MWL1 Kane County Cougars

Cougars Announce 2011 Opening Day Roster

Published on April 4, 2011 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Kane County Cougars News Release


GENEVA, IL - The Kane County Cougars, in conjunction with the Kansas City Royals, have announced the team's official Opening Day roster. The squad includes the Royals' second round pick in the 2010 amateur draft, three players who are Illinois natives, and a Royals prospect who is the son of a former major leaguer that was part of the Chicago White Sox 1983 division championship team.

Cougars manager Vance Wilson begins his coaching career at Kane County and fields a full roster of 25 active players as the squad prepares for Thursday's season opener against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers in Appleton. Wilson's field staff includes two other former major leaguers in pitching coach Jim Brower and hitting coach Damon Hollins.

Wilson's outfield includes a pair of Royals prospects who each belted more than 20 home runs in their final collegiate seasons. Outfielder Brett Eibner (2nd round, 2010) will be making his professional debut as a Cougar. The 54th overall pick in last June's amateur draft, Eibner played collegiately at the University of Arkansas and last spring as a junior, hit .333 with 22 home runs for the Razorbacks. Brian Fletcher (18th round, 2010) is the son of former major leaguer Scott Fletcher, who played for 15 seasons in the big leagues, including 114 games in 1983 for the division champion Chicago White Sox club. Brian played at Auburn University and was a first-team All-SEC selection, hitting a team-best .357 with 22 home runs.

The Cougars will open the season with 13 pitchers on the active roster, three of which hail from the Land of Lincoln. Right-handed pitcher Greg Billo (28th round, 2008) was born in south suburban Palos Heights and was an all-state selection at Carl Sandburg High School in Orland Park. Jon Keck is one of only two left-handed pitchers on the roster. Keck (42nd round, 2009) was born in southwest suburban Joliet and was a collegian at Bethel College in Tennessee. Right-handed pitcher Nick Wooley (12th round, 2009) hails from downstate Wood River and spent a portion of his collegiate playing career at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.

Pitcher Leonel Santiago (Non-drafted FA, 2007) had his best professional season to date last year with the Burlington Royals (Short-A) as a full-time starter, and is projected to be the team's Opening Night starter on Thursday. Santiago walked only 17 batters in 81 innings last season and posted six consecutive quality starts from July 14-August 9. Pitcher Chas Byrne (16th round, 2010) has some baseball bloodlines. His grandfather, the late Tommy Byrne, pitched 13 seasons in the majors from 1943-1957 and won two World Series with the Yankees ('49, '56). Infielder Ryan Stovall (19th round, 2009) was named Burlington (Short-A) Player of the Year last season. Infielder Murray Watts (28th round, 2010) was named Player of the Year at Idaho Falls (Short-A) last season and was a Pioneer League Postseason All-Star with 14 home runs and 57 RBI.

The team arrived from the Royals' spring training complex this past weekend and will have several days of team workouts before traveling to Wisconsin for a four-game series against the Timber Rattlers beginning on Thursday. The team returns home for the Elfstrom Stadium opener on Monday, April 11 against the Quad Cities River Bandits. Game time that day is set for 3 p.m. and the first 1,500 fans through the stadium gates will receive an Opening Day cap, courtesy of Provena Mercy Medical Center. Other activities that day include a pre-game autograph session at 2:30 p.m., and all fans may run the bases after the final out. Tickets are available by calling the Cougars at (630) 232-8811 or by ordering online at www.kccougars.com.

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