Arizona Fall League Announce Rising Stars Rosters

October 22, 2008 - Arizona Fall League (AzFL) News Release

Phoenix, Arizona - The Arizona Fall League stages its third annual Rising Stars Game at 7:15 p.m. on Friday, October 24 at Surprise Stadium, the spring home of the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers.

The Rising Stars Game is scheduled for a World Series travel day to fll a void for baseball fans.

Scouting and minor league directors of every major-league organization, in consultation with Fall League Executive Director Steve Cobb and his baseball personnel staff, selected the players for the showcase. Each major-league organization is represented by at least one player.

Friday night's contest pits standouts from the Fall League's two realigned and renamed divisions, the American and National. The American Division will feld players from the Saguaros (Cardinals, Mets, Nationals, Padres, White Sox), Scorpions (Angels, Astros, Giants, Pirates, Red Sox), and Solar Sox (Braves, Cubs, Marlins, Phillies, Tigers). The National Division roster will be comprised of players from the four-time defending champion Desert Dogs (Athletics, Blue Jays, Diamondbacks, Rockies, Twins), Javelinas (Brewers, Mariners, Rays, Reds, Yankees), and Rafters (Dodgers, Indians, Orioles, Rangers, Royals).

Mesa Solar Sox right-hander Tommy Hanson (ATL), the week-two Arizona Fall League pitcher-of-the-week, is the scheduled starting pitcher for the American Division. He will be opposed by Peoria Javelinas right-hander Philip Hughes (NYY).

The coaching staffs of the two division-leading teams through play of Saturday, October 18 earned the right to skipper Friday's contest. Peoria Sagauros' manager Ron Warner (STL) and his staff - Wally Whitehurst (SD), Kirk Champion (CWS), Rick Eckstein (WAS), and Jack Voigt (NYM) - will manage the American Division club. Peoria Javelinas' manager Darren Brown (SEA) and his staff - Ted Power (CIN), Scott Aldred (NYY), and Ozzie Timmons (TB) - will manage the National Division.

"The Fall League is proud to feld six teams stocked with the top prospects in baseball six days a week for six weeks every year," Cobb offers. "Friday, we narrow the focus to 50 players who have been selected to participate based upon evaluations of baseball professionals at the team level. We take pride in what the future holds for these young men."

For many, the future holds the major leagues.

Two years ago, the inaugural Rising Stars included shortstops Yunel Escobar (Braves), and Troy Tulowitzki (Rockies), third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff (Padres), and outfelders Ryan Braun (Brewers), Jacoby Ellsbury (Red Sox), and Hunter Pence (Astros).

Last year, the names changed but the destination was the same for shortstop Jed Lowrie (Red Sox), pitcher Charlie Morton (Braves), and outfelder Ryan Sweeney (Athletics).

Eighty-three players from the 2006 Arizona Fall League reached the major leagues in 2007. Last year's Class of 2007 graduated 86 players to the big leagues in 2008.

"The opportunity the Arizona Fall League affords the prospects comprising the Class of 2008 this fall is undeniable," Cobb adds. "We wish them well and we look forward to following their progress and cheering their successes."

Following Friday's "Rising Stars Game," the six-team Arizona Fall League resumes play the next day, Saturday, October 25 and continues with games Monday- Saturday through Thursday, November 20. The league championship game will be held two days later on Saturday, November 22 at 12:35 p.m. at Scottsdale Stadium.

For current Arizona Fall League information, including pitch-by-pitch gamecasts by Baseball Advanced Media, consult www.mlbfallball.com.

2008 Arizona Fall League
American Division Rising Stars Roster
No. Pitchers MLB B T Ht. Wt. DOB Birthplace 2008 Club 2008 AFL Club
35 Cesar Carrillo SD R R 6-3 177 04/29/84 Chicago, IL Lake Elsinore (A) Peoria Saguaros
40 Casey Fien DET R R 6-2 195 10/21/83 Santa Rosa, CA Toledo (AAA) Mesa Solar Sox
34 Tommy Hanson ATL R R 6-6 220 08/28/86 Tulsa, OK Mississippi (AA) Mesa Solar Sox
94 David Herndon LAA R R 6-5 200 09/04/85 Panama City, FL Rancho Cucamonga (A) Scottsdale Scorpions
46 Alex Hinshaw SF L L 6-4 190 10/31/88 Pomano, CA San Francisco (MLB) Scottsdale Scorpions
50 Eddie Kunz NYM R R 6-5 250 04/08/86 Portland, OR New Orleans (AAA) Peoria Saguaros
18 Bud Norris HOU R R 6-0 195 03/02/85 Greenbrae, CA Corpus Christi (AA) Scottsdale Scorpions
51 Aaron Poreda CWS L L 6-6 240 10/01/86 Walnut Creek, CA Birmingham (AA) Peoria Saguaros
41 Rocky Roquet CHC R R 6-2 210 11/06/82 San Luis Obispo, CA Tennessee (AA) Mesa Solar Sox
26 Cory Van Allen WAS L L 6-3 180 12/24/84 Bakersfeld, CA Harrisburg (AA) Peoria Saguaros
26 Sean West FLA L L 6-8 240 06/15/86 Houston, TX Jupiter (A) Mesa Solar Sox
No. Catchers MLB B T Ht. Wt. DOB Birthplace 2008 Club 2008 AFL Club
15 Tyler Flowers ATL R R 6-4 245 01/24/86 Roswell, GA Myrtle Beach (A) Mesa Solar Sox
4 Josh Thole NYM L R 6-1 190 10/28/86 Breese, IL St. Lucie (A) Peoria Saguaros
No. Infelders MLB B T Ht. Wt. DOB Birthplace 2008 Club 2008 AFL Club
23 Gordon Beckham CWS R R 6-0 190 09/16/86 Atlanta, GA Kannapolis (A) Peoria Saguaros
10 Emmanuel Burris SF S R 6-0 175 01/17/85 Washington, DC San Francisco (MLB) Scottsdale Scorpions
10 Jason Donald PHI R R 6-1 195 09/04/84 Fresno, CA Reading (AA) Mesa Solar Sox
22 Shelby Ford PIT S R 6-3 190 12/15/84 Fort Worth, TX Altoona (AA) Scottsdale Scorpions
22 Logan Morrison FLA L L 6-2 215 08/25/87 Kansas City, MO Jupiter (A) Mesa Solar Sox
44 Brett Wallace STL L R 6-2 235 08/26/86 Sonoma, CA Springfeld (AA) Peoria Saguaros
No. Outfelders MLB B T Ht. Wt. DOB Birthplace 2008 Club 2008 AFL Club
19 Chad Huffman SD R R 6-1 205 04/29/85 Missouri City, TX San Antonio (AA) Peoria Saguaros
3 Daniel Murphy NYM L R 6-1 210 01/01/85 Jacksonville, FL New York Mets (MLB) Peoria Saguaros
66 Chris Pettit LAA R R 6-0 193 08/15/84 Pasadena, CA Arkansas (AA) Scottsdale Scorpions
9 John Raynor FLA R R 6-2 185 01/04/84 Memphis, TN Carolina (AA) Mesa Solar Sox
23 Josh Reddick BOS L R 6-2 185 02/19/87 Savannah, GA Portland (AA) Scottsdale Scorpions
36 Casper Wells DET R R 6-2 210 11/23/84 Grand Rapids, MI Erie (AA) Mesa Solar Sox
Manager: Ron Warner (STL)
Pitching Coaches: Wally Whitehurst (SD), Kirk Champion (CWS).
Coaches: Rick Eckstein (WAS), Jack Voigt (NYM).2008 Arizona Fall League
National Division Rising Stars Roster
No. Pitchers MLB B T Ht. Wt. DOB Birthplace 2008 Club 2008 AFL Club
59 John Bannister TEX R R 6-4 198 01/20/84 Tucson, AZ Frisco (AA) Surprise Rafters
28 Brooks Brown ARI L R 6-3 212 06/20/85 Statesboro, GA Mobile (AA) Phoenix Desert Dogs
55 Rob Delaney MIN L R 6-3 231 09/08/84 Westwood, NJ New Britain (AA) Phoenix Desert Dogs
34 Carlos Fisher CIN R R 6-4 220 02/22/83 West Covina, CA Louisville (AAA) Peoria Javelinas
36 Philip Hughes NYY R R 6-5 220 06/24/86 Mission Viejo, CA Scranton (AAA) Peoria Javelinas
30 Jeremy Jeffress MIL R R 6-0 190 09/21/87 South Boston, VA Huntsville (AA) Peoria Javelinas
57 Brent Leach LAD L L 6-5 223 11/18/82 Flowood, MS Jacksonville (AA) Surprise Rafters
18 Shane Lindsay COL R R 6-1 212 01/25/85 Melbourne, AU Asheville (A) Phoenix Desert Dogs
27 Brian Matusz BAL L L 6-4 200 02/11/87 Grand Junction, CO Univ. of San Diego Surprise Rafters
60 Ryan Reid TB R R 6-0 210 04/24/85 Portland, ME Montgomery (AA) Peoria Javelinas
39 Anthony Slama MIN R R 6-3 201 01/06/84 Orange, CA Ft. Myers (A) Phoenix Desert Dogs
No. Catchers MLB B T Ht. Wt. DOB Birthplace 2008 Club 2008 AFL Club
5 J.P. Arencibia TOR R R 6-1 210 01/05/86 Miami, FL New Hampshire (AA) Phoenix Desert Dogs
34 Matt Wieters BAL S R 6-4 230 05/21/86 Charleston, SC Bowie (AA) Surprise Rafters
No. Infelders MLB B T Ht. Wt. DOB Birthplace 2008 Club 2008 AFL Club
9 Ivan De Jesus, Jr. LAD R R 5-11 193 05/01/87 Guaynabo, PR Jacksonville (AA) Surprise Rafterss
24 Wes Hodges CLE R R 6-1 205 09/14/84 Chattanooga, TN Akron (AA) Surprise Rafters
30 Beau Mills CLE L R 6-3 220 08/15/86 Visalia, CA Kinston (A) Surprise Rafters
93 Chris Nelson COL R R 5-11 176 09/03/85 Escondido, CA Tulsa (AA) Phoenix Desert Dogs
16 Rusty Ryal ARI R R 6-2 200 03/16/83 Ponca City, OK Mobile (AA) Phoenix Desert Dogs
9 Carlos Triunfel SEA R R 5-11 175 02/27/90 Santiago, DR High Desert (A) Peoria Javelinas
No. Outfelders MLB B T Ht. Wt. DOB Birthplace 2008 Club 2008 AFL Club
5 Julio Borbon TEX L L 6-1 180 02/20/86 Santo Domingo, DR Frisco (AA) Surprise Rafters
21 Joe Dickerson KC L L 6-1 190 10/03/86 Yorba Linda, CA Wilmington (A) Surprise Rafters
9 Sean Doolittle OAK L L 6-3 208 09/26/86 Rapid City, SD Midland (AA) Phoenix Desert Dogs
29 Greg Halman SEA R R 6-4 192 08/26/87 Haarlem, NL West Tennessee (AA) Peoria Javelinas
21 Austin Jackson NYY R R 6-1 185 02/01/87 Denton, TX Trenton (AA) Peoria Javelinas
15 Drew Stubbs CIN R R 6-4 200 10/04/84 Texarkana, TX Louisville (AAA) Peoria Javelinas
Manager: Darren Brown (SEA).
Pitching Coaches: Ted Power (CIN), Scott Aldred (NYY).
Coach: Ozzie Timmons (TB).

Arizona Fall League Stories from October 22, 2008

• Arizona Fall League daily report - AzFL
• Arizona Fall League Names Players-of-the-Week - AzFL
• Arizona Fall League Announce Rising Stars Rosters - AzFL

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