Cougars Opening Day Roster Set
April 4, 2005 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Kane County Cougars News Release
GENEVA, IL â The Kane County Cougars, in conjunction with the Oakland Athletics, announced today the team's official Opening Day roster. Containing new talents, such as high draft picks Michael Rogers (2nd), Ryan Webb (4th) and Kevin Melillo (5th), 2004 Northwest League MVP Javier Herrera and local star James Heuser, the squad also features the familiar faces of Kory Wayment, Chris Tritle and Jared Trout. Accompanying the Cougars as they travel to Cedar Rapids this Thursday, April 7 for the season opener, Jeff Hem will be calling all the play-by-play action as he was named the Cougars radio broadcaster for the 2005 season.
Leading the Cougars on the field, 2004 Midwest League Manager of the Year Dave Joppie returns to Kane County along with hitting coach Aaron Nieckula and trainer Justin Whitehouse. New to the field staff, pitching coach Garvin Alston makes his coaching debut within the Oakland Athletics system. The Colorado Rockies selected the former right-handed pitcher in the 10th round of the 1992 draft out of Florida International University. Playing a short time with the Rockies at the major league level in 1996, Alston spent time over the next five seasons pitching in the minor leagues for the Rockies, Los Angeles Dodgers and Kansas City Royals.
Fifteen of the 25-man roster taking the field as Cougars this Thursday started their professional career just last season, getting picked up by the A's in the 2004 June draft. Of the fifteen, three were selected in the top five rounds, including Michael Rogers, Ryan Webb and Kevin Melillo. Selected in the 2nd round out of North Carolina State University, Rogers went 9-4 in his final year with the Wolfpack, generating a 3.08 ERA with 110 strikeouts before heading to Vancouver to make his professional debut. A unique pick for Oakland, Webb, the son of former New York Met (1972-76) and Los Angeles Dodgers (1977) pitcher Hank Webb, joins the A's system from Clearwater Central High School (Florida). Webb started at the Rookie level last season, going 1-1 in seven starts for the Arizona A's and producing a 4.87 ERA with 23 strikeouts. Rounding out the top five rounds, infielder Kevin Melillo played on three College World Series squads with his alma mater, University of South Carolina, before being selected in the 5th round of last year's draft. The former teammate of 2004 Cougars ace Steve Bondurant, Melillo bat .300 with the Gamecocks last year, knocking nine out of the park while driving in 36 teammates. Continuing the trend in Vancouver, the Florida native hit .340 with 32 hits and 21 RBI for the Canadians.
Ranked the number 3 prospect in the A's minor league system, outfielder Javier Herrera made his mark in the Northwest League in 2004. Signed as a non-drafted free agent in July 2001, Herrera emerged in the professional baseball arena that season in the Dominican Summer League (Rookie) and spent the following year in the Arizona Rookie League League (Rookie). Collecting three NWL Player of the Week (6/20-6/27, 7/19-7/25 & 8/16-8/22) and July Player of the Month honors with the Vancouver Canadians last season, the league MVP slugged a .331 batting average with 12 home runs and 47 RBI. Lasalle-Peru Township High School (Illinois) graduate, left-handed pitcher James Hueser arrives in Kane County after two seasons with the Arizona A's (Rookie). Chosen by the A's out of Illinois Valley Community College in 2003, Heuser appeared in 15 games for the Athletics, yielding a 3-2 record and 3.11 ERA in 2004. Both infielder Kory Wayment and outfielder Chris Tritle make their third visit to Kane County while right-hander Jared Trout, credited with the game-four win during the 2004 Midwest League Championship round, comes back for a second.
A graduate of the University of Iowa in May 2004, Jeff Hem returns to calling Midwest League action, joining Kane County following a one-year stint with the Battle Creek Yankees, now the Southwest Michigan Devil Rays. Although new to the Cougars, the former Hawkeye is no stranger to the area as he was born and still resides in Aurora, Illinois. A West Aurora alum, Hem played baseball for the Blackhawks as well as one year at Augustana College before heading west to Iowa for his sophomore year.
Midwest League Stories from April 4, 2005
- Statement on Suspended Minor League Baseball Players - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Top Prospects Headline 'Caps Roster - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Kernels Meet the Players Night April 6th - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Cougars Opening Day Roster Set - Kane County Cougars
- Kernels Announce 2005 Opening Day Roster - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Jake Miller named as Kernels Strength and Conditioning Coach - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Silver Hawks Ready To Open Up - South Bend Silver Hawks
- Blue Jays announce Lugnuts opening day roster - Lansing Lugnuts
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