IL1 Indianapolis Indians

Indians Announce 2011 Opening Day Roster

Published on April 6, 2011 under International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


INDIANAPOLIS. -- Ten of Pittsburgh's top 30 prospects, according to Baseball America, highlight the Indianapolis Indians' 2011 Opening Day roster. The Indians' Opening Day roster will also feature seven returning players, seven members of the Pittsburgh Pirates' 40-man roster and ten members of the 2010 Eastern League Champion Altoona Curve.

Left hander Rudy Owens (No. 7), INF Chase d'Arnaud (No. 10), OF Andrew Lambo (No. 11), OF Gorkys Hernandez (No. 14), LHP Justin Wilson (No. 15), OF Alex Presley (No. 20), LHP Daniel Moskos (No. 26), SS Pedro Ciriaco (No. 27), INF Matt Hague (No. 29) and INF Josh Harrison (No. 30) were all ranked by Baseball America as top prospects in the Pittsburgh organization heading into the 2011 season. Presley, Moskos and Ciriaco spent time with the Tribe last season, while the rest will be making their Indians debut in 2011.

In addition to the trio of Presley, Moskos and Ciriaco, four other players from the 2010 Indians squad appear on this year's roster. Left hander Brian Burres, INF Brian Friday, RHP Daniel McCutchen and LHP Justin Thomas are the four remaining members who saw action with Indianapolis in 2010.

Presley was named the Pirates' 2010 Minor League Hitter of the Year after tallying a .320 average with 12 home runs and 85 RBI in 126 minor league contests. Presley last season was promoted to Indianapolis from Double-A Altoona (Pa.) on June 24 and made history three games later, hitting for the cycle against the Toledo Mud Hens.

The Indians will also welcome a host of newcomers to start the 2011 campaign. The newcomers include C Dusty Brown, INF Chase d'Arnaud, OF Corey Wimberly, RHP Sean Gallagher, INF Matt Hague, INF Josh Harrison, OF Gorkys Hernandez, OF Andrew Lambo, RHP Chris Leroux, INF Andy Marte, LHP Dan Meyer, LHP Rudy Owens, C Wyatt Toregas, RHP Cesar Valdez, LHP Tony Watson, LHP Justin Wilson, OF Corey Wimberly and RHP Tim Wood.

Owens, the seventh-best prospect in the Pittsburgh system according to Baseball America, headlines the list of newcomers and has been named the Pirates' Minor League Pitcher of the Year following each of the past two seasons. The southpaw spent all of last season with Double-A Altoona, recording a 12-6 mark and a 2.46 ERA in 150 innings pitched. The 23 year-old was also recognized by Baseball America prior to this season as having the "Best Control" in the Pirates' organization.

D'Arnaud, like Owens, played for Double-A Altoona for the entirety of 2010 and won an Eastern League championship with the Curve. The infielder compiled a .247 average with six HR and 48 RBI in 132 games for the Curve. The California native was named the tenth-best prospect in the Pirates' system prior to 2011 and two years ago was chosen as the "Best Overall Athlete" and as having the "Best Strike-Zone Discipline" in the organization by Baseball America.

Lambo entered 2010 in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization but was traded to the Pirates on July 31 in exchange for RHP Octavio Dotel. The outfielder was assigned to Double-A Altoona for the remainder of the year, hitting .275 for the Curve with two round trippers and ten RBI in 26 games. The 22 year-old was listed by Baseball America prior to the season as the Pirates' No. 10 prospect and was the Dodgers' top overall prospect according to Baseball America prior to 2009.

Hernandez will begin his first season at the Triple-A level this season with Indianapolis after spending last year with Double-A Altoona as well. The outfielder compiled a .266 average in 92 games for the Curve en route to an Eastern League championship in 2010. The Venezuela native was named the 14th-best prospect in the Pirates' system by Baseball America prior to this season and was recognized in the same publication as the "Best Defensive Outfielder" in the Pittsburgh organization.

Wilson, tabbed by Baseball America as the 15th-best prospect in the Pirates' organization, went 11-8 with Double-A Altoona in 2010 to help lead the Curve to the Eastern League Championship. The southpaw also accumulated a 3.09 ERA in 142.2 innings pitched last season. The 23 year-old also won a championship in his first professional season two years ago with High-A Lynchburg.

The Indians will experience a youth movement in 2011, with the team's average age just over 25 years-old, with 13 of the 24 players on the opening day roster at age 25 or younger. This year's edition of the Tribe also comes to Indianapolis with plenty of hardware, as ten Indians players won the Eastern League Championship with Double-A Altoona last season in addition to six capturing a league title in 2009 with High-A Lynchburg.

The Tribe may also feel the need for speed in 2011, with seven of the 12 position players totaling ten or more stolen bases last season. Outfielder Corey Wimberly and INF Chase d'Arnaud tallied the highest numbers from 2010, swiping 56 and 33 bases respectively. Combined, the 2011 Indians roster stole 174 bases for their respective clubs last year, which would have led the International League, and also averaged 14.5 steals between all players.

Dean Treanor begins his first year as manager of the Tribe after serving as the Indians' pitching coach in 2010, while Jeff Branson returns for his third season as Indianapolis' hitting coach. Pitching coach Tom Filer, trainer Bryan Housand and strength and conditioning coach Chad Uilein round out the Indians' field staff in their first year with the Tribe.

The regular season begins tomorrow night as the Indians host the defending Triple-A champion Columbus Clippers at 7:05 p.m. at Victory Field.

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