CalL1 Modesto Nuts

Modesto Nuts Announce 2009 Roster

Published on April 5, 2009 under California League (CalL1)
Modesto Nuts News Release


The 2009 Modesto Nuts roster has been announced by the Colorado Rockies as minor league camp broke on Saturday. The Nuts Opening Day roster will include two of the Rockies top ten prospects according to Baseball America. Catcher Wilin Rosario is rated the number 4 prospect in the Rockies organization. Rosario made his first appearance in Major League Spring Training this year. The 20-year old was the youngest player in Rockies camp. Rosario spent the entire 2008 season in Casper where he led the team in home runs (12), RBI (49), runs (48), hits (83) and extra-base hits (30). Baseball America named Rosario the top prospect in the Pioneer League.

Outfielder Charles Blackmon was rated the Rockies 10th best prospect by Baseball America. The 22-year old center fielder hit .338 for Tri-City in 2008. He was selected in the 2nd round of the 2008 June draft.

The Nuts starting rotation will include three right-handers and two lefties. Righty Connor Graham, a 5th round selection in the 2007 June draft, will lead the rotation. Graham led Asheville in wins (12) and ERA (2.26) in his first full professional season last year. Right-hander Cory Riordan was 8-9 last year for the Asheville Tourists. He compiled a 3.65 ERA and finished 2nd in the league with 160 strikeouts. Left-hander Kenneth Durst was voted the Northwest League's Left-Handed Pitcher of the Year. He finished the season with a 4-5 record and a 3.80 ERA while averaging nearly one strikeout per inning. Righty Bruce Billings led the Asheville staff in starts (27) and innings pitched (161.2) last season. Billings was 9-11 with a 4.13 ERA and 144 strikeouts. Left-hander Brandon Durden is the lone returnee in the starting rotation. Durden has spent the past two seasons with the Nuts. Last year, he was 4-2 with a 5.79 ERA in 29 appearances.

The Nuts 7-man bullpen will be dominated by right-handers. The lone lefty in the bullpen is Matthew Reynolds. Last season in Asheville, Reynolds was 6-2 with a 2.53 ERA in 42 appearances. Righty Don Taylor served as the closer in Asheville in 2008. Taylor was 3-1 with a 3.91 ERA and 32 saves. His 32 saves were second best in the South Atlantic League. Right-handers Austin Chambliss and Sean Jarrett made brief appearances with the Nuts last season. Chambliss appeared in one game while Jarrett made two appearances for the Nuts. Both spent most of the 2008 season out of the bullpen in Tri-City. Chambliss finished 3rd in the league with 13 saves while Jarrett had 41 strikeouts in only 28 innings pitched. Right-handers Craig Baker, Edgmer Escalona and Joseph Williamson will round out the bullpen. Baker was 7-5 with a 2.22 ERA in Asheville, striking out 70 in 56.2 innings. Escalona was 6-2 with a 3.22 ERA in Asheville while Williamson was 4-0 with a 3.04 ERA. Williamson had 89 strikeouts in 83 innings for the Tourists.

The Nuts outfield will combine power and speed at all three positions. In addition to Blackmon, 2nd round pick (2007 draft) Brian Rike will man right field. Rike hit .247 with 15 home runs and 75 RBI for Asheville in 2008. Kevin Clark, a 6th round selection in the 2006 draft, batted .262 with 17 home runs and 76 RBI for Asheville last year. Returnee Jay Cox spent most of his time in left field with the Nuts in 2008. Cox finished the year with a .250 batting average, 7 home runs and 48 RBI. Michael Mitchell will round out the outfielders. Mitchell hit .300 in Asheville last year with a league-high 93 runs scored. Mitchell also finished second in the league with 55 stolen bases.

The infield will include three returnees, Jason Van Kooten, Matt Repec and Radames Nazario. Van Kooten appeared in 101 games for the Nuts last year, splitting time between shortstop and second base. Repec served as the team's primary third baseman and finished the season with a .248 batting average, 10 home runs and 57 RBI. Nazario appeared in just 10 games for the Nuts last year. He was placed on the DL in mid-August and missed the remainder of the year.

Jeff Cunningham will be the Nuts first baseman in 2009. Cunningham led the Asheville Tourists with 18 home runs in 2008. He was also second on the team with 78 RBI. Warren Schaeffer will round out the infield for the Nuts. Schaeffer spent the 2008 season as the club's utility infielder. He saw time at all four infield spots.

Joining Rosario behind the plate for the Nuts will be catcher Lars Davis. Davis was a third-round pick of the Rockies in the 2007 June draft. He was the primary catcher for Asheville last season.

The Nuts will be managed by Jerry Weinstein. Weinstein has a record of 146-133 in his two seasons at the helm of the Modesto Nuts. Weinstein will be joined by hitting coach Duane Espy. Espy will be returning for his second season with the Nuts. Doug Linton will serve as pitching coach. Linton replaces Butch Hughes who retired after last season. This will be Linton's fourth year in the Rockies organization. The former Major Leaguer had a seven-year career in the majors with five different teams.

The Modesto Nuts 2009 season begins on Thursday, April 9th as the Nuts host the Bakersfield Blaze at John Thurman Field. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Pre-game entertainment including live music, face painters and a barbershop quartet will begin at 5:30 p.m. A limited number of reserve seats are still available by visiting the official website of the Modesto Nuts, www.modestonuts.com For more information, please contact the Nuts at 572-HITS (4487).

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