TL1 Northwest Arkansas Naturals

C Manny Pina Transferred to Omaha

Published on July 4, 2010 under Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


SPRINGDALE, AR - The Kansas City Royals announced two transactions on Saturday afternoon affecting the Naturals roster. The related details are as follows:

Catcher Manny Pina has been transferred to Triple-A Omaha, the Royals' top-level affiliate in the Pacific Coast League. Pina, the 23-year old from Barquismeto, Venezuela, batted .250 with six homers and 25 RBI in 47 games with the Naturals, his second year in the Texas League.

Known for his defense behind the dish, Pina was by far the best in the Texas League at gunning down opposing baserunners, nailing 24 of 44 runners (54.5%), over 10% better than the league's next best backstop. Pina, who was a 2009 Texas League All-Star, also ranked in the circuit's top three catchers in that same department last season.

A member of the Royals' 40-man roster, Pina was acquired by the Royals in September of last season in a trade with the Texas Rangers. He was originally signed by Texas in September 2004 as a non-drafted free agent. Pina is a career .251 hitter with 18 homers and 136 RBI in 334 games.

To fill Pina's spot on the roster, left-hander Chris Dwyer was transferred from Advanced Class-A Wilmington. The 22-year old Dwyer is a resident of Swampscott, MA and had a great first half with the Blue Rocks in his first full season of professional baseball, posting a 6-3 record and a 2.99 ERA in 15 starts. He tossed one complete game and allowed just 79 hits in 84 1/3 innings while recording 93 strikeouts against just 33 walks. Dwyer has gotten significantly better as the 2010 season has progressed; posting a 3-0 record and 1.67 ERA in four June starts and followed it up with six shutout innings in his final Carolina League outing, which occurred on Thursday against Lynchburg.

Ranked prior to the season as the Royals' ninth-best prospect by Baseball America, Dwyer, the Royals' fourth-round selection last year out of Clemson, was the first draft-eligible freshman to be selected since the current draft process was instituted in 1965. The talented southpaw is slated to make his Double-A debut when he starts Tuesday's game against Corpus Christi.

After the move, the Naturals' roster remains at the Texas League limit of 24 active players.

The Royals also announced that first baseman Clint Robinson (.409 average, 8 homers, 22 RBI) was named as the Naturals' Player of the Month for June while right-hander Louis Coleman (1-1, 3 saves, 1.80 ERA) was named as Naturals' Pitcher of the Month. Coleman was promoted to Omaha Friday.

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