The Lynchburg Hillcats have announced their roster for the upcoming 2022 season.
The Hillcats will break camp with an exciting young roster of new and returning players. Four members of the team appear on the list of Cleveland Guardians Top 30 Prospects. These players include Jake Fox, Isaiah Greene, Carson Tucker and Milan Tolentino.
Fox is a specialized middle infielder who checks in at 26 th on the list of top prospects. He was drafted straight out of high school from Lakeland Christian School in Lakeland, Florida. Last season in rookie ball, Fox appeared in 13 games and hit .405 with six RBI’s and seven stolen bases.
Greene is the lone outfielder from the Hillcats to crack the top 30. Last season in Arizona, he hit .290 in 43 games with ten extra base hits. Green was drafted in 2020 from Corona High School in Corona, California.
The highest ranked Hillcat in the top 30 is Carson Tucker, who cracks the list at number 19. Tucker was the first-round draft pick of the Guardians in 2020 and has seen limited action due to a wrist injury last season. Carson is the brother of Cole Tucker, who currently plays for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The only returner on the list for the Hillcats is Milan Tolentino. Tolentino is the son of former Astros first baseman and Angels broadcaster, Jose Tolentino. Last season between Arizona and Lynchburg, Tolentino batted .269 with seven home runs and 40 RBIs.
He is joined by several other returning fielders to the organization including Will Bartlett, Jorge Burgos, Yordys Valdes. Last season, Burgos hit .293 while here in Lynchburg, also collecting three triples in 23 games.
Returning on the mound for the Hillcats are Trey Benton, Serafino Brito, Will Dion, Yeury Gervacio, Elvis Jerez, Brauny Munoz, and Hugo Villalobos.
Last season, Brito struck out 25 batters in thirteen appearances. The Rutgers product also held hitters to a .243 average.
Dion made five appearances for the Hillcats in 2021, including three starts. During that time he held hitters to a .023 average with 21 strikeouts and no runs allowed.
Villalobos, the 5’10” right-hander, made 12 appearances in Lynchburg. He racked up 18 strikeouts with an ERA under two.
The Hillcats will be managed by Omir Santos, who will be in his first season at the helm. Santos spent last season with the Guardians in the Dominican Summer League. As a catcher, he spent five seasons in the Majors with appearances for four different teams.
The Hillcats open their season on Friday, April 8 at 7:05 p.m. at the Salem Red Sox. Their home opener is scheduled for Tuesday, April 12 at 6:30 p.m. where they will face off against Delmarva.
Tickets for all games are on sale now at lynchburg-hillcats.com.
Story by Jason Prill
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