Arizona Fall League Announces Rising Stars Game Rosters
November 2, 2009 - Arizona Fall League (AzFL) News Release
Phoenix - The Arizona Fall League stages its fourth annual Rising Stars Game at 8:15 p.m. ET (6:15 p.m. AZ) on Saturday, November 7 at Surprise Stadium. The contest will be nationally televised for the frst time by MLB Network and online via MLB.com.
Scouting and minor-league directors of every major-league organization, in consultation with Fall League 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.
"The nation will have the opportunity to see a sampling of the array of talent that is on display in the Arizona Fall League six days a week for six weeks," Cobb offers. "We are proud to showcase some of the top prospects in baseball to a national viewing audience for the frst time in the Rising Stars Game on Saturday night."
Friday's contest pits standouts from the Fall League's East and West divisions. The East Division will feld players from the Mesa Solar Sox (Angels, Cubs, Marlins, Red Sox, Twins), Phoenix Desert Dogs (Athletics, Blue Jays, Nationals, Orioles, Rays), and Scottsdale Scorpions (Giants, Diamondbacks, Phillies, Pirates, Rockies). The West Division roster will be stocked from the Peoria Javelinas (Brewers, Dodgers, Mariners, Tigers, White Sox), Peoria Saguaros (Astros, Braves, Indians, Padres, Reds), and Surprise Rafters (Cardinals, Mets, Rangers, Royals, Yankees).
Two 2009 frst-round draft choices - Desert Dogs right-hander Stephen Strasburg (WSH) and Peoria Saguaros left-hander Mike Minor (ATL) - are the scheduled starting pitchers. Strasburg was the frst overall selection in the draft, Minor the seventh.
The coaching staffs of the two division-leading teams through play of Saturday, October 31 earned the right to skipper Saturday's contest. Desert Dogs' manager Gary Cathcart and his staff - R.C. Lichtenstein (Rays), Paul Menhart (Nationals), Brian McArn (Athletics) and Moe Hill (Orioles) - will manage the East Divison club. Javelinas' manager Kevin Bradshaw (Tigers) and his staff - Fred Dabney (Brewers), Gary Ward (White Sox) - will guide the West Division.
Diamondbacks television play-by-play voice Daron Sutton and former Diamondbacks, Mets, Padres, Red Sox, Tigers, and Yankees frst baseman Tony Clark will describe the action to the viewing audience.
Several major-league standouts appeared in the frst three Rising Stars Games, including Gordon Beckham (White Sox), Ryan Braun (Brewers), Jacoby Ellsbury (Red Sox), Yunel Escobar (Braves), Tommy Hanson (Braves), Phil Hughes (Yankees), Kevin Kouzmanoff (Padres), Jed Lowrie (Red Sox), Daniel Murphy (Mets), Hunter Pence (Astros) and Matt Weiters (Orioles).
Following Saturday's "Rising Stars Game," the six-team Arizona Fall League resumes play on Monday, November 9 and continues with games Monday-Saturday through Thursday, November 19. The league championship game will be held two days later on Saturday, November 21 at 2:35 p.m. ET (12:35 p.m. AZ) at Scottsdale Stadium. It also will be televised by MLB Network and online via MLB.com.
For current Arizona Fall League information, including pitch-by-pitch gamecasts by Baseball Advanced Media, consult www.mlbfallball.com. Also follow the Fall League via Twitter (MLBazFallLeague) and Facebook.
East Division Rising Stars
Angels, Athletics, Blue Jays, Cubs, Diamondbacks, Giants, Marlins,
Nationals, Orioles, Phillies, Pirates, Rays, Red Sox, Rockies, and Twins
Manager: Gary Cathcart (Blue Jays) As of November 2, 2009
Pitching Coach: R.C. Lichtenstein (Rays)
Hitting Coaches: Brian McArn (Athletics)
Moe Hill (Orioles)
No. Pitchers Team B T Ht. Wt. DOB Birthplace Organization
41 Andrew Cashner* RHP R R 6-6 210 09/11/86 Conroe, TX Chicago Cubs
24 Brandon Erbe PDD R R 6-4 180 12/25/87 Baltimore, MD Baltimore Orioles
19 Reidier Gonzalez PDD R R 5-9 215 11/01/85 Villa Clara, Cuba Toronto Blue Jays
33 Matt Gorgen PDD R R 6-0 210 01/27/87 Palo Alto, CA Tampa Bay Rays
54 Andrew Johnston SCO R R 6-5 205 04/20/84 St. Louis, MO Colorado Rockies
41 Danny Moskos SCO R L 6-1 210 04/28/86 Greenville, SC Pittsburgh Pirates
46 Toru Murata SCO L R 6-0 175 05/20/85 Osaka, Japan Yomiuri Giants (NPB)
30 Blake Parker CHC R R 6-3 225 06/19/05 Fayetteville, AR Chicago Cubs
65 Matt Reynolds SCO L L 6-5 240 10/02/84 Knoxville, TN Colorado Rockies
58 Dustin Richardson MSS L L 6-6 220 01/09/84 Newton, KS Boston Red Sox
17 Drew Storen PDD R R 6-2 180 08/11/87 Indianapolis, IN Washington Nationals
37 Stephen Strasburg PDD R R 6-4 220 07/20/88 San Diego, CA Washington Nationals
No. Catchers Team B T Ht. Wt. DOB Birthplace Organization
65 Hank Conger MSS S R 6-1 220 01/29/88 Federal Way, WA L. A. Angels of Anaheim
10 Buster Posey SCO R R 6-1 205 03/27/87 Leesburg, GA San Francisco Giants
No. Infielders Team B T Ht. Wt. DOB Birthplace Organization
25 Brandon Allen SCO L R 6-2 235 02/12/86 Conroe, TX Arizona Diamondbacks
13 Starlin Castro MSS R R 6-1 160 03/24/90 Monte Cristi, DR Chicago Cubs
3 Chase d'Arnaud SCO R R 6-1 175 01/21/87 Torrance, CA Pittsburgh Pirates
15 Matt Dominguez MSS R R 6-1 210 08/28/89 Chatsworth, CA Florida Marlins
14 Brandon Snyder PDD R R 6-2 215 11/23/86 Las Vegas, NV Baltimore Orioles
4 Josh Vitters MSS R R 6-3 200 08/27/89 Anaheim, CA Chicago Cubs
6 Jemile Weeks PDD S R 5-10 175 01/26/87 Miami, FL Oakland Athletics
No. Outfielders Team B T Ht. Wt. DOB Birthplace Organization
8 Domonic Brown SCO L L 6-5 204 09/03/87 Zephyrhills, FL Philadelphia Phillies
21 Grant Desme PDD R R 6-2 205 04/04/86 Bakersfield, CA Oakland Athletics
2 Bryan Petersen MSS L R 6-0 200 04/09/86 Irvine, CA Florida Marlins
24 Jose Tabata SCO R R 5-11 215 08/12/88 Anzoategui, Venezuela Pittsburgh Pirates
11 Rene Tosoni MSS L R 6-0 195 07/02/86 Toronto, ON Minnesota Twins
*Unavailable to participateWest Division Rising Stars
Astros, Braves, Cardinals, Dodgers, Indians, Mariners, Mets,
Padres, Rangers, Reds, Royals, Tigers, White Sox, Yankees
Manager: Kevin Bradshaw (Tigers) As of November 2, 2009
Pitching Coach: Fred Dabney (Brewers)
Hitting Coach: Gary Ward (White Sox)
No. Pitchers Team B T Ht. Wt. DOB Birthplace Organization
33 Phillippe Aumont PEJ R R 6-7 220 01/07/89 Hull, QC, Canada Seattle Mariners
29 Michael Dunn SUR L L 6-1 195 05/23/82 Farmington, NM New York Yankees
25 Josh Fields PEJ R R 6-0 185 08/19/85 Athens, GA Seattle Mariners
32 Javy Guerra PEJ R R 6-1 195 10/31/85 Denton, TX Los Angele Dodgers
33 Danny Gutierrez SUR R R 6-1 180 03/08/87 Los Angeles, CA Texas Rangers
29 Craig Kimbrel PES R R 5-11 205 05/28/88 Huntsville, AL Atlanta Braves
15 Mike Leake PES R R 6-0 180 11/12/87 San Diego, CA Cincinnati Reds
32 Mike Minor PES R L 6-3 200 12/26/87 Chapel Hill, TN Atlanta Braves
38 Andrew Oliver PEJ L L 6-3 209 12/03/87 Vermilion, OH Detroit Tigers
53 Mark Rogers PEJ R R 6-2 225 01/30/86 Brunswick, ME Milwaukee Brewers
46 Tanner Scheppers SUR R R 6-4 200 01/17/87 Mission Viejo, CA Texas Rangers
No. Catchers Team B T Ht. Wt. DOB Birthplace Organization
30 Jason Castro PES L R 6-3 210 06/18/87 Castro Valley, CA Houston Astros
17 Lucas May PEJ R R 6-1 215 10/24/84 Las Vegas, NV Los Angeles Dodgers
No. Infielders Team B T Ht. Wt. DOB Birthplace Organization
28 Yonder Alonso PES L R 6-2 215 04/08/87 Havana, Cuba Cincinnati Reds
2 Zack Cozart PES R R 6-1 185 08/12/85 Memphis, TN Cincinnati Reds
16 Ike Davis SUR L L 6-5 195 03/22/87 Edna, MN New York Mets
13 Daniel Descalso SUR L R 5-10 190 10/19/86 San Carlos, CA St. Louis Cardinals
11 Carlos Rivero PES R R 6-0 185 12/18/84 Houston, TX Cleveland Indians
21 Mike Moustakas SUR L R 6-0 195 09/11/88 Los Angeles, CA Kansas City Royals
36 Lance Zawadzki PES S R 5-11 185 05/26/85 Framingham, MA San Diego Padres
No. Outfielders Team B T Ht. Wt. DOB Birthplace Organization
5 Dustin Ackley PEJ L R 6-1 185 02/26/88 Winston-Salem, NC Seattle Mariners
20 Jordan Danks PEJ L R 6-4 210 08/07/86 Austin, TX Chicago White Sox
27 Chris Heisey PES R R 6-0 200 12/14/84 Lancaster, PA Cincinnati Reds
4 Daryl Jones SUR L L 5-11 180 06/25/87 Royal Oak, MI St. Louis Cardinals
15 Casper Wells PEJ R R 6-2 210 11/23/84 Grand Rapids, MI Detroit Tigers
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Arizona Fall League Stories from November 2, 2009
- Arizona Fall League Announces Rising Stars Game Rosters - AzFL
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