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IL Indianapolis Indians

3.31.23 Game Information: Omaha Storm Chasers (0-0) vs. Indianapolis Indians (0-0)

March 31, 2023 - International League (IL)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


LOCATION: Victory Field

FIRST PITCH: 7:05 PM ET

GAME #1 / Home #1: Omaha Storm Chasers (0-0) vs. Indianapolis Indians (0-0)

PROBABLES: RHP Mike Mayers (0-0, -.--) vs. RHP Luis Ortiz (0-0, -.--)

RADIO: FoxSportsIndy.com / Fox Sports 1260 / iHeart app

TV: MiLB TV / Bally Sports app

2022 SEASON IN REVIEW: The Indians finished the season at 74-75 in fourth place of the International League West Division, 17.0 games behind division champion Nashville (91-58). The sub-.500 mark was just the eighth in 17 seasons as Pittsburgh's Triple-A affiliate dating back to 2005, with the other losing campaigns coming from 2007-10, 2016, 2019 and 2021. At home, the Indians registered their 21st winning record in 26 seasons at Victory Field with a 41-34 mark.

OPENING DAY: Victory Field will play host to its second consecutive season opener as Indianapolis takes on Omaha at 7:05 PM ET. In the Victory Field era, the Indians have opened their season at home in 13 of 25 seasons and own a 6-7 record in those games. Last season, the Indians dropped their season opener to Omaha, 4-1. Mason Martin and Canaan Smith-Njigba each logged two hits and the Indians lone run came on a Cal Mitchell solo home run in the sixth. Tonight, Luis Ortiz will take the bump for the Indians, Omaha will counter with right-hander Mike Mayers. Mayers has never faced the Indians.

PROSPECTUS: The Indians Opening Day roster features 10 of Pittsburgh's top 30 prospects (Baseball America). Among those names are Endy Rodríguez (PIT No. 1) and Luis Ortiz (PIT No. 4), who are rated as the No. 22 and No. 74 prospects in Minor League Baseball. Other top farmhands include infielders Nick Gonzales (No. 8), Jared Triolo (No. 15), and Malcom Nuñez (No. 21), right-handed starters Quinn Priester (No. 5) and Mike Burrows (No. 9), and right-handed relievers Carmen Mlodzinski (No. 22), Cody Bolton (No. 23) and Colin Selby (No. 26).

FLAME THROWER: Hard-throwing right-hander Luis Ortiz will get the nod as the Indians Opening Day starter tonight vs. the Storm Chasers. He has one career appearance against Omaha, tossing 6.0 no-hit innings with two unearned runs allowed and nine strikeouts, earning him International League Pitcher of the Week honors (9/12/22). Ortiz ascended from Pittsburgh's No. 22 prospect in 2022 to No. 4 going into the 2023 season - Pittsburgh's highest rated pitching prospect - according to Baseball America. He spent the majority of the season with Double-A Altoona and ranked among Eastern League leaders with a 1.17 WHIP (2nd), .238 average against (3rd), 4.64 ERA (5th), 126 strikeouts (7th), 23 games started (8th) and 114.1 innings pitched (9th). Ortiz was promoted to Indianapolis on Sept. 1 and made two starts, allowing eight runs (four earned) in 10.0 innings with 12 strikeouts. Pittsburgh selected his contract on Sept. 13, and he debuted with 5.2 scoreless frames at Cincinnati later that day. He ranked first among organizational leaders (Pittsburgh and his minor league numbers combined) with 155 punchouts and was second in the Pirates farm system with 138 strikeouts, trailing only right-hander Jared Jones (142).

ENDY'S BACK IN INDY: Endy RodrÌguez enters the 2023 season rated as Pittsburgh's No. 1 prospect and No. 22 overall by Baseball America. The switch-hitting catcher is coming off one of the most impressive seasons in all of Minor League Baseball. He finished the 2022 campaign ranked among minor league leaders in OPS (5th, .997), doubles (T-6th, 39), slugging percentage (8th, .590), extra-base hits (T-8th, 68) and total bases (T-9th, 270). He spent the season among three clubs: High-A Greensboro (88 games), Double-A Altoona (31) and Indianapolis (six). With Greensboro, he hit .302 (96-for-318) with 23 doubles, three triples, 16 home runs, 55 RBI, .544 slugging-percentage and a .936 OPS ñ he would later be named the South Atlantic League MVP. The 22-year-old hit .356 (42-for-118) with 14 doubles, eight home runs and 32 RBI with Altoona before his promotion to Indy on Sept. 20. In his short stint with Indy, he hit .455 (10-for-22), two doubles, a triple, home run and eight RBI. After his breakout season, he was named by Baseball America as Pittsburgh's Minor League Player of the Year and was tabbed as the Pirates' Young Bucs Honus Wagner Player of the Year.

PITCHER OF THE YEAR: Indy's 2022 Pitcher of the Year recipient, Cody Bolton, will return to the Indians pitching staff on Opening Day. After missing the 2021 season with a knee injury, he returned as Indy's Opening Day starter. He eventually transitioned into a multi-inning reliever €°Â ñ he hadn't come out of the bullpen in his three prior seasons ñ and was at his best while in relief, going 4-0 with a 2.65 ERA (10er/34.0ip) in 16 games compared to 0-2 with a 3.46 ERA (16er/41.2ip) in 14 starts. Bolton will join forces in the bullpen with southpaw Cam Alldred and righties John O'Reilly and Hunter Stratton, who were also mainstays in Indy last season.

MARCHIN' TO THE VIC: The Indianapolis Indians are entering their 121st season in franchise history and 27th season at Victory Field. Today, March 31, is the earliest Opening Day in franchise history and the first time the team has played a regular season game in the month of March.

FRESH FACE: The Indians Opening Day roster features Pittsburgh's No. 8 prospect Nick Gonzales, who will make his Triple-A debut tonight. Gonzales is a former seventh overall selection by Pittsburgh in the 2020 First-Year Player Draft out of New Mexico State (Las Cruces). The 23-year-old second baseman was limited during the 2022 season due to a foot injury; he played in 71 games with Double-A Altoona and hit .263 (68-for-259) with 20 doubles, seven home runs and 33 RBI. In his freshman campaign with High-A Greensboro in 2021, he hit .302 (98-for-324) with 23 doubles, four triples, 18 home runs and a .950 OPS.

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