The Cleveland Indians have announced their Minor League assignments and the Lynchburg Hillcats now have an Opening Night roster in advance of their season-opener on April 4 in Myrtle Beach.
Of the 26 players listed on the roster, 18 of them have played for the Hillcats previously, giving Lynchburg a wealth of experience to begin the season.
Among the returners are Trenton Brooks, who led the Hillcats with a .281 batting average in 107 games last season, Jodd Carter, who blasted a team-high 10 home runs in 2018, and Eli Morgan, who anchored the starting rotation in ’18 with a 7-7 record and a 3.91 ERA in 19 starts.
Top infield prospect Nolan Jones will also start the season with Lynchburg, after he hit .298 with three home runs and 17 RBI in 30 games with the Hillcats following an August call-up.
Outfielders Oscar Gonzalez and Steven Kwan, along with pitchers Nick Gallagher and Jonathan Teaney highlight the newcomers. Gonzalez, 21, was a MiLB.com Cleveland Indians Organizational All-Star last season after batting .292 with 13 home runs and 52 RBI with Single-A Lake County. Kwan, 21, was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 5th Round last season after winning an NCAA Championship with Oregon State. He hit .346 in 17 games last year between the AZL and Short-Season Mahoning Valley. Gallagher, 23, was a 16th Round selection out of Iowa in 2017. The right-hander averaged a strikeout per inning in 54 frames with Lake County last season. Teaney, 23, punched out 76 batters in 53 innings for Lake County, the most strikeouts by a Captains relief pitcher in 2018. He was a 20th Round pick out of San Diego in 2017.
The Hillcats 2019 roster breakdown includes eight right-handed pitchers, five left-handed pitchers, two catchers, six infielders and five outfielders.
Lynchburg’s roster represents the nationalities of four different countries, including the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and the United States.
The Hillcats will carry a total of three prospects that Baseball America considers to be ranked in the Indians Top-30. Third baseman Nolan Jones checks in at No. 2, right-hander Jean Carlos Mejia is pegged at No. 17, and outfielder Oscar Gonzalez is ranked No. 22.
Mejia is currently on the Cleveland Indians’ 40-man roster.
2019 Hillcats Roster
Pitchers:
RHP: Robert Broom, Nick Gallagher, Justin Garza, Jean Carlos Mejia, Eli Morgan, Jared Robinson, Felix Tati, Jonathan Teaney.
LHP: Yapson Gomez, Juan Hillman, Kyle Nelson, Adam Scott, Anderson Polanco.
Catchers: Gavin Collins, Mike Rivera.
Infielders: Tyler Friis, Nolan Jones, Jonathan Laureano, Dillon Persinger, Jorma Rodriguez, Luke Wakamatsu.
Outfielders: Trenton Brooks, Jodd Carter, Oscar Gonzalez, Steven Kwan, Austen Wade.
A PDF version of the roster is attached. Jersey numbers will be assigned on Monday (April 1) during Media Day.
Following a season-opening four-game series in Myrtle Beach, the Hillcats return home for Opening Night at City Stadium on Monday, April 8 against the Salem Red Sox. Gates open at 5 p.m. and first pitch is at 6:30 p.m.
Opening Night will feature a Schedule Magnet giveaway for the first 1,000 fans, presented by Nadine Blakely.
Season ticket, group packages and mini plans for all 70 of the Hillcats 2019 home games are on sale now. Fans interested in purchasing tickets for the 2019 season can reach out by phone at 434-528-1144 or stop by the City Stadium offices.
All 140 games can be heard live on lynchburg-hillcats.com, or, on your smart phone via the TuneIn Radio app and the Radio434 app.
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Chris Graham
