Arkansas Travelers Opening Day Roster and 2013 Schedule

NORTH LITTLE ROCK – The Opening Day roster for the 2013 Arkansas Travelers has been set by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. First year Travs manager Tim Bogar brings 25 players with him to Central Arkansas on Monday including 15 returning players and only four who were originally signed outside the Angels organization.

The Arkansas Travelers are anchored by four Angels first-round draft choices with switch-hitting third baseman Kaleb Cowart, first baseman C.J. Cron and second baseman Taylor Lindsey on the infield and Randal Grichuk in right field.  Cowart, the Angels top pick in 2009, was ranked as the organization’s top prospect by MLB.com and Baseball America.  Cron, selected in 2011, was the RBI king in Minor League Baseball last year driving in 123 runs.  Grichuk, a 1st round choice in 2010, hit 18 home runs last year at Inland Empire.  Lindsey, also selected in 2009 in the 1st round, brings a .308 career batting average into his first year at Double-A.

Right handers Matt Oye and Jarrett Grube are the only returning members of the Arkansas Travelers starting pitching rotation.  Lay Batista and Manny Correa will open their first season at Double-A in the Travs’ rotation along with the club’s only left handed starting pitcher Michael Roth.  Roth, drafted in 2012 with a ninth round choice, was part of back-to-back College World Series championship winning teams at the University of South Carolina.

Nick Maronde, the Angels top pitching prospect according to MLB.com and Baseball America, is rejoining the Travs after ending last year in the Angels bullpen.  The lefty drafted in last year’s third round out of Florida was a starter for the Travs last year, but will work in relief in 2013.  Mike Piazza, Buddy Boshers and Ryan Chaffee return to the Travs relief corps after solid work last year.  Kevin Johnson and Jeremy Berg return to the Travs bullpen after finishing last year in the bullpen at the Angels’ Triple-A Salt Lake club.  After a strong finish in Single-A last year, Daniel Tillman is back in the Travs’ bullpen.  Michael Cisco, traded to the Angels from the Phillies this spring, is the only relief pitcher who came from another organization.

Carlos Ramirez and Jett Bandy are expected to share time at catcher, while Rolando Gomez and Jimmy Swift will handle shortstop and infield utility duties.

Speedy centerfielder Travis Witherspoon returns to the Travs after being placed on the Angels 40-man roster in the offseason.  Matt Long rejoins the club in left field after splitting last year between Arkansas and Salt Lake.  Andrew Heid and newly acquired Robert Widlansky round out the Travs outfield.