Play Ball! BayBears 2009 Roster Announced

Alabama Mobile The Arizona Diamondbacks have announced the Opening Day roster for the 2009 Mobile BayBears.

by Mobile BayBears

Published: Sun, April 05, 2009 - 3:03 pm CST Last Updated: Sun, April 05, 2009 - 3:06 pm CST

MOBILE, Ala. – The Arizona Diamondbacks have announced the Opening Day roster for the 2009 Mobile BayBears who begin play in Huntsville on Thursday, April 9 at Joe W. Davis Stadium.

Three of the top four prospects rated by Baseball America in the Diamondbacks’ farm system will open the season in Mobile including Venezuelan superstar outfielder Gerardo Parra, who hit .275 while driving in 33 runs for the BayBears last season. Parra also manned center field for the Venezuelan squad during the recent World Baseball Classic.

Also joining the BayBears is Arizona’s third-highest ranked prospect, Daniel Schlereth. Last year’s first-round draft pick only pitched in 12 innings between Missoula and South Bend in 2008 but quickly racked up 20 strikeouts to go with a 1.50 ERA. The son of former NFL offensive lineman and ESPN football analyst, Mark Schlereth, Daniel showcases a mid-90s fastball with a devastating curve.

Infielder Mark Hallberg will also don the navy and crimson colors of the BayBears this season. Hallberg, the fourth-highest rated prospect in the D-backs’ system, missed more than two months of last season with a torn ligament in his thumb before rebounding to hit .283 for Visalia. With West Oahuin the Hawaiian Winter League, Hallberg belted out a .362 average including a ridiculous .436 clip against lefties to win league MVP honors.

Thirteen previous members of the BayBears will return to the club in 2009 including two men from the 2007 squad, reliever Daniel Stange and infielder Ricardo Sosa. Back from last season are Parra with fellow outfielders Cyle Hankerd and Chris Rahl. Infielders Bryan Byrne and Yunesky Sanchez return along with catcher Orlando Mercado. Starting pitchers Hector Ambriz, Matt Torra and Cody Evans will toe the rubber for the BayBears once again this season as will relievers Vince Bongiovanni and Jason Urquidez.

New to the team this season are starting pitchers Bryan Augenstein and Barry Enright who each had winning records in Single-A last season. Relievers Scott Maine, Kyler Newby, Schlereth and Clay Zavada will work out of the pen for the first time in Mobile this season. Catcher James Skelton is in his first season with the BayBears after being plucked by the Diamondbacks out of the Tigers’ system in the Rule 5 Draft. In order to keep Skelton in their system since he was not offered a spot on the major league roster out of camp, Arizonadealt former BayBear Brooks Brown to Detroit last week.

Also new to the BayBears around the infield are Hallberg and Pedro Ciriaco, who swiped 40 bases in Visalia last season. Outfielders Evan Frey and Pete Clifford will also move up to Mobile after successful 2008 seasons at the Single-A level.

For the second consecutive season, the BayBears will be managed by Hector De La Cruz who guided the Visalia Oaks to the California League playoffs in 2007. Mobile native Turner Ward returns as BayBears hitting coach while former big leaguer Jeff Pico is once again the team’s pitching coach.

The BayBears’ home opener is on Tuesday, April 14 at Hank Aaron Stadium when the Carolina Mudcats come to town. Tickets are available by calling the BayBears at (251) 479-2327 (BEAR) or by visiting www.mobilebaybears.com.

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