PCL1 Omaha Storm Chasers

Omaha Royals Preliminary Roster Set

Published on April 5, 2010 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release


OMAHA, NE - A preliminary Omaha Royals Opening Day roster has been set by Kansas City. It includes 25 players, meaning at least one move will have to be made prior to Thursday night's season opener for the roster to meet the Pacific Coast League's 24-player limit.

Of the 25 players, 13 have Major League experience - ten of those seeing time in the big leagues last season and three others playing in "The Show" in recent seasons. Twelve played at least part of last season with Omaha. The roster includes four players who were ranked by Baseball America as being among the top 30 prospects in the Kansas City Royals organization entering this season.

Those four prospects include two outfielders - left-handed hitting David Lough (ranked #10) and right-handed swinging Jordan Parraz (#19). The other two prospects are right-handed pitchers Carlos Rosa (#13), who served as the O-Royals closer much of last year before getting a September call-up by Kansas City and Blake Wood (#24), who was converted from a starter to a reliever late in 2009.

Omaha's starting rotation will be headed by returning veteran lefty Bruce Chen, who posted three of the Royals' PCL-leading 17 shutouts a year ago. Right-hander Gaby Hernandez - the youngest player on the Triple-A club's roster at 23 years old - is also expected to be in the rotation after being claimed by Kansas City off waivers from the Boston Red Sox on March 3rd. The rotation is also likely to include former Minnesota Twins right-hander Philip Humber, former St. Louis Cardinals righty Brad Thompson and either Bryan Bullington or Josh Rupe. Both are right-handers; Bullington was selected by Pittsburgh with the first overall pick in the 2002 draft and spent all of last season pitching in relief for Toronto and Triple-A Las Vegas. Rupe opened 2009 in the Texas Rangers bullpen, but spent most of the campaign as a swingman for PCL foe Oklahoma City.

Besides Rosa and Wood, Omaha's bullpen should include a lone lefty in Adam Bostick, along with right-handers Chris Hayes, Greg Holland, Victor Marte and Matt Herges, who is the oldest player on the roster. Herges, who has spent most of the past eleven seasons in the Major Leagues, celebrated his 40th birthday on April 1st.

First baseman Kila Ka'aihue, the former University of Nebraska recruit who spent all of last season with Omaha, returns in 2010. He is joined on the infield by second baseman Marc Maddox, shortstop Irving Falu and two players who will likely rotate between third and other positions - Scott Thorman and Wilson Betemit. Another utility player is Ed Lucas.

Outfielders Buck Coats and Jose Duarte are also on the O-Royals roster. Jarrod Dyson most likely would have been, had the speedster not suffered an injury to his lat muscle late in Spring Training, sending him to the DL. The Royals' catching chores will be handled by Edwin Bellorin and Cody Clark.

Manager Mike Jirschele returns for his eleventh season with Omaha. Doug Henry joins the team as its pitching coach after serving as KC's roving pitching coach in 2009. Tommy Gregg enters his second season as the Royals hitting coach. Drew Van Dam returns for his third season as the club's trainer. Nic Lively joins the team as its strength and conditioning coach.

The Royals open their 2010 Pacific Coast League season at Rosenblatt Stadium on Thursday, April 8th at 7:05 p.m., hosting the Memphis Redbirds. For tickets, call (402) 738-5100, or print tickets online at www.oroyals.com .

Check out the Omaha Storm Chasers Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Pacific Coast League Stories from April 5, 2010


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.

OurSports Central