Talented Pitching Staff To Lead The JetHawks In 2010
April 3, 2010 - California League (CalL1)
Lancaster JetHawks News Release
(LANCASTER, CA) - One of the most talented pitching staffs in recent memory will be headed to Lancaster for the 2010 season. The Lancaster JetHawks and its parent club, the Houston Astros, released the team's opening day roster Saturday in preparation for the first game of the regular season Thursday night in Bakersfield against the Blaze. It's a roster filled with several of the Astros' top young pitchers and speediest offensive players. According to the annual ranking of the top thirty organizational prospects by Baseball America, six of Houston's top farmhands will be joining the JetHawks, with five of them being pitchers.
Much hype has surrounded the cadre of young hurlers the Astros have drafted over the last few seasons. Several of those top arms will be on display this year at Clear Channel Stadium. The staff is headlined by 20-year old Ross Seaton, a third round draft choice in 2008. Seaton sported an ERA of just 3.29 in 24 starts a season ago in Lexington. Also moving up from Lexington are young fireballers Brad Dydalewicz and Kyle Greenwalt while Dallas Keuchel jumps straight from short-season Tri-City after being selected in the seventh round of last year's draft. Two of the JetHawks top starters from the 2009 campaign, team wins and strikeouts leader Leandro Cespedes and Shane Wolf return to add a veteran presence. A pair of talented relievers who joined the JetHawks late last season, Ashton Mowdy and Patrick Urckfitz will help lead the bullpen. Youngsters David Berner, Kyle Godfrey, Brian Wabick and minor league veteran Edwin Walker round out the pitching staff.
Handling the pitchers will be a trio of catchers with a wide range of experience. A strong defensive backstop, Federico Hernandez arrives after catching 95 games for Lexington in 2009. Jose Lopez saw limited playing time over the last two seasons at Double-A Corpus Christi and Triple-A Round Rock. Jordan Comadena comes back to Lancaster after serving as the JetHawks third catcher for much of the 2009 campaign.
There will be several athletic players roaming the outfield for the JetHawks this season. Considered one of the top prospects and likely the fastest player in the Astros organization, Jay Austin comes to the California League at the tender age of 19. Houston's second round draft pick in 2008, he stole 23 bases a season ago in Lexington as the Legends' center fielder. Expected to provide much of the JetHawks power is returner Brandon Barnes. The former sixth round draft selection excelled after a mid-season promotion to Lancaster in 2009, hitting .293 with 12 home runs in just 68 games after his call-up. Josh Flores comes to the Hangar after spending the last two seasons in Corpus Christi. Freddy Parejo joins the Astros after several years in the Milwaukee Brewers organization, splitting 2009 between Double-A Huntsville and Triple-A Nashville.
The infield will contain a mixture of veterans and younger players. Strong-armed David Flores comes back to Lancaster after an injury-plagued 2009 season. He'll be joined at third base by Ebert Rosario, who manned the position for the JetHawks after Flores suffered his injury last year. Across the diamond at first base will be Mark Ori, who smashed 11 home runs and hit .304 two seasons ago for Salem before spending last year at Double-A with Corpus Christi. The middle-infield finds three talented youngsters. Shortstop Brandon Wikoff made a splash in his rookie year in 2009 after being drafted in the fifth round. He hit .287 at Tri-City before being promoted to Lexington. Second baseman Barry Butera stole 16 bases in just 61 games as a rookie last year at Tri-City while fellow second baseman Albert Cartwright stole 23 bases and hit seven home runs in Lexington. Rounding out the infield is utility-man Rayner Contreras, who JetHawks fans may remember from 2007, when he hit .309 as a member of the Lake Elsinore Storm.
The first opportunity to see the newest JetHawks will be Tuesday evening when the JetHawks play its annual exhibition game against Antelope Valley College. The seven-inning contest will begin at 5 PM. Following the game, all JetHawks season ticket holders are invited to a special meet-and-greet barbeque where they will be introduced to the 210 JetHawks squad.
The JetHawks open the season Thursday, April 8 with a road series at Bakersfield. The home opener at Clear Channel Stadium will take place Monday, April 12 against the Lake Elsinore Storm. Individual game tickets as well as season ticket plans, mini ticket plans, and group plans, are available at the JetHawks Box Office, by phone at (661) 726-5400 or online by visiting JetHawks.com.
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