SAL1 Charleston RiverDogs

RiverDogs Add New Pitcher, Activate OF Jackson

April 28, 2007 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston RiverDogs News Release


CHARLESTON, SC - The New York Yankees have announced that Charleston RiverDogs right-handed pitcher Tim Norton has been placed on the disabled list retroactive to April 27 with an upper body injury and replaced on the active roster by pitcher John Axford. Outfielder Austin Jackson has also been activated from the disabled list.

Norton (1-3, 3.71 ERA), the RiverDogs' opening-day starter, pitched last on April 26 in a loss to the Columbus Catfish. He is currently second in the South Atlantic League in strikeouts with 32 and fourth in innings pitched with 26.2.

Axford, a right-hander, comes to Charleston from Yankees extended spring training. The 24-year-old signed with the Yankees in August 2006 and made his professional debut with the Tampa Yankees on April 18, allowing one run in three innings. His only other appearance this season was another relief outing with Class-AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on April 21, when he surrendered one run in two-thirds of an inning.

Originally rated as one of the highest pitching prospects to come out of Canada, the Port Dover, Ontario, native was drafted out of high school in the 2001 First-Year Player Draft by the Seattle Mariners, but he forwent signing to attend Notre Dame. Axford helped lead the Fighting Irish to the 2002 College Series as a sophomore and posted a 9-3 record as a junior in 2003. Following that season, he had "Tommy John" surgery and missed the 2004 season. Axford returned for his senior year at Notre Dame but only pitched three innings due to further injury.

Following his career at Notre Dame, he was drafted in the 42nd round of the 2005 draft by the Cincinnati Reds but instead chose to transfer to Canisius College in Buffalo, N.Y., where he went 3-8 with a 5.01 ERA in 2006. Axford then pitched for the Melville (Saskatchewan) Millionaires of the Western Major Baseball League, a Canadian summer league, before signing with the Yankees.

Jackson has been activated to fill the roster gap left by right-handed pitcher Eric Hacker, who was called up to Class-A advanced Tampa. Jackson started the first 13 games of the season with the RiverDogs before suffering a lower body injury. He batted .245 with six RBIs, a home run and four doubles during that span.

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South Atlantic League Stories from April 28, 2007


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