Drive Announce Opening Day Roster
April 5, 2016 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greenville Drive News Release
Greenville, SC - The 2016 season marks the beginning of the second decade of baseball in Downtown Greenville, and the Greenville Drive's Opening Day roster features a talented group of players that will ensure another successful season at Fluor Field.
The roster features three of the consensus top ten prospects in the Red Sox organization in outfielder Luis Alexander Basabe, third baseman Michael Chavis and right-handed pitcher Anderson Espinoza, the latter two of whom spent time in Greenville in 2015.
Seven players who were selected by the Red Sox in the 2015 Draft also highlight the roster, including catcher Austin Rei, a 3rd round choice from Washington and infielder Mitchell Gunsolus, a 10th round selection from Gonzaga.
In addition to Chavis and Espinoza, the roster features four more players returning to Greenville for the beginning of 2016, including right-handed pitchers Jeffry Fernandez and Kuehl McEachern, catcher J.T. Watkins and outfielder Joseph Monge.
"The Boston Red Sox player development staff are among the best in baseball, and we are excited at the talent that will be with us for the 2016 season here in Greenville," said Drive General Manager Eric Jarinko. "Some of Boston's top young players, including Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts and Blake Swihart have come through Greenville on their paths to major league stardom, and we hope that similar paths are in store for these young, exciting players who will wear the Drive uniform."
The Drive pitching staff will consist of 10 right-handers - Jake Cosart, Victor Diaz, Espinoza, Fernandez, Austin Glorius, Daniel Gonzalez, Anyelo Leclerc, McEachern, Roniel Raudes and Dioscar Romero; and three left-handers - Logan Boyd, Matt Kent and Bobby Poyner.
Cosart was a 3rd round selection in the 2014 Draft out of Seminole State College in Florida, and his brother Jarred is a pitcher for the Miami Marlins.
Espinoza has been consistently ranked this offseason as the top pitching prospect in the Boston organization, and the 18-year old made one appearance for the Drive in 2015 after posting a 0.68 ERA in 40 innings with the Gulf Coast League Red Sox.
Fernandez made 23 starts for the Drive in 2015, which ranked second on the club, and he ranked third with 115 innings.
McEachern led the 2015 Drive with nine saves and posted a 2.52 ERA in 34 appearances out of the bullpen.
Three catchers are on the opening roster - Roldani Baldwin, Rei and Watkins.
Watkins returned to professional baseball in 2015 following a two-year stint in the United States Army and appeared in 37 games in Greenville.
The infielders on the roster include Luis Alejandro Basabe, Chavis, Chad De La Guerra, Gunsolus, Josh Ockimey and Jeremy Rivera.
Chavis led all Red Sox minor leaguers with 16 homers and ranked third in the South Atlantic League in that category.
Ockimey was a 5th round selection out of a Philadelphia high school in 2014.
Rounding out the roster are outfielders Luis Alexander Basabe, Trenton Kemp, Monge and Kyri Washington.
Luis Alexander Basabe is among the Red Sox most exciting position player prospects, and he was a New York-Penn League All-Star with Lowell in 2015. He and his twin brother, Luis Alejandro Basabe, are both on the Drive's Opening Day roster.
Monge hit .241 with 22 stolen bases in 109 games with the Drive in 2015.
Darren Fenster returns to Greenville for his third season as the Drive's Manager, and he is joined on staff in 2016 by Pitching Coach Walter Miranda, Hitting Coach Lee May, Jr. and Assistant Coach Nate Spears.
"We are extremely excited about this new group of talented young players as we begin our second decade of baseball in Downtown Greenville," said Drive Owner and Team President Craig Brown. "We hope to see these players get off to a flying start in their professional careers as they continue to develop and know they will over time help the Red Sox compete for World Series championships."
Opening Week presented by TD Bank features a seven-game homestand at Fluor Field to begin the 2016 season. The Drive will take on the Asheville Tourists, affiliate of the Colorado Rockies, on Opening Night on Thursday, April 7th at 7:05 PM. Tickets, luxury accomodations and group outings are available now by calling (864) 240-4500 or logging on to GreenvilleDrive.com.
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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
