Fans’ first look at 2019 team comes Monday
in exhibition against Lenoir-Rhyne
HobbsDailyReport.com
HICKORY – The Hickory Crawdads’ opening day roster for the 2019 season — released on Wednesday by the Class A club and the parent Texas Rangers – features the organization’s top two prospects.
MARTINEZ’S CAREER: http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?player_id=679881#/career/R/hitting/2018/ALL)
Right-handed pitcher Han Crouse and outfielder Julio Pablo Martinez are part of 28-player roster that includes 16 pitchers, three catchers, five infielders and four outfielders.
The first look by fans at this year’s Crawdads is scheduled Monday at 6:30 p.m., an exhibition game at L.P. Frans Stadium against Lenoir-Rhyne University (free admission).
Hickory’s season begins on April 4 at Lakewood (N.J.) and includes South Atlantic League (SAL) games there on April 5-7. The Crawdads play at Greensboro on April 8-10 before a three-game homestand at Frans against Kannapolis that begins on April 11.
In addition to Crouse and Martinez, the Rangers are sending four other players considered in their Top 30 (as ranked by MLB.com –shortstop Chris Seise (12th), infielder Jonathan Ornelas (18th), catcher Sam Huff (21st) and third baseman Sherten Apostel (22nd).
There are seven players returning from the 2018 Crawdads — pitchers Jean Casanova, Crouse, and Abdiel Mendoza, plus Huff and Matt Whatley at catcher and outfielders Miguel Aparicio and Pedro Gonzalez.
2019 OPENING DAY ROSTER: http://www.milb.com/roster/index.jsp?sid=t448
2019 SCHEDULE: http://www.milb.com/schedule/index.jsp?sid=t448
Additionally, catcher Isaias Quiroz and outfielder Jose Almonte played for Hickory in 2017.
Teams are allowed 25 players on the active roster so three to-be-determined players will be start the season on the inactive list.
Matt Hagen returns for his second year as Crawdads manger. They were 70-68 overall last season, tying Delmarva (Md.) for fourth behind Lakewood (N.J.), Kannapolis and West Virginia.
The Crawdads were 30-38 in the first half, finishing next to last in the SAL’s Northern Division and 10 ½ games behind division winner Lakewood.
In the second half, Hickory went 40-30, taking second in the Northern Division behind Lakewood, and was 6 ½ games back.
The Crawdads began their affiliation with the Texas Rangers in 2009 and the major league team purchased the Hickory franchise in Oct. of 2017.
Hickory’s minor league baseball team was owned by Beaver Sports for the first 25 years.
Beaver initially purchased the Gastonia Rangers and moved the team to Hickory in 1993 with the parent club then the Chicago White Sox. The team affiliation was with the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1999 through 2008.