a .278 batting average.
The roster will include three catchers, seven infielders and four outfielders. There will be 12 pitchers on the roster, which includes two left-handers.
Fans will have the opportunity to welcome the players to Burlington during the annual "Meet the Bees" event, which will be held on Wednesday night. The event will begin at 6:00 at Fun City. Tickets for the evening will be available at the door. The cost for the event is $10 and will include refreshments and a pizza buffet. All Bees players, coaches and front office staff will be at the event. Opening day is scheduled for Thursday night. The Bees will welcome the Peoria Chiefs, who are managed by former Cubs great and hall-of-famer Ryne Sandberg. Tickets are available now online at Burlington Bees: Home or by calling the Bees office at (319) 754-5705.
The 2008 Cedar Rapids Kernels have broken Spring Training camp and are on their way to Cedar Rapids! The 25-player roster includes two of the LA Angels Top 10 Prospects, as ranked by Baseball America, in RHP Jordan Walden (#3) and C Anel De Los Santos (#10).
The roster includes three members of the 2007 MWL playoff team as C Cody Collet, RHP Sammy Leon, and OF Tyler Johnson return to Cedar Rapids.
Pitching will once again be the Kernels' strong suit as the projected starting rotation features three left-handers (Michael Anton, Robert Fish and Trevor Reckling) with Mason Tobin and Jordan Walden completing the starting five. The bullpen looks strong too with two closers: RHP Eddie McKiernan (5 saves) and RHP Ryan Brasier (9 saves - .212 BA against).
The Kernels' offense should feature power and speed as OF Anthony Norman led the Arizona League in batting average (.362) and triples (10). Third baseman Jay Brossman had 7 HR and 44 RBI and first baseman Gordon Gronkowski had 8 HR and 50 RBI for the Orem Owlz last season.
Three position players join the Kernels as Angels Top 10 draft picks - they are: INF Andrew Romine (5th Rd - 2007), OF Clay Fuller (4th Rd - 2007) and OF Jeremy Moore (6th Rd - 2005).
The 2008 Kernels are scheduled to arrive in Cedar Rapids at 6 pm tonight (Monday). They are scheduled to play an exhibition game against Kirkwood Community College at 5:30 pm on Tuesday, April 1st as part of Meet the Kernels Night' and start the 2008 MWL season on the road at Clinton on Thursday, April 4th.
Opening Day at Dale and Thomas Popcorn Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium is scheduled for Monday, April 7th at noon when the Kernels take on the Quad City River Bandits. Tickets are on sale on-line at Cedar Rapids Kernels Professional Baseball , or by calling the Kernels Ticket Office at (319) 896-7560. Ticket Office hours are 10 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday and 10 am to 2 pm on Saturday.
Dayton, Ohio-The Dayton Dragons 2008 opening day roster will include a 2007 first round draft choice, the second most prolific home run hitter in all of college baseball from last spring, and 10 returning players from previous Dragons clubs. The Dragons announced their 25-man roster on Monday.
Shortstop Todd Frazier and third baseman Brandon Waring headline the roster. Frazier, selected in the first round of the 2007 draft by the Cincinnati Reds, was chosen as the top prospect in the Pioneer League with Billings last summer after signing with the Reds. He hit 22 home runs last spring at Rutgers University to rank fourth in the country.
Waring hit 27 home runs at Wofford College to rank second among all NCAA Division I players. After signing with the Reds, he hit another 20 homers at Billings to lead the Pioneer League and all short-season professional leagues.
Both Frazier and Waring played briefly for the Dragons in 2007. Other returning members of the Dragons (and their seasons in Dayton) include pitchers Philippe Valiquette (2005-07), Terrell Young (2006-07), Luis Montano (2006), and Jamie Arneson (2007); catchers Anthony Esquer (2007) and Jake Long (2007); and outfielders Keltavious Jones (2007) and Denis Phipps (2007).
The Dragons roster includes 12 pitchers, three catchers, six infielders, and four outfielders.
The starting pitching rotation will consist of Arneson along with Scott Carroll, Matt Klinker, Andrew Bowman, and Curtis Partch. Carroll, the Reds third round pick last June out of Missouri State University, will start the season opener Thursday night at Great Lakes. Klinker is a native of West Chester, Ohio.
The bullpen will be made up of Valiquette, Young, and Montano as well as Joseph Krebs, Jeff Jeffords, Jeremy Horst, and Enerio Del Rosario. Jeffords served as the closer last spring at the University of South Carolina, a club that was ranked #1 in the nation at one point.
Esquer and Long will be joined at the catcher position by Jason Bour, a 2007 1st Team All-Colonial Athletic Conference selection at George Mason University.
Frazier and Waring will make up the left side of the infield. Mike McKennon, a Pioneer League full-season all-star last season, will play first base. Kevyn Feiner, Brett Bartles, and Angel Cabrera will see action at second base.
The outfield will feature Phipps in right. Brandon Menchaca, a former All-American at the University of Delaware, is slated for left field. Former Reds fourth round draft pick Justin Reed will play center field. Jones, who spent most of last season at Billings and hit .318, is also in the outfield picture.
The entire coaching staff, including manager Donnie Scott, pitching coach Doug Bair, and hitting coach Darren Bragg, returns from 2007. Alfonso Flores is the Dragons trainer while Nigel Price is the strength and conditioning coach.
After opening the season with a four game set at Great Lakes Thursday through Sunday, the Dragons will open the home season Monday, April 7th vs. Fort Wayne at Fifth Third Field.
More Information: The Dayton Dragons are the Midwest League affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds and play a 70-game home schedule at beautiful Fifth Third Field in downtown Dayton, easily accessible from Interstate 75. Individuals and groups seeking information about Dayton Dragons group tickets, lawn tickets, the season ticket wait list, sponsorship opportunities or booking a Dragons speaker are encouraged to contact the Dragons by calling at (937) 228-2287, emailing at dragons@daytondragons.com, or on the web at daytondragons.com.
Red Sox Prospects Ready To Launch 2008 Season In Greenville
South Atlantic League
Greenville, S.C. - The Greenville Drive will kick-off the new season on Thursday, April 3rd with an abundance of exciting young talent. New manager Kevin Boles will have several of the organization's top young prospects at his disposal in a farm system that was recently ranked as the second best in baseball by Baseball America as the 2008 Drive roster has been announced. Highlighting the Drive roster will be 12 players who saw action in Greenville during the 2007 season, and 11 players who were selected in last season's First-Year Player Draft.
Drive General Manager, Mike deMaine noted, "The Red Sox are among the best in the game at scouting, drafting and developing fresh major league talent, like Clay Buchholz, Jon Lester, Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia, Jonathan Papelbon, and Kevin Youkilis." deMaine added, "The 2008 Drive roster will once again feature some of the organization's brightest prospects that our fans will enjoy cheering on."
Nick Hagadone, the Red Sox top draft selection in 2007 and ranked as the eighth best prospect in Boston's farm system according to Baseball America, will anchor the Drive's pitching staff after a stellar debut for the Lowell Spinners in 2006. The lefthander from the University of Washington set a Spinners record when he finished the season with 23 consecutive scoreless innings pitched.
Outfielder Josh Reddick, ranked as the tenth best prospect in the Red Sox system, returns to the Drive after putting up some impressive numbers in his first professional season last year. After beginning the season at extended Spring Training, Reddick joined the Drive in May and immediately made an impact. He finished the season with a .305 batting average, 18 home runs, and 72 RBI. In addition, Reddick led the league with 19 outfield assists.
Joining Hagadone on the Drive pitching staff will be Jose Alvarez, Austin Bailey, Daniel Bard, Ryan Colvin, Jordan Craft, Felix Doubront, Ryne Lawson, Eammon Portice, Chad Povich, Chris Province, and Felix Ventura. Bard, a first round selection by the Red Sox in 2006, spent the majority of last season with the Drive, combining with Ryan Phillips for the franchise's first no-hitter on June 11th. Craft, the Drive's home opener starter in 2007, as well as Doubront, Povich, Province, and Ventura all saw action with the Drive last year.
Assuming the catching duties will be Luis Exposito and Ty Weeden. Weeden, a 16th round selection in the 2007 draft, batted .251 with five homers and 24 RBI for the Spinners last season, en route to being named a New York-Penn League All-Star. Exposito appeared in nine games with the Drive before being placed on the temporarily inactive list for the remainder of the year.
The Drive infield will be comprised of Manny Arambarris, Mike Jones, Yamaico Navarro, Kristopher Negron, Aaron Reza, Anthony Rizzo, and Will Vazquez. Arambarris and Negron spent the majority of 2007 with the Drive, while Reza and Jones saw time in Greenville as well. Arambarris set career highs in 2007 with 47 runs, 100 hits, 11 doubles, four triples and 37 RBI. Negron finished second in the Red Sox system with 31 stolen bases.
Joining Reddick in the outfield will be Che-Hsuan Lin, David Mailman, and David Marks. A product of Taiwan, Lin ranked fifth in the Red Sox organization with 17 stolen bases and is rated by Baseball America as having the best outfield arm in the Boston farm system.
Drive President and Co-owner, Craig Brown, noted, "The 2007 World Series Championship for the Red Sox demonstrated the importance of the amateur draft and the overall quality of the Boston Red Sox minor league system which is recognized as one the strongest player development systems in all of baseball."
Opening Day at Fluor Field at the West End is Thursday, April 3rd, as the Drive host the Kannapolis Intimidators at 7:05 PM. Drive ticket plans, luxury accommodations, group outings, and single-game tickets can be purchased by calling (864) 240-4500 or by visiting greenvilledrive.com: Home.
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Introducing the Travs 2008 Opening Day Roster
