EL1 Trenton Thunder

Trenton makes two roster moves

Published on June 21, 2009 under Eastern League (EL1)
Trenton Thunder News Release


(Binghamton, NY)- The Trenton Thunder, Double-A Affiliate of the New York Yankees, have announced that RHP Jason Stephens has been transferred from Tampa (High-A) to Trenton and that INF Jorge Vazquez has been activated from the Disabled List. Also, OF Colin Curtis has been promoted from Trenton to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Triple-A), and INF Kevin Smith has been transferred from Trenton to Tampa (High-A).

Stephens started the season with Tampa, and then returned to Tampa after two appearances with the Thunder. He is 2-4 with a 5.45 ERA in eight games (six starts) with Tampa. He has struck out 28 and walked 12 in 40 innings for the Tampa Yankees. Both his appearances with the Thunder have come against Binghamton. He started the second game of a double-header at Binghamton 5/17, and allowed only one run on one hit in five innings for a no-decision. Stephens also has appeared in three games (one start) for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees and had a 1-1 record with a 5.40 ERA. The Tallmadge, Ohio native spent most of the 2008 season with Charleston (Low-A). He appeared in 17 games (eight starts) and went 2-3 with a 3.02 ERA. He made one start for Trenton on August 8th against Akron. Stephens was drafted by the Yankees in the 6th round of the 2003 draft out of Tallmadge High School.

Vazquez was placed on the Disabled List on June 1st. He was batting .294 with seven home runs and 33 RBI in 33 games for Trenton. At the time that he was placed on the Disabled list, he was tied for ninth in the Eastern League in home runs, and was tied for eighth in RBI. The native of Culiacan, Mexico previously spent 10 seasons with the Mexican League, and had a career batting average of .321 in 627 games with 151 home runs and 491 RBI. Vazquez was signed by the Yankees as a free agent on December 7, 2008.

Curtis has been on the Disabled List since June 13th. He appeared in 56 games for Trenton this season, and has a .268 batting average, with one home run and 19 RBI. Curtis leads the team in triples (four), and is second on the team in stolen bases (seven). Last season, the Issaquah, Washington native appeared in 132 games for the Thunder and had a .255 BA. Curtis also posted career highs in home runs (10) and RBI (71) last season. The 6-1 outfielder was drafted in the fourth round of the 2006 draft out of Arizona State University.

Smith had a .247 BA with two home runs and 14 RBI in 48 games for the Thunder this season. In 2008, he hit .290 with five home runs and 62 RBI for Tampa. He led the team in games, average, hits, doubles and RBI. He ranked 2nd in the Florida State League in doubles and 9th in average. He led all Florida State League first baseman with a .994 fielding percentage. He was originally selected in the 39th round of the 2006 draft out of the University of Oklahoma.

Trenton and Binghamton will play a double-header on Sunday afternoon. Stephens (0-0, 3.00) starts for Trenton against RHP Eric Brown (4-5, 4.81) in the first game. RHP Kanekoa Texeira (5-4, 3.83) will start for Trenton in the second game against Binghamton RHP Edgar Ramirez (0-0, 8.71). The start time for the first game of the double-header is 12:05 p.m. Trenton returns to Waterfront Park next Friday night to start a four-game series against the Reading Phillies (Double-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies). Next Friday's game time is set for 7:05 p.m.

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