NYPL West Virginia Black Bears

2018 Opening Day Preliminary Roster Set

June 13, 2018 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
West Virginia Black Bears News Release


GRANVILLE, W.Va. - With Opening Day of the 2018 season kicking off at Mahoning Valley on Friday, June 15th, the West Virginia Black Bears are pleased to announce a preliminary Opening Day roster.

The Black Bears will open up the season with a 6 game road trip beginning in Niles, OH against the Mahoning Valley Scrappers (Cleveland Indians). After the first 3 game series, the Bears will continue on to Batavia, NY to face the Batavia Muckdogs (Miami Marlins).

The roster features 9 players selected by the Pirates organization in the 2018 MLB Draft. Some notable names making their professional debuts include RHP Aaron Shortridge (Round 4), RHP Michael Flynn (Round 6), LHP Zachary Spears (Round 8), RF Brett Kinneman (Round 7) and C Zac Susi (Round 12).

The Black Bears also have a number of players being called up from the Rookie Level Bristol Pirates, including 2017 11th round selection RHP Alex Manasa. As a reliever last season, Manasa went 2-1 with a 3.76 ERA, striking out 35 batters while walking only seven.

Other players coming up from the Pirates rookie level affiliate include RHP Ryan Valdes, C Paul Brands, 2B Nick Valaika, 2B Melvin Jiminez, 1B Jhoan Herrera and LF Edison Lantigua.

The 2018 roster also features four members of the 2017 West Virginia Black Bears team that finished tied for second in the Pinckney Division of the New York-Penn League last season: RHP Nicholas Economos, SS Robbie Glendenning, 2B Raul Siri and CF Michael de la Cruz.

2018 MLB Draft Pick Information:

RHP Aaron Shortridge comes to West Virginia after being selected in the fourth round from the University of California-Berkley. Spears boasted a 5-3 record with a 3.73 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 17 appearances for the Golden Bears in 2018. RHP Michael Flynn was drafted in the sixth round out of the University of Arizona. Flynn went 6-5 for the Wildcats this spring, finishing with a 4.89 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 15 appearances on the mound.

In the eighth round, the Pirates drafted LHP Zachary Spears. The towering lefty stands 6-feet 7-inches tall, and finished his career at Miami (OH) with a 3.73 ERA and 88 strikeouts in his junior season.

West Virginia also welcomes RF Brett Kinneman. The seventh-round pick was one of the best power bats in the NCAA this season and hit .274 with 17 homeruns and 61 RBIs in 2018. Those numbers earned him first-team all ACC honors, as well as recognition as a third-team NCAA Division I All-American.

C Zac Susi was drafted in the 12th round out of the University of Connecticut. Susi was the captain for the Huskies in the 2018 season, hitting .335 with 33 RBIs while commanding the pitching staff from behind the plate.

For ticket information visit westvirginiablackbears.com or call the ticket office at (304) 293-7653.

Check out the West Virginia Black Bears Statistics



New York-Penn League Stories from June 13, 2018


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