MWL1 Dayton Dragons

Dragons News and Notes

Published on February 14, 2012 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release


UPCOMING DATES OF INTEREST

Sunday, February 19: Reds pitchers and catchers begin official spring training workouts.

Saturday, March 3: The Reds open the 2012 exhibition schedule vs. Cleveland in Goodyear, Arizona. Dragons National Anthem Try-Outs March 3-4.

Tuesday, March 6: Reds Minor League camp opens for approximately 150 players in Goodyear (minor league pitchers and catchers report March 2).

Monday, March 12: Spring training games begin for the Reds minor league clubs.

Saturday, March 31: Rosters will be set for the Dayton Dragons and the other three Reds full-season affiliates (Louisville, Pensacola, and Bakersfield).

Sunday, April 1: The Dragons coaches and players will arrive at Dayton International Airport.

Thursday, April 5: The Dragons will open the Midwest League season at Fifth Third Field vs. the West Michigan Whitecaps.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT

Ryan Wright, second baseman. Wright is expected to replace Ronald Torreyes at the keystone position for the Dragons in 2012. He was a fifth round draft pick last June out of the University of Louisville, and is rated by Baseball America as the 23rd best prospect in the entire Reds organization.

The Dragons have gotten solid offensive production from their second basemen in recent years. Torreyes hit .356 for the Dragons in 2011 and his arrival in June coincided with the team's jump into first place. He also committed only three errors in 67 games. Henry Rodriguez manned second base for the Dragons in 2010 and had a solid year at the plate, batting .307 with 14 home runs. Cody Puckett blasted 19 home runs while batting .263 for the '09 Dragons. In 2007, Justin Turner hit .311 and belted 10 homers. Turner is now a big leaguer with the Mets.

Baseball America compares Wright to 2007 Dragons shortstop Chris Valaika, who is now a second baseman and has played in 33 games for the Reds. Wright spent three years at the University of Louisville and became one of the most productive hitters in school history. In the spring of 2011, he led the team in batting average at .346, home runs with 12, and runs batted in with 52. He was selected First Team All-Big East Conference in both 2010 and '11 and in just three seasons, rose to fourth in school history in career hits and RBI. Wright was the top hitter on the 2010 U.S. College National Team at .361.

Like former Dragons Kyle Day, Brian Reith, and Adam Sheefel, Wright is a native of Fort Wayne. He led Homestead High School to the Indiana state championship game as a senior. His father played college baseball at Miami (Ohio) University and his grandfather played professional hockey.

FORMER DRAGON HEADS TO PHILLIES

Best of luck to former Dragons pitcher Jeremy Horst, who was recently traded by the Reds to the Phillies. Horst had one of the best seasons in Dragons history in 2008, going 8-2 with a 2.38 earned run average. He started the season in the Dragons bullpen and pitched well enough to earn a shot at starting. Once he went into the starting rotation, he was exceptional. In 10 starts, he gave up a total of nine earned runs. His best moment came when he shut down Lansing in game one of the playoffs that season, beating current St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Marc Rzepczynski in front of a Fifth Third Field crowd that included Reds General Manager Walt Jocketty. Horst reached the big leagues with the Reds last season and appeared in 12 games out of the bullpen, posting a 2.93 ERA. The Reds received veteran shortstop Wilson Valdez from the Phillies in exchange for Horst.

Former Dragons Devin Mesoraco, Todd Frazier, Billy Hamilton, Tucker Barnhart, and Ryan LaMarre all appeared recently at various stops on the Reds caravan. Mesoraco is slated to share the Reds catching duties with former Dragon Ryan Hanigan. Hamilton and Barnhart likely will play at Bakersfield in the California League, and LaMarre is ticketed for Double-A Pensacola in the Southern League. Frazier, meanwhile, will battle for a spot with the Reds. His ability to play multiple positions could be a benefit. It would appear that Frazier, former Dragon Juan Francisco, and major league veteran Willie Harris are in the fight for the last roster spot, assuming everyone else stays healthy. Francisco is out of options. Frazier played briefly with the Dragons in 2007 and then headlined the '08 Dayton roster. His most memorable moment with the Dragons was a game-winning walk-off home run on April 8, 2008 at Fifth Third Field. He had belted another home run earlier in the same game as well. Frazier was a particularly popular player in Dayton and often speaks enthusiastically of his time here. Dayton Daily News columnist Tom Archdeacon called Frazier a "natural born leader" in a feature story on the player who had won the Little League World Series with a game-winning homer for Toms River, New Jersey exactly 10 years before he played in Dayton.

J.J. ON THE COMEBACK TRAIL

Former Dragons pitcher Jacob Johnson, who missed the entire 2011 season after arm surgery, is now healthy and could open the 2012 season with the Dragons. Johnson was only 19 years old when he spent the entire '10 season in the Dragons starting rotation and made steady progress throughout the year. Despite losing his first four decisions, Johnson finished with a record of 8-7 with a 4.47 ERA. He impressed everyone with his maturity, commitment, and one of the best work ethics in the organization. Johnson's intangibles were so strong in 2010 that former Dragons pitching coach Tony Fossas sometimes uses Johnson as the standard bearer when discussing other players. When Fossas says "he's just like Jacob Johnson," he is saying the pitcher being discussed is smart, coachable, and has the attitude needed to be successful.

GRANDSON OF BUCKEYE LEGEND RETURNING TO ACTION

Meanwhile, young Reds prospect Drew Cisco is another pitcher coming off arm surgery who could be in Dayton early in 2012. Cisco's grandfather, Galen Sisco, is a native of St. Marys, Ohio, and still lives there. Galen Cisco was a captain and All-American with the 1957 national championship Ohio State football team. He went on to a seven-year playing career in major league baseball, and was a major league pitching coach for nearly 30 years. Galen Cisco is a member of the Ohio State Athletic Hall-of-Fame in both baseball and football, and the St. Marys Rotary Club annually presents the "Galen Cisco Award." Drew Cisco was the Reds sixth round draft pick in 2000 but has yet to pitch in an official game. He was rated by Baseball America as the 12th best prospect in the Reds organization entering the 2011 season, and he hopes to rebound from elbow surgery to regain his status as a top prospect in 2012.

GROUP TICKETS & THE WAIT LIST

For information on group outings for 2012, call the Dragons at (937) 228-2287. To be added to the Dragons Wait List for season ticket opportunities, go to daytondragons.com or call (937) 228-2287.

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Midwest League Stories from February 14, 2012


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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