PCL1 Sacramento River Cats

Sacramento River Cats Announce Opening Night Roster

April 7, 2010 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Sacramento River Cats News Release


WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif., April 7, 2010 - In conjunction with the Oakland A's, the Sacramento River Cats have announced their 2010 Opening Night roster (attached). The team will take the field in pursuit of a fourth consecutive PCL Pacific South Division title. The team has also announced that right-hander Vin Mazzaro will start Thursday night's 7:05 season-opener against the Portland Beavers (Triple-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres) at PGE Park in Portland. The River Cats will open their home schedule at, 7:05 p.m. on April 16, against the Reno Aces. Some highlights from this year's roster:

THE NEXT BIG THING - The Cats roster is loaded with top prospects from the A's organization, including Baseball America's top overall prospect Chris Carter. The first baseman was named the A's Organizational Player of the Year in 2008 and 2009. Carter made his mark in Sacramento during the first round of the PCL playoffs, when he homered in all four games of a 3-1 series victory over Tacoma. The 6-foot-5, 231-pounder hit .337 with 24 homers and 101 RBIs with Midland and .259 with four homers and 14 RBIs in 13 games with Sacramento.

DUAL THREAT - Marcus McBeth's wild ride through the minors continues in 2010 with his third stop with the River Cats. McBeth was originally selected by the Oakland A's in the 4th round of the 2001 draft as a position player before being converted to pitcher in 2005. He pitched briefly for Sacramento in 2006 and 2007 before being traded to the Cincinnati Reds organization. Later that season McBeth made his big league debut with the Reds. In 2008 he was claimed off waivers by the Boston Red Sox. The Oakland organization signed McBeth this offseason as a free agent.

HOMEGROWN - Left-handed reliever and Elk Grove native Brad Kilby returns for his third season with the team in 2010. Kilby is a graduate of Laguna Creek High School and his brother, Bryan, is a baseball coach at Elk Grove's Franklin High School.

NOTES - Eight (8) members of the Cats' Opening Night roster, as well as Manager Tony DeFrancesco, Pitching Coach Rick Rodriguez and Hitting Coach Brian McArn, were part of last season's division title club. Mazzaro was also the team's Opening Night starter in 2009...reliever Henry Rodriguez struck out 71 batters in 43.2 innings with Sacramento in 2009, often hitting triple digits on the radar gun...Outfielder Michael Taylor, acquired in the offseason for Brett Wallace, is ranked No. 2 on the organization's top prospect list.

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Individual tickets for Opening Day, and every game during the 2010 season, are on sale now at www.rivercats.com or at the Raley Field Ticket Office. 2010 River Cats Season Tickets, Mini-Plans and group outings can be purchased by calling the River Cats Ticket Hotline at (916) 371-HITS (4487). For more information about the 2010 River Cats season, visit www.rivercats.com. For information on other events at Raley Field, visit www.raleyfield.com.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from April 7, 2010


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