SAL1 Charleston RiverDogs

RiverDogs Place Almonte, Rufino On DL, Odenreider Returns

Published on May 9, 2008 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston RiverDogs News Release


CHARLESTON - As injuries to highly-touted prospects continue to mount for the first-place Charleston RiverDogs, centerfielder Abraham Almonte and first-baseman Wady Rufino have been placed on the disabled list, the New York Yankees announced Friday. Former RiverDog Chase Odenreider will return to the club.

Charleston now has eight players who have seen playing time with the club this season who are currently disabled. That list includes five of the Yankees' top 22 prospects according to PinstripesPlus, an independent scouting service that covers the Yankees farm system. The RiverDogs have only four active players remaining from the opening-night lineup, as Almonte and Rufino join Bradley Suttle, Brandon Laird and Austin Romine on the DL.

Almonte, the No.18 prospect in the Yankees organization according to PinstripesPlus, and Rufino, who is tied for the team lead with five home runs, become inactive only two days after the RiverDogs placed Brandon Laird, Adam Olbrychowski and Ryan Zink on the disabled list.

Almonte, the 18-year old speedster, was removed in the 3rd inning of Thursday night's 7-6, 13-inning victory over the Asheville Tourists with a lower-body injury. The Dominican native had batted lead-off in all 34 games for the RiverDogs in this season, posting a .280 average with four home runs, 25 RBI, and 11 stolen bases.

Rufino, who is suffering from an upper-body injury, was hitting .284 with 20 RBI in 26 games played. The 23-year-old Dominican native had played both first-base and the outfield for Charleston this season.

Odenreider, currently in his third professional season, joins Charleston from Yankees Extended Spring Training. The 24-year-old Creighton product split time in 2007 between the RiverDogs and the short-season Class-A Staten Island Yankees of the New York-Penn League (NYPL).

The Omaha, Neb. native hit .291 in 46 games with the R-Dogs last season with four home runs, 19 RBI, 22 runs scored, and four stolen bases. Odenreider was a key member during last season's second-half playoff push, as he batted .305 in 28 games played in the months of August and September.

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