Hagerstown Announces Its 2012 Roster
Okay, so it’s not Bryce Harper, but the second of the four full-season rosters to be announced ain’t too shabby. In terms of the watchlist, that’s 15 of the remaining 65 players. In terms of the draft, it’s nine 2011 picks.
Naturally, expectations will be high for this group, as they’re the bulk of the 2011 Auburn Doubledays — winners of the N.Y.-Penn League’s Pinckney Division and runners-up for the championship.
As noted earlier today, the “pushdown” continues with OF J.P. Ramirez and IF Cutter Dykstra dropping down from Potomac and five others repeating from last season.
Without further ado…
PITCHERS
Aaron Barrett
Brian Dupra
Wirkin Estevez
Taylor Hill
Greg Holt
Nathan Karns
Alex Kreis
Bobby Lucas
Christopher McKenzie
Alex Meyer
Christian Meza
Todd Simko
Kylin Turnbull
CATCHERS
Cole Leonida
Adrian Nieto
INFIELDERS
Cutter Dykstra
Jason Martinson
Justin Miller
Brett Newsome
Bryce Ortega
Matt Skole
OUTFIELDERS
Brian Goodwin
Angelbirth Montilla
Caleb Ramsey
J.P. Ramirez
According to the press release on the team site, the starting five will be Meyer, McKenzie, Estevez, Dupra, and Turnbull, which, if true, could signal the predicted conversion of Karns to closer.
The presence of 1Bs Miller and Newsome is most likely a sign that Skole will remain at third base, with Martinson and Ortega likely to fill the middle infield.
Caleb Ramsey, Brian Goodwin and Angel Montilla are most likely to man the OF from LF to CF to RF, respectively, but it will be interesting to see how the Ramirez and Dykstra are used defensively, if at all; both were often used at DH in Potomac.
Finally, the catching tandem of Nieto and Leonida are both back, and both likely to return to their last-season roles of starting and backup catcher.
Hagerstown opens at home with a four-game set against the West Virginia, followed by a three-game series against the Lexington Legends.
Surprised Martinson didn’t get bumped up to Potomac… just looking over his batting line, seems his bat is advanced enough to handle high A pitching.
Is it a case of lacking in the defense department? Or just the Nats taking their time promoting players?
I think this likely means no room in Potomac where Rendon, Kelso, Sanchez and also where Rick Hague will likely be (if Hague is able to finish his rehab early enough. Martinson is someone they want to give starter’s at bats to. This may be a case where he might not get those in Potomac early on.
It probably is, but this is what I mean by “pushdown” — the organization is keeping a lot of guys at the same level and even dropping a few down. This was more common when the parent club was a 100-game loser and the cattle call of AAAA-types created blocks up and down the system. It’s a little mystifying to me, but I have a theory it’s related to the new CBA.
I’m guessing Hague is blocking him.
Hague is XST, so it’s definitely not that.
Kerr said Hague would be in XST for just a month, so they could be leaving a spot open for Hague when he returns.
I’m sure Martinson’s high strikeout rate last year is also a factor.
I know this doesn’t involve the Hagerstown roster, but I was very curious as to why Jeff Mandel went down to AA. Has velocity dropped off or is there another problem? I would have thought he was very secure in the Syracuse pen.
I suspect its because Arneson had a break out year?
I think that he is starting for Harrisburg, so that would explain why he was sent down. Could be a good thing for his future with the club, becuase as we know Rizzo dosent really like soft tossing relivers.
Unfortunately, we’re not certain Arnesen is still in the org.
This is ridiculous. Syracuse’s season starts tomorrow and we don’t even know who is on the team. This is typical Nationals/Rizzo and I hope this is not a premonition on the season goes.
http://blog.syracuse.com/sports/2012/04/chiefs_roster_close_to_being_f.html
MLB rosters have to be set by 5 p.m. the logical guess is that a trade may be in the pipeline.
Syracuse is listing Arneson as on the pitching staff (unofficially). So, he must be still be part of the org?
Trade? Well, BJ Upton had some injury issues and his replacement, Desmond Jennings had a good spring … so … nah …
Joel Peralta at age 36 is back closing again with the injury to Farnsworth. Have to think the Nats with 4 bonafide potential closers in their bullpen and that rotation have to do better than .500 even in the NL East. The Rays are in the AL East after all?
What about Taylor Hill? I assumed he’d be a starter. Any guesses who will be at short and second between Ortega and Martinson.
I thought so, too. It’ll be Martinson at SS and Ortega at 2B.
Any idea on where McGeary will end up? Great story, but looks like it may be the end of the road?
XST… if he hasn’t been released.
There are several guys still not placed on rosters because they are recovering from injuries in FL and inactive. I can’t imagine they would release McGeary any time soon.
Understood, but McGeary wouldn’t be the first guy to undergo TJ, not recover quickly enough, and get cut loose. It has happened before.
But…would he be the first to be in his young 20s, left handed and given 1 mil+ signing bonus? I think all these factors puts him in a different category that I wouldn’t be quick to give up on.
Nor am I saying that that’s what happened or will happen, only that it could happen.
Also unrelated to Hagerstown, but for amusement while we wait the interminable hours for the rosters (and the games!):
Syracuse is getting an awesome new scoreboard in May:
http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120320&content_id=27439624&vkey=pr_t552&fext=.jsp&sid=t552
And players report that Metro Bank Park looks like the flooding never happened. It sounds like excellent work by grounds/stadium crews.
Also, little-mentioned details of yesterday’s ST game: Holland and Pucetas were throwing in the bullpen in the top of the 9th, but neither got to come into the game. Adrian Sanchez pinch-ran for DeRosa and scored.