PCL1 Round Rock Express

Round Rock Express Announce Opening Week Pitching Rotation

Published on April 4, 2019 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release


METAIRIE, Louisiana - Happy Opening Day! On the first day of the 2019 campaign, the Round Rock Express revealed their opening week pitching rotation. RHP Brady Rodgers was named the Opening Day starter for tonight's 7:00 p.m. road contest against the New Orleans Baby Cakes (Miami Marlins affiliate). RHP Forrest Whitley, the top pitching prospect in all of baseball, is scheduled to start Round Rock's home opener on Tuesday, April 9 against the Nashville Sounds (Texas Rangers affiliate) at 7:05 p.m. at Dell Diamond.

Following Rodgers' start tonight, RHP Akeem Bostick is slated to start game two on Friday. RHP Corbin Martin is scheduled to follow with a start on Saturday, then LHP Cionel Pérez is slated to get the nod on Sunday. RHP Rogelio Armenteros is set to cap off the five-game series against the Baby Cakes on Monday afternoon.

Rodgers was named both the Pacific Coast League and Houston Astros Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2016 after going 12-4 with a 2.86 ERA (42 ER/132.0 IP) in 22 starts with the Fresno Grizzlies. The righty has been sidelined with a right elbow injury for parts of the last two seasons, appearing in just 16 total games, all starts, since his breakout 2016 campaign.

Bostick compiled one of the best seasons in his professional career in 2018, posting a 3.48 ERA (36 ER/93.0 IP) and 97 strikeouts in 21 games, including 15 starts, for the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks. The righty was promoted to Triple-A for the first time in his career, where he made one start for the Fresno Grizzlies.

Martin enters the 2019 season as one of the top pitching prospects not only in the Astros organization, but in all of baseball. The righty is tabbed as the #5 prospect in the Astros farm system and the #78 prospect in the game by Baseball America. Martin combined to go 9-2 with a 2.97 ERA (34 ER/103.0 IP) in 25 games, including 21 starts, between the Class-A Advanced Buies Creek Astros and Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks.

Another top Astros arm, Pérez ranks as the #9 prospect in the Houston organization by MLB.com. After racing to a 6-1 record with a miniscule 1.98 ERA (15 ER/68.1 IP) in 16 games, including 11 starts, with Corpus Christi a year ago, the lefty made his major league debut with the Astros on July 11 before posting no record with a 3.97 ERA (5 ER/11.1 IP) in eight total relief appearances with the club.

The string of top pitching prospects continues with Armenteros, who checks in as the #18 prospect in the Astros organization, according to ESPN.com. The righty spent the duration of the 2018 campaign with Triple-A Fresno, posting an 8-1 record with a 3.74 ERA (49 ER/118.0 IP) across 22 appearances, including 21 starts.

The top overall prospect in the Houston Astros organization, and the top pitching prospect in all of baseball, RHP Forrest Whitley is scheduled to start Round Rock's home opener against the Nashville Sounds (Texas Rangers affiliate) on Tuesday, April 9 at Dell Diamond. The righty is a combined 6-8 with a 3.28 ERA (50 ER/137.1 IP) in his young professional career. The San Antonio native is set to make his first pitching appearance at Dell Diamond since the 2016 UIL State Tournament, where he was on the mound for Alamo Heights High School in the State Semifinals when he was selected 17th overall by the Astros in the first round of the 2016 MLB Draft.

The Express open their historic 20th anniversary season on the road against the New Orleans Baby Cakes (Miami Marlins affiliate) on Thursday, April 4 before returning to Dell Diamond on Tuesday, April 9 for a five-game series against the Nashville Sounds (Texas Rangers affiliate). Single game tickets, season memberships and flex plan ticket packages are on sale now.

For more information on the Express, visit RRExpress.com or call (512) 255-2255. Keep up with the Express on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and join the conversation during our historic 20th anniversary season using #20STROng.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from April 4, 2019


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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