MWL1 Fort Wayne TinCaps

Opening Day Roster Set for 2007 Wizards

Published on April 1, 2007 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Fort Wayne TinCaps News Release


Fort Wayne, IN - The newest members of the Fort Wayne Wizards and nine players who appeared in Fort Wayne during the 2006 season, were officially announced by the San Diego Padres, as the opening day roster of the 2007 Wizards

Nine players drafted by the Padres in last year's June Amateur Draft are heading to Fort Wayne and nine players who donned a Wizards uniform in 2006 are also part of the roster for the new season.

Headlining this year's team is outfielder Cedric Hunter, ranked as the organization's top prospect and best hitter for average by Baseball America. Hunter, the Padres' third round selection last year, was named the Most Valuable Player in the Arizona League after hitting .371 with a league-best 79 hits, including 13 doubles, four triples and one home run.

First baseman Daryl Jones, who spent the entire 2006 season with Fort Wayne last year, begins the season with the Wizards. Jones, drafted in the fourth round in 2004 by San Diego, led the Wizards with 12 home runs last year and was named to the Midwest League's Eastern Division All-Star team.

The pitching staff will be led by Missouri product Nathan Culp, the Padres fourth-round selection last year. Culp split time between Fort Wayne and the Eugene Emeralds of the Northwest League, going 4-3 with a 3.18 earned run average in 13 appearances (10 starts, seven with the Wizards).

Doug Dascenzo enters his second year as a manager in the Padres system and first with the Wizards. Dascenzo led Eugene to a 43-33 record and was named co-Manager of the Year.

The coaching staff consists of the pitching coach Wally Whitehurst and hitting coach Bob Skube. Whitehurst is in his fourth year as a pitching coach for the San Diego Padres minor leagues and Skube is in his first year, after spending the previous two year with the Texas Rangers organizations.

The first chance to see the Wizards will be in an exhibition game against Valparaiso University at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 4. Fort Wayne opens the 2007 season on the road with a three-game series against the Lansing Lugnuts (Toronto Blue Jays affiliate) at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 5.

The Wizards begin the home portion of the schedule at Memorial Stadium with a four-game series starting on Monday, April 9 at 6:00 p.m. against the Great Lake Loons, the newest member of the Midwest League and an affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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