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AA Winnipeg Goldeyes

2019 Winnipeg Goldeyes Training Camp Prospectus

May 3, 2019 - American Association (AA)
Winnipeg Goldeyes News Release


The Winnipeg Goldeyes enter their 26th season in 2019. The franchise brought professional baseball back to the city in 1994. The Goldeyes were 41-59 in 2018, marking just the fourth time in team history they finished below .500. The Goldeyes have reached the postseason 19 times in their first 25 years, and have won four championships (Northern League 1994, American Association 2012, 2016, 2017).

SHORT SPRING

Since the Goldeyes' inaugural season in 1994, clubs in both the Northern League and American Association have had to work with a limited number of days during training camp. Including the official start on May 4th, American Association teams have just 11 days of spring training before rosters have to be trimmed to at least 23 players. American Association clubs may carry up to 28 players on their spring training roster. The Goldeyes have seven exhibition games scheduled this spring, beginning with a pair of contests at home against the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks on May 8th and 9th.

GOLDEYES MANAGER

Rick Forney is now in his 14th season as Goldeyes' manager, and his 23rd overall within the organization. During his first 13 years at the helm, the Goldeyes have posted a .545 overall winning percentage (698-583), 10 winning seasons, nine playoff appearances, and an American Association-record three championships. Forney was voted American Association Manager of the Year in 2011, and managed the American Association during the American Association/Can-Am League All-Star Game in 2017. Forney's .553 winning percentage in the American Association (2011-present) is the third-highest in league history (there have been 51 total American Association managers through the 2018 season). Forney pitched professionally for 10 years, including four seasons with the Goldeyes. During his playing career, Forney was 89-56 (.614) with a 3.63 ERA, and reached the Triple-A level in 1995.

DAIRY DELIVERY

The American Association welcomes the Milwaukee Milkmen as an expansion team in 2019. The franchise is based out of Franklin, Wisconsin, a suburb located 14 miles southwest of downtown Milwaukee. The Milkmen will play at brand new Routine Field, a $15 Million development with an expected capacity of 4,000. Inclement weather has delayed construction, and the Milkmen expect to formally open Routine Field on June 24th. The club will play its home games in Kokomo, Indiana during the first month of the season. The Milkmen effectively replace the Wichita Wingnuts who were forced to vacate Lawrence-Dumont Stadium in preparation for the arrival of a Triple-A franchise in 2020.

PLAYOFF FORMAT

The American Association maintains the two-division format that was re-introduced in 2018. Both divisions feature six teams. The Goldeyes remain in the American Association North along with the Chicago Dogs, Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, Gary SouthShore RailCats, the Milkmen, and the St. Paul Saints. The Sioux Falls Canaries move to the South Division, and are joined by the Cleburne Railroaders, Kansas City T-Bones, Lincoln Saltdogs, Sioux City Explorers, and Texas AirHogs.

In each division, the two clubs with the highest regular season winning percentage meet in a best-of-five Division Series. The winners then match up in the best-of-five American Association Championship Series. The league still operates under a continuous, 100-game schedule. The American Association previously used a two-division format from 2006-10 before switching to a three-division structure from 2011-17.

RETURNING PLAYERS

Eight players return from the Goldeyes' 2018 roster. The list includes OF Reggie Abercrombie, RHP Brandon Bingel, RHP Victor Capellan, RHP Jack Charleston, C Kevin Garcia, LHP Mitchell Lambson, LHP Kevin McGovern, and OF Josh Romanski. The Goldeyes also welcome back third baseman Wes Darvill who played for Winnipeg from 2016-17 before having his contract purchased by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Abercrombie, Capellan, McGovern, Romanski, and Darvill were all members of the Goldeyes' back-to-back championship teams in 2016 and 2017, while Lambson was part of the 2017 championship club.

ALL-TIME GREAT RETURNS

Former Major League centre fielder Reggie Abercrombie returns for his sixth season with the Goldeyes. Last year, Abercrombie ranked 12th in the American Association in batting average (.316) and tied for 15th in Wins Above Replacement (WAR) among position players (3.0). Having already set the American Association career records for home runs (2016) and RBI (2017), Abercrombie became the league's all-time leader in base hits with his 802nd on July 29th, 2018 versus Fargo-Moorhead. Abercrombie also stole the 500th base of his professional career on July 10th, 2018 versus Sioux Falls.

Abercrombie is once again knocking on the door of several significant milestones. The 38-year-old trails former Goldeye Josh Mazzola by 11 games played for the American Association career record, and is just 30 back of David Espinosa for the league's all-time lead in runs scored. Abercrombie also trails Mazzola by 14 home runs for the Goldeyes' franchise mark, and is only 24 back of Luis Alen for Winnipeg's career RBI record. Abercrombie played in the Major Leagues for the Florida Marlins and the Houston Astros from 2006-08.

FORMER MVP RETURNS

Outfielder Josh Romanski returns for his fourth overall season in Winnipeg. A significant member of the Goldeyes' back-to-back championship teams, Romanski rejoined the Goldeyes last June after beginning his campaign in the Mexican League. Romanski batted .313 with a .373 on-base percentage in 69 games. In 2017, Romanski was voted the American Association's Player of the Year, which marked the Goldeyes' first league MVP since Sean Hearn garnered top honours in the Northern League in 1998.

MAJOR ADDITION

The Goldeyes landed former Major League outfielder Willy Garcia on February 11th. Garcia last played in 2017, which included 44 games with the Chicago White Sox. Garcia batted .238 with 10 extra-base hits during his time with the White Sox, and placed in the 73rd percentile of qualified Major Leaguers with a sprint speed of 27.9 feet per second. Since signing his first professional contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2010, Garcia has averaged 77 runs scored, 30 doubles, 18 home runs, 82 RBI, 12 stolen bases, and 25 outfield assists per 162 games played.

GOLDEYES ADD MVP

The Goldeyes acquired outfielder James Harris from the Frontier League's Washington Wild Things last October. Harris batted .305 with 75 runs, 22 doubles, eight triples, 16 home runs, 64 RBI, and 26 stolen bases for Washington, and was voted the Frontier League's Most Valuable Player. Harris is a former first-round draft pick, and was selected 60th overall by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2011.

PICKIN' MACHINES

After finishing ninth in the American Association in defence in 2018, the Goldeyes have assembled a group of infielders that have excelled with the glove throughout their careers. First baseman Dominic Ficociello has a career .994 fielding percentage at first base (451 games), and was Minor League Baseball's Gold Glove recipient at the position in 2015 (encompasses all levels of the affiliated minor leagues). Alex Perez is a lifetime .979 defender in 254 games at second base, while Adrian Marin has produced a .968 fielding average in 598 contests at shortstop. Marin has finished first or second in his league in that category in three different seasons. Darvill owns a .943 career fielding percentage at third base (345 games), and handled more opportunities than any American Association third baseman from 2016-17. Each of Ficociello, Perez, Marin, and Darvill has also reached the Triple-A level.

RETURN TO HEALTH

Catcher Kevin Garcia returns to the Goldeyes for a second year. Garcia was hitting .273 and led all American Association catchers with a 50 percent caught stealing rate before his season was cut short due to injury in late-June. Despite missing the second half of 2018, Garcia's 18 runners caught stealing still ranked tied for sixth in the league at the conclusion of the season.

PRIME TIME

Slugging outfielder/first baseman Correlle Prime was acquired via trade in December. Prime hit .279 with seven home runs and 42 RBI last season for the Texas AirHogs, and has reached the Double-A level three times. Prime has averaged 81 RBI per 162 games played as a professional, and is a career .380 hitter with the bases loaded, including seven grand slam home runs.

LEFT-HANDED LEADERS

Left-handers Kevin McGovern and Mitchell Lambson return to help lead the Goldeyes' starting rotation. McGovern finished third in the American Association with 129 strikeouts in 2018, and trails Chris Salamida by 63 punch outs for the Goldeyes' career record. After beginning last season in the Mexican League, Lambson finished ninth in the American Association with a 3.81 ERA. Despite having made just one professional start prior to 2018, Lambson soaked up 115.2 innings for Winnipeg and pitched six or more frames in 12 of his 17 starts. McGovern (3.3) and Lambson (2.8) ranked second and tied for fourth respectively in Wins Above Replacement (WAR) among pitchers last year.

EXPERIENCED ARMS

Right-handers Parker French and Kevin McAvoy are expected to compete for spots in the Goldeyes' rotation. Both pitchers have significant experience at the Double-A level. French was a former "Friday Night Starter" at the University of Texas, and was drafted in the fifth round by the Colorado Rockies in 2015. McAvoy was a fourth-round pick of the Boston Red Sox in 2014, and has allowed just 30 home runs in 499.2 career innings. Both French (1.66) and McAvoy (1.84) have career ground-out-to-air-out ratios well above the 2018 Major League average of 1.03.

CAPELLAN EYEING HISTORY

Fourth-year Goldeyes' relief pitcher Victor Capellan tied a franchise single-season record with 22 saves in 2018. Capellan trails Steve Thomas by eight saves for the Goldeyes' career mark. Capellan is also just 24 appearances back of Dustin Cameron for the American Association's all-time record. Capellan appeared in all 12 of the Goldeyes' postseason victories from 2016-17.

RECORD-SETTING CHARLESTON RETURNS

The Goldeyes re-signed right-handed reliever Jack Charleston in January. Charleston pitched to a 2.63 ERA last season, and set an American Association single-season record with 60 appearances. Former Goldeyes' left-hander Brendan Lafferty held the previous record with 58 appearances in 2015. Charleston has a lifetime 3.02 ERA in four professional seasons, and reached the Double-A level in 2017.

GOLDEYES TRADE FOR ALL-STAR THOMPSON

One of the Goldeyes' earliest off-season moves took place last October when right-hander Dylan Thompson was acquired from the Sioux Falls Canaries via trade. Thompson was 5-9 with a 5.13 ERA for the Canaries, and tied for eighth in the American Association with 121.0 innings pitched. 23 of Thompson's 69 earned runs allowed came in two starts totalling seven and one-third innings. In his remaining 19 starts, Thompson posted a 3.64 ERA. Thompson was an American Association All-Star for Sioux Falls in 2017, and is expected to pitch in relief for the Goldeyes.

ROOKIE VALUE

Returning right-hander Brandon Bingel enters his fourth season of professional baseball, but retains rookie classification in the American Association. Bingel had a 2.85 ERA in 53.2 innings for the Goldeyes in 2018. Right-hander Mitchell Aker ranked third in the Frontier League with 19 saves last season while pitching for the Evansville Otters. Right-handed pitchers Landon Hughes and Tyler Garkow, as well as infielder Kevin Lachance are also classified rookies with prior professional experience. Hughes last pitched in 2017 where he finished with a 1.99 ERA for two Atlanta Braves' affiliates. Garkow earned seven wins and had a 4.12 FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching) in 2018 for the Can-Am League's les Aigles de Trois-Rivieres. Lachance is a third-year pro who owns a lifetime .368 on-base percentage.

UNIQUE ARRANGEMENT

For a second consecutive year, the Texas AirHogs have formed a special partnership with the Chinese National Team. A portion of the AirHogs' roster will be reserved for members of the Chinese National Team, while the remaining players will be acquired through traditional means. The Goldeyes open the regular season at Texas on May 16th.

ALUMNI REPORT

Through May 2nd, RHP Brandon Kintzler (2007-08) has a 2.63 ERA in 13.2innings for the Chicago Cubs. Kintzler was an American League All-Star in 2017, saving 28 games for the Minnesota Twins before being traded to the Washington Nationals that July.

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