Carolina Mudcats season preview
April 3, 2006 - Southern League (SL1)
Carolina Mudcats News Release
OVERVIEW
During the three years of the Carolina Mudcats-Florida Marlins affiliation, the degree of success has been astounding. In 2003, the Marlins captured their second World Series, while the Mudcats garnered their second Southern League title. Dontrelle Willis was National League Rookie of the Year, and finished runner-up in last year's Cy Young Award voting. Willis and superstar Miguel Cabrera have are becoming fixtures on the N.L. all-star team. The last two seasons, the Marlins were in the thick of the N.L. wild-card race into the waning weeks of the regular season, while the Mudcats raced to a minor-league baseball best record by May, and ultimately reached the playoffs for the second time in three seasons. Further, the Marlins plucked eight Mudcat players directly from the Five County Stadium clubhouse to the major leagues last summer, easily outpacing any other Double-A club in the country.
Entering 2006, the Mudcats are once again well-positioned for a run to the Southern League playoffs after the Marlins buoyed their farm system after a series of major-league trades during the off-season.
MANAGER
The Mudcats will be led onto the field by their fourth different manager in four seasons with the Marlins - Luis Dorante. Dorante, 37, brings a wealth of minor and major league experience into the Mudcats dugout. Dorante began his managerial career at the age of 25, and has nine years at the helm of clubs, including one season at Double-A Harrisburg in 2001. In 2005, Dorante paused his managing stint, summoned to the major leagues as Florida's bullpen coach, and now will have a chance to mentor the 2006 version of the Mudcats.
STARTING PITCHERS
Adam Bostick, 23, will open up his first full season of Double-A pitching. Added to the Marlins' 40-man roster in the off-season, Bostick went 4-3 over nine starts with the Mudcats in 2005, joining the club in mid-July. He was 5th in the Florida State League in strikeouts at the time of his promotion to Carolina, and finished with 119 in 121 innings, compiling an 8-5 combined record. Bostick was the Marlins' 6th round pick in 2001 from Greensburg-Salem High in Pennsylvania.
Ben Julianel, 26, will begin his first season in the Marlins organization after being acquired in a major league deal with the Yankees in November. Julianel, a lefty has just over a year of Double-A experience, working predominantly out of the Trenton Thunder bullpen last season in the Eastern League. Julianel, drafted out of San Diego State in the 12th round of 2001 St. Louis, has been packaged in two trades in his five years of pro ball, from St. Louis to New York, and now from the Yankees to the Marlins in a deal that netted New York Ron Villone. Julianel has compiled just a 3.14 ERA in five years, averaging 10.3 K/IP (451K/396IP), and has exhibited exceptional success against left-handed batters.
Paul Mildren, 21, makes the move to Double-A for the first time in his career. Mildren originally signed as a free agent from Australia in 2001 when he was 17, and has been slowly progressing through Florida's chain. After spending two seasons in Greensboro in 2003 & 2004, Mildren had a breakout season last year, finishing 6th in the Florida State League in ERA (3.08), and winning 10 games.
James Russ, 25, tied with Josh Johnson in minor league victories for the Marlins last year with 12, including one in his only start for the Mudcats last August. Russ also paced the Marlins organization in innings (167) and strikeouts (148). Russ, a North Carolina native, was born in Concord and played college ball at Belmont Abbey (NC) College.
Scott Tyler, 23, will also begin his first season in the Florida organization, having been acquired from Minnesota in the Luis Castillo trade in December. Already with a slot on the Marlins' 40-man roster, Tyler moves to Double-A for the first time. Tyler was the 2nd-round pick of the Twins in 2001 from Downington (PA) HS, and spent two full seasons in the Midwest League (2003-04) before moving to the Fort Myers in the Florida State League last season, going 7-8 with a 3.95 ERA in 116 innings.
Craig Molldrem, 24, continues his rapid climb through the Marlins organization. In just 1 ½ seasons of pro baseball, Molldrem has ascended through four different minor league squads, including a brief taste of Carolina last summer for one start. Molldrem, the Marlins' 8th round pick in 2004 from the University of Minnesota, spent most of last season in Greensboro, going 6-1 with a 2.83 ERA.
Taylor Tankersley, 23, is the highest drafted pitcher on the Mudcats staff. Tankersley was Florida's first rounder in 2004, chosen 27th overall, and opens his first Double-A season as the Marlins' 14th ranked prospect. Tankersley pitched collegiately at Alabama, and has gone 4-8 in his first 1 ½ seasons as a pro. Tankersley missed two months of the regular season with shoulder tendonitis, which was solved in time for him to pitch in nine games (2-1) in the Arizona Fall League with five former Mudcats on the Grand Canyon Roster.
RELIEF PITCHERS
Jesus Delgado, 21, has perhaps the best raw arm in the Marlins organization. Delgado was acquired in the mammoth Josh Beckett/Mike Lowell trade with Boston in November, and opens his first Double-A season on the Florida 40-man roster and a #24 ranking of the Marlins system according to Baseball Amercia. Delgado, signed from Venezuela in 2001, was originally an outfielder, then missed two seasons recovering from Tommy John surgery. Delgado has returned throwing a fastball at 95-96 mph. Delgado pitched in a former Southern League ballpark last summer, for Greenville, now in the Low-A South Atlantic League, putting up a 7-3 record in 33 games in the bullpen with 69 strikeouts in 72 innings.
Matt Yourkin, 24, enters his first full Double-A season after spending two stints with the Mudcats in 2005, including the final three weeks of the regular season and the Eastern Division playoffs. Yourkin was signed by the Marlins as a free agent in 2003 from St. Mary's College (CA), and went a combined 3-3 in 54 relief appearances for Carolina, Greensboro and Jupiter.
Manual Olivera, 28, was signed by the Marlins just last January from Mexico, and 2005 was his first pitching professionally in the United States. Olivera appeared in 35 games, including eight starts for Jupiter, managing an ERA of 3.94 and a record of 3-4.
Kevin Cave, 25, returns to the Mudcats for a portion of his third season in Zebulon. Cave, the Marlins 17th round pick from Xavier University in 2001, was 5-3 in a steady 2005 season over 37 games, fanning 35 hitters in 42 innings. Cave polished off the third-ever no-hitter in Mudcats history in April, 2004 at Huntsville.
Mike McNutt, 26, has filled a number of roles for the Mudcats in the past two years, from set-up to long relief, to spot starting. McNutt, a 25th round pick by Florida in 2000 from Mount St. Joseph College (OH), was 3-2 with a 3.83 ERA in 31 games for Carolina last summer, and is 40-30 in his career.
Ross Wolf, 22, spent all of 2005 with the Mudcats as one of the youngest players on the club. Wolf appeared in a team-high 54 games, going 5-4 with a save and an ERA of 4.96. Wolf was the Marlins 18th round pick in 2002 from Wabash Valley Community College (IL), and is 24-16 over the course of his career.
Chris Young, 24, will open his first campaign in the Marlins organization after being acquired by Florida in a Rule V trade with Pittsburgh in December. Young was the 18th round pick of Colorado in 2002 from Mississippi State University, spending most of last season at Double-A Tulsa until the Rockies traded him to Pittsburgh in August. Young then completed his season at High-A Lynchburg. Young has amassed 236 strikeouts in his 284 innings over his career, appearing in 45+ games each of his three full seasons in pro ball.
Chris Mobley, 22, enters just his second full season in pro baseball after bursting on the scene last year with a league-best 34 saves for Low-A Greensboro. Mobely appeared in 54 games, pitching 61 innings and striking out 74 hitters. Mobley pitched college ball for the Blue Raiders at Middle Tennessee State, selected by the Marlins in the 22nd round of the 2004 draft.
CATCHERS
Patrick Arlis, 25, makes the jump to Double-A for the first time in his career. Arlis caught the Jupiter pitching staff 91 games last season, hitting .243 with six homers and 35 RBI. Arlis was the Marlins' 11th-round pick from the University of Illinois in 2002, and born in the tiny Illinois town of Winfield.
Jon Aceves, 28, signed with the Marlins as a six-year free agent last November after spending his entire nine-year career with the Chicago White Sox organization. Aceves had spent portions of his last five years with the Birmingham Barons, hitting .267 with seven home runs last season. Aceves, a native of Mexico, has also shuttled to Triple-A Charlotte each of the last four years.
INFIELDERS
Second baseman Kevin Randel, 24, makes his Double-A debut as well for the Mudcats this summer. Randel hit .285 with nine homers, 50 RBI and 15 steals for Jupiter in 2005, coming from the seasoned collegiate program at Long Beach State University.
Mudcats veteran Rex Rundgren, 25, is in line for a return to the Mudcats after appearing in 111 games last year. Rundgren was the Marlins' 11th-round selection from Sacramento Community College (CA) in 2001.
Third baseman Lee Mitchell, 23, will get his first crack at Double-A pitching in 2006. Mitchell, the Marlins' 6th-round pick in 2003 from the University of Georgia, hit .226 with 14 homers and 60 RBI at Jupiter last summer.
Cornerman Michael Tucker, 26, will provide leadership and versatility in Dorante's infield. Tucker, who spent portions of 2004 and 2005 with Carolina, has the ability to play third, second and first, and was used twice as an emergency pitcher for the Mudcats last season. Tucker was the Marlins' 14th-round pick in 2001 from Florida Southern College.
Utilityman Frank Moore, 27, will open his second year in the Marlins organization with Carolina. Moore spent the first seven years of his pro career with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, reaching Triple-A Durham in 2003. Moore hit a productive .269 with 20 extra base hits last season for the Mudcats, batting well-over .300 in the second half. Moore played college ball at Middle Georgia Junior College, selected by Tampa Bay in the 23rd round of the 1998 draft.
First baseman Ryan Bear, 25, will take his first swing at Double-A this season after hitting .294 with 25 doubles and 46 RBI at Jupiter in 2005. Bear was the Marlins' 30th-round pick from the University of Central Florida in 2003, and hit 17 homers in his first full season in Greensboro in 2004.
OUTFIELDERS
Alejandro DeAza, will turn 22 in the first week of the regular season, makes his Double-A debut. DeAza led the Marlins organization with nine triples last year, hitting .286 with 34 stolen bases for Jupiter. DeAza began his career with the Dodgers, signing with Los Angeles in 2001 from the Dominican Republic as a free agent. Florida then claimed DeAza through the Rule V draft in 2004.
Juan Carlos Muniz, 30, will get a chance to start in the Mudcats outfield in 2006 after spending his first professional season in the U.S. as a fourth outfielder for Carolina last summer. Muniz, one of the minors most intriguing backgrounds, defected from Cuba, landed in Brazil, and found himself in Zebulon where he hit .280 with nine homers and 43 RBI in 106 games.
BJ Garbe, 25, enters his first season in the Marlins organization. Garbe, a former 1st-round pick of the Twins in 1999 (5th overall), hit .275 in 80 games with Inland Empire of the California League last season before being released in June. The Marlins signed him as a free agent in December. Garbe signed originally with the Twins from Moses Lake High School in Washington.
Angel Molina, 24, brings his talented offensive and defense abilities to Carolina after appearing in 11 Mudcats games last season. Molina, signed by Florida as a free agent in 2000, is a career .265 hitter, while bashing a personal-best 18 homers in Greensboro in 2004.
Jose Campusano, a converted Dominican shortstop, will start 2006 in the Carolina outfield after hitting .277 and stealing 13 bases at High-A Jupiter last season, his first season playing in the United States. Campusano, lightning quick and possessing of an incredibly strong arm, has been timed from home to first base on a bunt at 3.35 seconds.
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