Hillsboro Hops Set 2022 Opening Day Roster
Published on April 4, 2022 under Northwest League (NWL)
Hillsboro Hops News Release
The three-time Northwest League champion Hillsboro Hops (@HillsboroHops), in conjunction with their parent club, the Arizona Diamondbacks, released their 2022 Opening Day roster on Monday, in preparation for their second year as a High-A long-season club. The 132-game season begins on Friday, April 8th.
The 30-player roster features five players drafted recently in the top five rounds-LHP Blake Walston, taken in the first round (26th overall) of the 2019 draft out of high school in North Carolina; shortstop Ryan Bliss, selected in the second round (42nd overall) in 2021 from Auburn University; catcher Adrian Del Castillo, drafted in the second round (67th overall) in 2021 from the University of Miami; third baseman A.J. Vukovich, taken in the fourth round in 2020 out of high school in Wisconsin; and catcher/outfielder Caleb Roberts, chosen in the fifth round in 2021 from the University of North Carolina.
Walston is listed as the number-four prospect in the Diamondbacks chain by MLBpipeline.com. Vukovich is number nine, Bliss number 16, Del Castillo number 17, and RHP Luke Albright (6th round, 2021 draft from Kent State University) is number 30.
West Linn, Oregon native Tim Tawa is also on the Hops' Opening Day roster. Tawa, an infielder/outfielder who graduated from West Linn High School in 2017, was selected in the 11th round of the 2021 draft out of Stanford University.
Seventeen players on the Opening Day roster saw action with Hillsboro in 2021, plus two others (RHP Deyni Olivero and LHP Andrew Saalfrank) who were with the Hops' most-recent championship club in 2019.
Vince Harrison returns for his second season as Hops manager. Coaches include hitting instructor K.C. Judge, pitching coach Jeff Bajenaru, and Ronald Ramirez.
Friday's opener at Ron Tonkin Field in Hillsboro will pit the Hops against the Los Angeles Angels' affiliate, the Tri-City Dust Devils, at 6:35PM. Hillsboro will also face Tri-City on Saturday (6:35) and Sunday (1:05), before the nine-game homestand continues on Tuesday with the first of six against the Mariners' affiliate, the Everett Aquasox. The Hops' flagship radio station is Rip City Radio 620AM, though a dozen early season games-including the entire first series-will air on Alt 102.3FM.
Northwest League Stories from April 4, 2022
- Hillsboro Hops Set 2022 Opening Day Roster - Hillsboro Hops
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