MWL1 Kane County Cougars

Cougars Announce Preliminary Opening Day Roster

March 31, 2014 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Kane County Cougars News Release


GENEVA, Ill. - The Kane County Cougars, in conjunction with the Chicago Cubs, have announced the team's preliminary Opening Day roster. The incoming group of 26 players will be reduced to a Midwest League-mandated squad of 25 before Thursday's season opener at 7 p.m. against the Quad Cities River Bandits in Iowa. The team's home opener will be next Tuesday, April 8 at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark against the Fort Wayne Tin Caps, a San Diego Padres farm team. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.

Cougars manager Mark Johnson returns for his second season at Kane County. He will be accompanied by pitching coach David Rosario and hitting coach Tom Beyers. Coach Chris Gutierrez, athletic trainer Jonathan Fierro and strength and conditioning coach Ed Kohl round out the field staff.

The Cougars' roster includes four of the top 30 Cubs organizational prospects according to a pre-season publication by Baseball America. Right-handed pitcher Paul Blackburn (ranked 12th by BA) started 12 games at Short-A Boise last season, going 2-3 with a 3.33 ERA. Blackburn was the 56th overall pick in the 2012 draft. Tyler Skulina (ranked 19th by BA), a right-handed pitcher who was a 4th round pick by the Cubs last summer, returns to Kane County. Skulina made 4 starts with the Cougars in 2013. Left-handed pitcher Nathan Dorris, who was named a Midwest League All-Star last season, also returns to Kane County. The Cougars have received 19-year old Jen-Ho Tseng, who will make his U.S. professional debut this spring. Tseng was signed by the Cubs last summer and was ranked 29th on MLB.com's list of Top 30 international prospects in 2013.

Outfielder Shawon Dunston, Jr, son of former Cub Shawon Dunston, is Kane County-bound to open the season. Dunston played in 49 games with Boise in 2013, batting .290 and swiping 12 bases. Jake Hannemann (ranked 17th by BA) was selected in the 3rd round by the Cubs last summer and played in 14 games at Boise last season. Trey Martin, who opened last season in Geneva but suffered a season-ending shoulder injury, breaks spring training camp as a Cougar.

Short Hops: Among the 26 players heading to Kane County, a total of eight players spent all or a portion of the 2013 season with the Cougars...two of the 13 pitchers listed are left-handers (Dorris, Gerardo Conception)...a total of six players were part of the Cubs' 2013 draft class...infielder Daniel Lockhart is ranked the 30th-best prospect in the Cubs system by Baseball America and is the son of former Major Leaguer and current Cubs scout, Keith Lockhart...the roster includes players from the United States, Canada, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Taiwan...Hannemann is tabbed by Baseball America as the fastest baserunner and best athlete in the Cubs' farm system, while catcher Will Remillard is named the best defensive catcher.

The team arrives from the Cubs' spring training complex in Arizona this evening and will have two days of team workouts before opening the 2014 season. Opening Night at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark is set for Tuesday, April 8 against Fort Wayne. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. with first pitch at 6:30 p.m. Cougars players will sign autographs for fans on the field at 6 p.m. The first 1,500 fans through the gates will receive a Cougars Opening Day cap courtesy of Presence Mercy Medical Center, and all fans can run the bases following the game. Tickets are available by calling the Cougars at (630) 232-8811 or by ordering online at www.kccougars.com.

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