MWL1 Quad Cities River Bandits

River Bandits Roster Set for Opening Day

Published on April 4, 2011 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Quad Cities River Bandits News Release


Following a season in which the River Bandits finished with the second most wins in franchise history, manager Johnny Rodriguez looks to take his team back to the postseason for the second straight year. The pitching staff is anchored by a pair of top-10 prospects according to Baseball America. A Cardinals supplemental first-round pick last season and local product from nearby Rock Falls, Ill., Seth Blair, leads the list of players assigned to the River Bandits.

Blair is currently ranked as the #8 prospect in the Cardinals organization. Right behind him in the rankings is Jordan Swagerty (#9), both right-handed pitchers. The pitching staff is comprised of 10 righties and three lefties; Anthony Ferrara, Kevin Siegrist and Justin Wright.

The team broke camp with a total of four catchers listed including returners Robert Stock, Cody Stanley and Roberto Espinoza. Juan Castillo is the lone new face to the staff of catchers. He hit .328 last season in 32 games splitting time between Johnson City and Batavia. Stock is slated to being the season on the disabled list.

On the infield, fans will see some fresh faces. Of the six infielders listed on the roster, three were drafted last season, Packy Elkins (37th round), Greg Garcia (7th round) and Victor Sanchez (26th round). Starlin Rodriguez has been placed on the Quad Cities roster, but he will begin the season on the disabled list. Yunier Castillo and Jonathan Rodriguez make up the rest of the infield.

There are three familiar faces in the outfield. Kyle Conley, Freddy Parejo and Michael Swinson all spent significant time with the River Bandits last summer. Nick Longmire was moved up from Batavia for the River Bandits' final playoff game last season. The other outfielder on the roster to start the season is Oscar Tavares.

The roster remains subject to change prior to opening day on Thursday, April 7 at Modern Woodmen Park. First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m. and the starting pitchers have not yet been announced.

UP NEXT: Now is the perfect time to lock-in your group outing for the 2011 season. Group packages start for groups as small as just 10 people. It's also not too late to pick out the ticket package that fits your schedule. Ticket plans start as low as $40 per seat. Ticket plans are a great way to ensure a seat for the 2011 Midwest League All-Star Game at Modern Woodmen Park on Tuesday, June 21.

ABOUT THE BANDITS: The Quad Cities River Bandits opened the 2010 season by unveiling their brand new state-of-the-art field, and over the course of the season added a number of new improvements, including a new children's playground, new concession stands for both adults and children in the team's Picnic Plaza, a new "triple-suite" for small groups on the suite level, and a new group area just beyond the right-field fence. The 2011 season not only features the Midwest League All-Star Game right here in the Quad Cities, but also a number of spectacular new improvements to the ballpark that fans will not want to miss. Season and group ticket deposits for 2011 are currently being accepted, for more information call (563) 3-BANDIT or logon to RiverBandits.com.

Check out the Quad Cities River Bandits Statistics

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Midwest League Stories from April 4, 2011


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.

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