Louisville Bats Announce 2022 Opening Day Roster
April 6, 2022 - International League (IL)
Louisville Bats News Release
LOUISVILLE, KY - The Louisville Bats today announced their Opening Day roster for the 2022 Triple-A baseball season. The squad features three of the top 30 prospects in the Cincinnati Reds' organization, several returning standouts from the 2021 Bats team and the addition of key veterans like slugger Jake Bauers and University of Kentucky alum JT Riddle.
The trio of top prospects headlining the roster include RHP Graham Ashcraft (No. 11), outfielder TJ Friedl (No. 22) and infielder Alejo Lopez (No. 26). Ashcraft has been touted by Baseball America as possessing the top breaking pitch in the Reds' system in back-to-back seasons, while Friedl returns as the team's reigning Mary E. Barney MVP Award winner from the 2021 campaign. The duo is also backed by Lopez, who burst onto the scene last year to lead all of Minor League Baseball in base hits during his standout Bats debut.
In addition to the familiar faces of Friedl and Lopez, Louisville's Opening Day roster also includes the walkoff hero from several thrilling come-from-behind wins in 2021, INF Michael De Leon, and the stalwart southpaw out of the bullpen in LHP Phillip Diehl.
The marquee veteran additions to the squad include Bauers, who has blasted 27 homers in the Majors over parts of his last two seasons, and Riddle, who inserts into the lineup with 250 career MLB games on his resume. Riddle is a native of Frankfort, Kentucky, won the state's Mr. Baseball award in 2010 and was a three-year starter at the University of Kentucky from 2011-13.
The 2022 Louisville Bats are managed by returning skipper Pat Kelly. Kelly has coached more than 3,500 games during his pro career and is entering his third season at the helm of the team.
• Discuss this story on the International League message board...
International League Stories from April 6, 2022
- Singleton Homers Again But Sounds Falls to Bulls - Nashville Sounds
- Casey Leads Wings to First Win of '22 - Rochester Red Wings
- Bisons Ninth Inning Rally Falls Short in I-Cubs 8-4 Win - Buffalo Bisons
- Kreidler Crushes Two Long Balls in Mud Hens Loss - Toledo Mud Hens
- Pigs limit Columbus to just two hits - Lehigh Valley IronPigs
- WooSox Start 2-0 Behind Seventh Inning Comeback - Worcester Red Sox
- Saints Defense Shines, Homers Help in 7-4 Victory over Bats - St. Paul Saints
- Syracuse Squanders Late Lead, Falls to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, 5-3, on Wednesday - Syracuse Mets
- Friedl Homer, Cedrola 2-Hit Night Not Enough in Loss to St. Paul - Louisville Bats
- RailRiders Rally to Stop Syracuse - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
- I-Cubs Right the Ship with 8-4 Victory - Iowa Cubs
- Knights Fall to Tides 6-5 in Wednesday's Game - Charlotte Knights
- Neustrom Walks off Charlotte as Norfolk Completes Comeback - Norfolk Tides
- Louisville Bats Announce 2022 Opening Day Roster - Louisville Bats
- Baker Shines in Wednesday's Loss to Gwinnett - Memphis Redbirds
- Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Game Notes - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
- April 6 Game Notes: Iowa at Buffalo - Iowa Cubs
- Gwinnett Stripers Unveil New Food Options at Coolray Field - Gwinnett Stripers
- Storm Chasers and Indians Washed out on Wednesday - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Indians and Storm Chasers Postponed Due to Inclement Weather - Indianapolis Indians
- Bulls to Pay Tribute to 25 Seasons as Rays Affiliate with Throwback Thursdays - Durham Bulls
- Bert Kreischer Coming to Coolray Field this Summer - Gwinnett Stripers
- Bert Kreischer's Full Loaded Tour Stops at Frontier Field June 19 - Rochester Red Wings
- Sounds Score Walk-Off Winner on Opening Day - Nashville Sounds
- Burleson, Pitching Power Redbirds on Opening Day - Memphis Redbirds
- Sounds Walk off with 5-4 Win over Bulls in Season Opener - Durham Bulls
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.
