Wednesday, April 7, 2010
For Immediate Release |
Contact: Joe Davis
|
Biscuits Opening Day Roster Unveiled
Seven of Baseball America's Top 30 to begin year in Montgomery
TAMPA BAY, FL – The Tampa Bay Rays have broken Spring Training, and Sunday announced the Montgomery Biscuits 25-man Opening Day roster.
The roster is highlighted by a pitching staff which boasts six of Baseball America’s Rays’ top 30 prospects. Jake McGee, who had raced his way through the lower minors to Montgomery for parts of 2007 and 2008, returns to the Biscuits as the 8th-ranked prospect in the system after a year of rebounding from Tommy John surgery. Right behind McGee in the prospect rankings is Alex Torres, who pitched in two games for the Biscuits at the tail end of last season after being acquired by the Rays in the deal that sent Scott Kazmir to the Angels. Baseball America ranks Torres 9th.
Highly-touted pitching prospects Alex Cobb and David Newmann make their first stops in Montgomery, while Aneury Rodriguez and Matt Gorgen return to the Capital City to round out the pitching staff’s stock of top 30 prospects.
Pitchers Darin Downs, Eddie Morlan, Ryan Reid, Paul Phillips, and Rayner Oliveros have all donned the butter and blue before. Double-A first-timers Jeremy Hall and Justin Garcia complete the Opening Day pitching staff.
Nevin Ashley (honored as Best Defensive Player in the Rays’ organization) and Jose Lobaton (acquired late last season from the Padres, with MLB experience) highlight a list of eight returning position players, and will vie for the starting catcher position along with Ian Paxton.
Shortstop Shawn O’Malley, ranked 18th in the Rays’ system by Baseball America, keys the infield. O’Malley was named Best Baserunner in the Rays’ minor league system last season, and joins 16 of his (High-A) Charlotte Stone Crab teammates from last season’s Florida State League playoff squad on the Biscuits Opening Day roster. Drew Anderson, Cody Cipriano, and Chris De La Cruz will play up the middle of the infield with O’Malley, and Matt Fields and Greg Sexton will man the corners.
Two fresh talents join two returners in the outfield. Emeel Salem and Ryan Royster begin their first stints and John Matulia and Cody Strait each return for year two with the Biscuits.
Pitching coach Bill Moloney begins his first year on the Biscuits staff, having served in the same role with Charlotte last season. He joins returning hitting coach Ozzie Timmons, and the all-time winningest Biscuits manager, Billy Gardner Jr.
The roster is subject to change through the Rays.
The Biscuits begin their 2010 season Thursday Night at 7:05 at Riverwalk Stadium against the Mobile BayBears. Tickets are going fast for the first Thirsty Thursday and MAX Fireworks Spectacular of the season. Log onto www.biscuitsbaseball.com, visit the Tallapoosa Street box office, or call 323-2255 to get your Opening Day tickets today.
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