Beyond the Bases - Vol. 2

Beyond the Bases - Vol. 2

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Upcoming events

April 8th: Opening Day featuring Magnet Schedule giveaway presented by Nadine Blakely

April 17th: First Annual Spring Break Bash: Say No To Drugs Day

Special 1pm start - All children can come enjoy their spring break at City Stadium with free entry to this educational afternoon game - Hillcat’s traditional Say No To Drugs program pre-game

April 19th: First fireworks show of the season

April 20th: Easter Bash & fireworks presented by Blue Eagle Credit Union

Children’s pre-game easter egg hunt - Young adult pre-game easter hunt featuring a grand pize scholarship giveaway - Easter bunny appearance - and much more!

April 26th: Team Photo giveaway & fireworks

April 27th: Autism Awareness Night T-shirt giveaway & fireworks presented by Physicians Treatment Center- specialty jersey auction

Aloha Weekend is every weekend featuring post-game fireworks shows on both Friday and Saturday nights for the first time in Hillcat History. Other features include live music, specialty Hawaiian jerseys, food and drink specials and the all new Kona Beer Beach Bar and Party Deck. You can say hello to the weekend in style with the Lynchburg Hillcats’ Aloha Weekends.

2019 Roster APRIL RECAP

April has come to a close for the Lynchburg Hillcats, and it was a solid month for the team. Lynchburg is riding a league-high streak of seven consecutive postseason appearances, and they’re on pace to continue that with a 14-12 record through the first month of the season. The Hillcats are in second place in the division, just one game back of the Wilmington Blue Rocks who are 15-11 entering the month of May. As a team, the Hillcats have found success on both sides of the ball. Lynchburg is second in the Carolina League in batting average, hitting .268 as a team through the month of April. The Hillcats are also second in walks drawn at the plate with 100, showing a lot of poise and patience in their approach. The pitching staff has also been a strong suit for the Hillcats. The team has posted a 3.15 ERA, good for third in the Carolina League. If Lynchburg were to keep it up, it would be the best earned run average for the team since the turn of the century. The Hillcats have had a number of solid individual performances in the first month of the season. Outfielder Steven Kwan has been one of the biggest revelations on offense for Lynchburg this season. The 21-year-old was a 5th-round selection in the 2018 MLB Draft and skipped Single-A Lake County entirely to come to Lynchburg. He has taken Hillcats Establish Themselves as a Top Team in the Carolina League

off as a starting outfielder for the Hillcats while also hitting out of the leadoff spot. Through the first month of the season, Kwan is hitting .352 while posting a .438 on-base percentage, both of which rank fourth in the Carolina League. He has also reached base multiple times in 16 of his 22 games played so far. Third baseman Nolan Jones has impressed in his second season with the Hillcats. The 20-year-old is the No. 2 overall prospect in the Cleveland Indians system according to MLB Pipeline. He reached base safely in each of his first 23 games this season, extending his streak to 34 games dating back to the final days of the 2018 season. Jones is 12th in the Carolina League with a .306 batting average and is fifth in the Carolina League in walks drawn with 15. On the pitching side, Eli Morgan has impressed early in his second season in Lynchburg. The right-handed starter has a 1.29 ERA through his first five starts, striking out 37 batters while walking just four. Morgan was named the first Carolina League Pitcher of the Week this month for the week of April 4th-April 14th. The Hillcats have gotten a couple of dazzling starts by a pair of relievers as well. Both right-hander Robert Broom and left-hander Kyle Nelson have yet to allow an earned run this season. Broom has 18 strikeouts in 11.1 innings while Nelson has struck out 17 batters in 9.1 innings and also has a team-high three saves. The Hllcats will look to keep up this positive momentum as they head into the month of May. Lynchburg is preparing for the season’s longest homestand from May 10th- May 19th. In total, the Hillcats play 17 games at City Stadium in May. For tickets or more information, visit Lynchburg-hillcats.com, the City Stadium box office, or call 434-528-1144.

2019 Roster VIDEOS

OPening day - highlight

pelicans - highlight

Sandlot sunday

Autism awareness night

2019 Roster

La

P

PITCHERS (13)

No.

Name

B/T Ht. R/R 6’1 R/R 6’3

Wt. Acquired

Born

Age

Birthplace

2018

1 2 4 6 7 8 9

37 29 22 30 46 36 27 24 33 15 40 32 6

Robert Broom Nick Gallagher Justin Garza Yapson Gomez Juan Hillman

190 10th Rd. - 2018 200 16th Rd. - 2017

9/17/96 22

East Ridge, TN Iowa City, IA Glendora, CA

LYN/LC/AZL

9/9/95

23

LC

R/R 5’10 170 8th Rd. - 2015

3/20/94 25

LYN/MV MB/SB LYN/LC LYN/LC LYN/LC AKR/LYN LC

5’10 160 Rule 5 (Cubs) - 2018 10/2/93 25

San Cristobal, Venezuela

L/L L/L

6’2

183 2nd Rd. - 2015 240 Intl FA - 2013 175 15th Rd. - 2017 190 11th Rd. - 2014 220 4th Rd. - 2018 190 Intl FA - 2011 190 Intl FA - 2013 190 20th Rd. - 2017

5/15/97 21 8/26/96 22 5/13/96 22 11/20/94 24 10/10/95 23 7/8/96 22

Winter Haven, FL

Jean Carlos Mejia #

R/R 6’4

Gaspar Hernandez, D.R. Rancho Palos Verdes, CA San Francisco, CA West Covina, CA Canandaigua, NY Santo Domingo, D.R.

Eli Morgan Kyle Nelson

R/R 5’10 190 8th Rd. - 2017

10 12 13 15 22 23 24 27 29 30 32 33 34 36 37 39 40 46

L/L

6’1

Jared Robinson

R/R 6’0

Adam Scott

L/L L/L

6’4 6’3

LYN/LC/MV/AZL

Anderson Polanco

9/6/92 4/1/97

26 22

LYN

Felix Tati

R/R 6’2 R/R 6’2

Quisqueya, D.R. Lancaster, CA

LYN/LC

Jonathan Teaney

1/28/96 23

LC

C

CATCHERS (2)

No.

Name

B/T Ht.

Wt. Acquired

Born

Age

Birthplace

2018 LYN

9

Gavin Collins Mike Rivera

R/R 5’11 190 13th Rd. - 2016 R/R 5’10 200 6th Rd. - 2017

7/17/95 23 12/12/95 23

Newport Beach, CA

34

Venice, FL

LC

IF

INFIELDERS (5)

No.

Name

B/T Ht.

Wt. Acquired

Born

Age

Birthplace Auburn, WA Langhorne, PA

2018

8

Tyler Friis Nolan Jones

S/R 5’10 180 21st Rd. - 2017

2/12/96 23

LYN/LC LYN/LC AKR/LC LYN/LC

10 23

L/R 6’3 R/R 6’1

195 2nd Rd. - 2016 200 25th Rd. - 2016

5/7/98

20

Jonathan Laureano Dillon Persinger Luke Wakamatsu

12/21/95 23 1/31/96 23 10/10/96 22

Vega Baja, Puerto Rico Fountain Valley, CA

2

R/R 5’11 180 18th Rd. - 2017

12

S/R 6’3

185 20th Rd. - 2015

Phoenix, AZ

LYN

OF

OUTFIELDERS (5)

1 2 4 4

No.

Name

B/T Ht.

Wt. Acquired

Born

Age

Birthplace Alpine, CA

2018 LYN

13

Trenton Brooks

L/L

6’0

180 17th Rd. - 2016

7/3/95

23

7

Jodd Carter

R/R 5’10 175 24th Rd. - 2014

7/20/96 22 1/10/98 21

Hilo, HI

AKR/LYN

Sabana Grande de Palenque, D.R. LC

39

Oscar Gonzalez Steven Kwan Austen Wade

R/R 6’2 R/R 5’9

180 Intl. FA - 2014 175 5th Rd. - 2018 185 5th Rd. - 2017

1 4

9/5/97

21

Los Gatos, CA Midland, TX

MV/AZL LYN/LC

L/L

6’1

2/17/96 23

COACHING STAFF

* - Injured List # - Indians 40-man roster % - Inactive player

No.

Name

20 41 43 11

Jim Pankovits

Manager

Joe Torres

Pitching Coach Hitting Coach Bench Coach Athletic Trainer

*** - MLB rehab ^ - Restricted List

Johnny Narron Mike Mergenthaler

Jacob Legan Eric Ortego Anthony D’Elia

Strength & Conditioning Coach Baseball Operations Fellow

TRANSACTIONS

PRONUNCIATION GUIDE

4/4 - Lynchburg Hillcats roster announced

No.

Name

Pronunciation per-SING-er

2 8

Dillon Persinger

Tyler Friis

Frees

12 20 23 36

Luke Wakamatsu Jim Pankovits Jonathan Laureano Jean Carlos Mejia

Wock-ah-MAHT-sue

Pank-oh-vitz Lore-ee-ON-oh

John Carlos or just “JC”

2019 Roster The play s

Adam Scott Pitcher

Anderson Polanco Pitcher

Austen Wade Outfielders

Dillon Persinger Infielder

Jean Carlos Mejia Pitcher

Jodd Carter Outfielder

Jonathan Laureano Infielder

Jonathan Teaney Pitcher

Mike Rivera Catcher

Nick Gallagher Pitcher

Nolan Jones Infielder

Oscar Gonzalez Outfielder

Yapson Gomez Pitcher

Eli Morgan Pitcher

Felix Tati Pitcher

Gavin Collins Catcher

Jared Robinson Pitcher

Jorma Rodriguez

Justin Garza Pitcher

Kyle Nelson Pitcher

Luke Wakamatsu Infielder

Robert Broom Pitcher

Steven Kwan Outfielder

Trenton Brooks Outfielder

Tyler Friis Infielder

2019 Roster Meet southpaw

Southpaw was adopted as the team’s mascot from the Lynchburg Humane Society on January 9, 2017. The bright-colored cat with a big smile & youthful energy has already become a well-known entity with both kids and adults around Lynchburg. Sporting a backward cap and oversized sneakers, Southpaw has made numerous appearances at community and charity events in addition to visiting more than 40 local schools as part of the Hillcats "Hit The Books" reading program. Southpaw can be seen entertaining the crowd and distracting the opponent with his crazy antics.

Full Name: Southpaw Gender: Male Height: 5’10” Birthday: 8/24/2016 Resides: City Stadium

Adopted from the Lynchburg Humane Society on 1/9/17!

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2019 Roster HARPER MAKES MLB DEBUT, BECOM

Former 37th Round pick spent 2012 season in Lynchburg

Lynchburg, Va. – Former Lynchburg Hillcats pitcher, Ryne Harper, made his Major League debut for the Minnesota Twins on Sunday, March 31, against the Cleveland Indians. He pitched a scoreless ninth inning to preserve a 9-3 win for Minnesota, while striking out the first batter of his career. The Clarksville, Tenn. native was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 37th Round (No. 1,136 overall) of the 2011 MLB Draft out of Austin Peay University. The right- hander was released by the Braves following the 2015 season, and spent 2016-2017 seasons in the Seattle Mariners organization, where he pitched for Triple-A Tacoma. He signed with Minnesota in 2018 and spent the entire season at Triple-A Rochester before cracking the Twins Opening Day roster in 2019 as a non-roster invitee in Spring Training. Harper, 30, wore a Hillcats uniform in 2012, back when Lynchburg was affiliated with Atlanta. He appeared in 27 games in relief, sporing a 2-1 record with a 1.83 ERA, and struck out 49 batters over 44.1 innings pitched. Through Minnesota’s first 26 games in 2019, Harper has been a key member of the Twins’ bullpen. He has appeared in 10 games in relief, going 0-0 with a 2.45 ERA over 11 innings of work. Major League hitters are batting just .179 against him. Harper is the 174th Hillcats player to make his Major League debut since 1995, and is the first to make The Show in 2019.

S 174th HILLCAT TO MAKE MAJORS

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2019 Roster Special nights

Easter Bash: Check out the first annual Easter Bash on Saturday, April 20th at city stadium featuring both adult and child eagle egg hunts and a postgame fireworks show presented by Blue Eagle Credit Union. Gates open at a special 2:30 pm time to allow for the egg hunts featuring big cash prizes, face paint- ing, temporary tattoo stations, cotton candy, balloon artists, inflatables, and more! Go to lynchburg-hillcats.com for A galaxy far far away is returning to city stadium on May 4th at 5 pm when the Hillcats host the Keys on Star Wars Night. Featuring some of your favor- ite character appearances and a post game, out of this world, fireworks show presented by realtor Sandi Codrea BHHS Dawson ford garbee And co. May the 4th be with you. Go to lynch- burg-hillcats.com for tickets today Cats Cares: on Saturday, May 25th the Lynchburg Hillcats, along with partners MedEx- press Urgent Care will host the first annual Cats Cares night. All fans can attend the 6 pm game for free but are asked to name their own donation to a pre-selected charity on their way into the stadium. There will also be a post- game fireworks show for all to enjoy. Go to lynchburg-hillcats.com for tickets The Hillcats annual Swing For A Cure Breast Cancer Awareness Game will be on Friday, June 14th. The game will feature a specialty jersey auction for charity, as well as, a t-shirt giveaway for the first 1,000 fans and a post-game fireworks show presented by Centra Health. Go to lynchburg-hillcats.com for tickets today tickets today Star Wars: today BCA:

Grateful Dead: Dead Heads Unite at city stadium on Fri- day, June 28th. Featuring a live pre game cover band and a postgame fireworks show presented by Kona Ice, there’s something for Deadheads of all ages. Go to lynchburg-hillcats.com for tickets today Military Appreciation Weekend: This summer, the Hillcats will host a special Military Appreciation Weekend featuring games on July 4th, 5th, and 6th. The Hillcats classic Independence Day game will feature the best post-game fireworks show in central Virginia. July 5th will feature a patriotic cap giveaway to the first 1,000 fans presented by Foster Fuels and KD Country. On July 6th post-game fireworks will cap off the celebration pre- sented by Member One Credit Union. All weekend long the Hillcats will be wearing specialty jerseys that will be auctioned off. Go to lynchburg-hillcats.com for tickets today First Responders: On Saturday, August 17th the Hillcats and partners Hill City Pharmacy will be hosting First Responders Night benefiting the Brothers in Arms Foundation. All first responders are invited to come out and enjoy the game for free featuring a post game fireworks show. Go to lynchburg- hillcats.com for tickets today. Margaritaville: Margaritaville Night: returns to city stadium on Friday, August 30th featuring a pre-game live cover band, some of your favorite tropical cuisine, a Hawaiian jersey auction and more! The first 1,000 fans will receive a free pair of sunglasses presented by HighPeak Sportswear and all fans will be treated to a post game fireworks show presented by Heartland Lynchburg. Go to lynchburg- hillcats.com for tickets today

THe HILLCATS

Available at this stadium and in your grocery store’s produce department.

hamptonfarms.com

Lynchburg’s Affordable Golf Experience -Come out and enjoy the new & improved Colonial Hills Golf Club! -See our website for Membership Rates. Discounts available for first year members. Contact Kevin Wilmouth, PGA. -Daily play specials and twilight rates available! -Tee Times for weekends. Weekdays call ahead. 434-525-3954

2019 Roster HIllcat ownership

The Elmore Sports Group LTD.

David G. Elmore is one of the most respected owners in Minor League Baseball. He founded the Elmore Sports Group in 1969, a sports & entertainment organization comprised of Minor League Baseball and hockey teams, as well as companies specializing in facility management, travel, concessions and special events. Dave is a member of the Pacific Coast League Board of Directors and currently serves on the league’s Executive Committee. D.G. Elmore , son of Dave Elmore, holds both legal and M.B.A. degrees. He is currently the chairman and owner of several different companies including Gant Travel Management and Cornerstone Information Systems. D.G. is on the Board of Directors for the non-pofit charity New Horizons Foundation and The Navigators, an international Christian organization.

Doug Elmore , son of Dave Elmore, is Managing Director of the Elmore Sports Group, Ltd and President & owner of the Diamond Concessions companies and Vail Service Stations, LLC. Elmore is also involved in real estate, having owned and developed hotels, industrial parks, condominiums and gas stations. Doug Elmore has a B.S. in Public Affairs from Indiana University and an MBA in Finance from Pepperdine University. Elmore and his wife, Julie, live in Chicago and have three grown children.

About Elmore Sports Group: For almost half a century, Elmore Sports Group has provided first-rate and affordable family entertainment, specializing in all things sports, including Minor League Baseball, the East Coast Hockey League, the Premier Development League, the National Premier Soccer League, and facility management, hospitality, special events & concessions. Elmore Sports Group invests in the community through premium events, outreach initiatives and monetary consideration. Elmore Sports Group also strongly believes community is the most important structure in society and it is their honor to contribute to strengthening this fabric.

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2019 Roster Former Major Leaguer’s Journey of T

Gose , 28, is a left-handed reliever with a goal of reaching the big leagues. The Bellflower, California native travels on long bus trips to various towns in the Carolina League, honing his craft as he aims for a chance at putting on an Indians uniform. In this way, he shares a lifestyle and aspirations that line up with those of his teammates. The major difference: Gose has already played under the bright lights of The Show. In 2008, Gose, then a senior at Bellflower High School in California, was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2nd round of MLB’s First-Year Player Draft in June. Gose was a talented two-way player in high school, hitting .443 at the plate while also collecting 31 steals in his senior campaign. He also hit 97 mph with his fastball on the mound. Seeing more promise in his bat, the Phillies selected him as an outfielder. The youngster hit the ground running, leading all of minor league baseball with 76 stolen bases in 2009 with the Phillies Single-A affiliate, the Lakewood BlueClaws. Gose was promoted to the Phillies’ A-Adv. club in Clearwater in 2010, and he continued to run rampant, adding 11 triples to his 36 steals in 103 games. In late July, the Phillies made a blockbuster trade with the Houston Astros and Toronto Blue Jays in a move that sent star right-handed pitcher Roy Oswalt to Philly. Gose was shipped to Toronto in the move. The change of scenery did little to stop Gose. Come 2011, Gose was with the Double-A New Hamshire Fisher Cats. MLB.com named him the fifth-best Blue Jays prospect entering the system, and he responded with 70 stolen bases to break the team’s record for steals in a single season. Gose also showed improvement in the power department by swatting 16 home runs, up from a previous career high of seven. After half a season in Triple-A in 2012, Gose got his call to the big leagues on July 17, 2012 at the age of 21. Gose found his way into 56 games with the Blue Jays, hitting just .223 while stealing successfully on 15 of 18 attempts. Gose served in a backup capacity in 2013 and 2014, showing off the same speed he had in the minors but struggling to improve his batting average, which never rose higher than the .259 he hit in 2013. On November 13, 2014, Gose was shipped to the Detroit Tigers in exchange for top infield prospect Devon Travis. The following season, Gose would finally find his way into a starter’s role. The outfielder hit .254 in 140 games while hitting a career-high five home runs and swiping a career-high 23 bases. That dream season ended up being just a flash in the pan for Gose, who was in and out of Detroit come 2016. He played in just 30 games that season, and was designated for assignment the following offseason. In many ways, Anthony Gose is just like every other minor leaguer.

ansformation Finds Him in Lynchburg

Gose remained within the organization and, in the spring of 2017, he approached the Tigers with an idea: ditch the outfield and allow him to become a full-time pitcher. The Tigers agreed, sending him to A-Adv. Lakeland to hone his craft. Gose struggled in his short stint, posting a 7.59 ERA in 11 games. However, the left-hander showed promise, touching 99 mph with his fastball and striking out 14 batters in 10.2 innings. Although Detroit did not renew his contract for the 2018 season, the Rangers took a flier on him and sent him to their new affiliate, the Down East Wood Ducks in the Carolina League. Once there, he showed vast improvement from the previous year by putting up a 1.35 ERA in 6.2 innings of work. The Rangers moved quickly, sending him to Double-A where he became teammates with James Jones, another former MLB outfielder making the transition to the mound. The move to Double-A didn’t quite pan out as planned for Gose, who posted a 6.52 ERA while walking 25 batters in 26 innings. In October of 2018, Gose elected free agency. Early in the offseason, the Cleveland Indians took a flier on the now 28-year-old left-hander, signing him to a minor league

contract. Gose stayed in Extended Spring Training until an injury to Hillcats right-hander Jean Carlos Mejía opened up an opportunity for Gose in Lynchburg. In his first game with the Hillcats, Gose flashed his mid-90s fastball while allowing one run in a two- inning appearance, striking out two Wilmington Blue Rocks batters. Now a member of the Hillcats roster, Gose’s journey is far from over. He’ll have to show that his success can translate not only to A-Adv. and Double-A, but beyond. And even though he has five years of big league experience under his belt, he’s just like all of his other teammates in Lynchburg, hoping their skills can carry them to the greatest stage in the game.

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2019 Roster prospec s to watch

Third baseman Nolan Jones emerged as a top bat in the system in 2018. After smashing 16 home runs in 90 games with Class-A Lake County, he hit .298 with three home runs and nine doubles in 104 at-bats for Lynchburg. A second-round selection from the 2016 draft, Jones is widely regarded as the top position player in the Indians’ farm system. Jones has made big strides defensively as well, as Baseball America ranked Jones as having the “best infield arm” in the farm system. Shortstop Tyler Freeman is entering his first year in full-season ball after hitting .352 with 14 stolen bases in 72 games with Mahoning Valley in 2018. At just 19 years old, Freeman hit more doubles (29) than any player had in the New York-Penn League since 1999. Freeman also led the league in hits (95), batting average, slugging percentage (.511), and runs scored (49). Right-handed pitcher Jean Carlos Mejia got a cup of coffee with Lycnhburg in 2018, starting in one game where he allowed four runs in six innings of work against Salem. Prior to his call-up, Mejia threw to a 3.13 ERA with 97 strikeouts in 92 innings with the Captains, earning him a spot on the Indians’ 40-man roster heading into 2019. Mejia will turn 23 in August, making him one of the more advanced pitching prospects in the Indians’ system. Right-handed pitcher Luis Oviedo began to put it all together in 2018 with a fantastic showing in Mahoning Valley where he threw to a 1.88 ERA with 61 strikeouts in 48 innings. Oviedo earned a promotion to Lake County where he started two games, allowing just three runs in nine innings. Oviedo features a fastball that touches 98 mph to go along with a power curveball and a slider. Oviedo will be 20 years old in 2019, and will look to keep improving in his first year in full-season ball.

Outfielder Will Benson emerged as a beacon of power in the Indians’ system in 2018, swatting 22 homers with 58 RBI in 123 games with Lake County. Benson, who also swiped 12 bags in 2018, displays an intriguing blend of power and speed. The outfielder also finished third in the Midwest League in walks in 2018 with 82, giving him a .324 on-base percentage for the season. Benson was selected in the first round of the 2016 draft and will turn 21 years old this summer. Baseball America named Outfielder Oscar Gonzalez hit .292 with 13 home runs in his first year of full-season ball with the Captains in 2018. The 21-year-old led the Captains in doubles with 25 while placing second in runs scored (52) and RBI (52). Gonzalez has turned heads at every stop in his career, earning Arizona League MVP honors in 2016 where he hit .303 with eight homers. In addition to his strong power output, Gonzalez also had a career-high five steals with Second baseman Richie Palacios accelerated quickly through the Indians’ system after being selected in the third round of the 2018 draft out of Towson. Palacios hit .361 with six home runs and seven stolen bases in 45 games between three levels, ending the season with the Captains. Palacios comes from a deep family history in baseball; his brother Joshua is a center fielder in the Blue Jays’ system and his uncle Rey was a catcher for the Kansas City Royals between 1988-1990. Left-handed pitcher Kirk McCarty made a strong impression in five starts with Lynchburg in 2018, throwing to just a 3.19 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 31 innings. McCarty led all Indians farmhands with 161 strikeouts between Lake County and Lynchburg. A seventh-round pick from the 2017 draft, the 23-year-old is one of just two left-handed pitchers included in Baseball America’s top-30 Indians prospects.

2019 Roster Meet the coaches

JIM PANKOVITS Manager (1st Season)

JOHNNY NARRON Hitting Coach (1st season)- 9th overall Narron comes to Lynchburg by way of Triple-A Columbus where he served in the same capacity for the Clippers in 2018. Narron is entering his third season in the Indians organization and brings Major League coaching experience to the Hill- cats’ staff after serving as the Milwaukee Brewers hitting coach from 2012-2014. With the Brewers, he instructed stars such as Ryan Braun, Jean Segura, Aramis Ramirez, and Carlos Gomez. JAKE LEGAN Athletic Trainer (1st season) - 5th overall Legan is entering his first season with the Hillcats and fifth in the Indians organiza- tion. Legan held the same position with the Captains in 2018. Pankovits is in his second year managing in the Indians organization after leading the Mahoning Valley Scrappers in 2018. Panko- vits has 16 years of managerial experience under his belt with the Red Sox, Astros, Mariners, and Indians organizations. 2019 marks Pankovits’ second stint in the Caro- lina League after he led the Salem Red Sox from 2006-2008. The Pennington Gap, Vir- ginia native enjoyed a Major League career with the Astros and Red Sox as an infielder that spanned six seasons from 1984-1990.

MIKE MERGENTHALER Bench Coach (1st season) - 3rd overall 2019 will mark Mergenthaler’s first season coaching stateside after serving as the hitting coach for Cleveland’s Dominican Summer League co-op for two seasons. Mergenthaler is no stranger to the Com- monwealth, having starred at Richmond in his college days. JOE TORRES Pitching Coach (1st season)- 3rd overall Torres enters his first season with the Hillcats after serving as the pitching coach for Lake County in 2018. The former left- handed pitcher was selected with the 10th overall draft pick in 2000 by the Anaheim Angels and played in the minor leagues for 13 seasons, eventually reaching Triple-A. The 36-year-old Torres is a native of the Bronx, NY.

ERIC ORTEGO Strength Coach (2nd season) - 3rd overall Ortego is in his third season in the Indians organization. He graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 2012. Following graduation, Oretgo served as the Assistant Director of Strength and Condi- tioning at McNeese State.

2019 Roster cats’ in he majors

Adcock, Nate Ahmed, Nick Albaladejo, Jonathan Allen, Greg Alvarez, Pedro Alvarez, Tony Anderson, Jimmy Aquino, Jayson Arroyo, Bronson Bautista, Jose Beimel, Joe Belisario, Ronald Bennett, Jeff Benson, Kris Bethancourt, Christian Bieber, Shane Bixler, Brian Boxberger, Brad Bray, Bill Brown, Adrian Buchter, Ryan Bullington, Bryan Burnett, Sean Cabrera, Mauricio Camargo, Johan Capps, Matt Carrasco, D.J. Carroll, Scott Castillo, Jose Castro, Daniel Christiani, Nick Collier, Lou Cornely, John Crotta, Michael Cunniff, Brandon Cunningham, Todd d’Arnaud, Chase Davidson, Dave Davis, J.J. Davis, Kane Davis, Rajai DeCaster, Yurendell DeHaan, Kory Diaz, Einar Doumit, Ryan Duff, Matt

2009 2012

Gorzelanny, Tom Gosselin, Phil Grabow, John Graham, J.R. Gregorious, Didi Guillen, Jose Haad, Yamid Hague, Matt Hale, David Harper, Ryne Harrison, Josh Hermansen, Chad Hernandez, Alex Horst, Jeremy Hoyt, James Hughes, Jared Jaime, Juan Johnson, Jason Johnston, Mike Joseph, Donnie Kelly, Ryan Keppinger, Jeff Kubitza, Kyle Lamarre, Ryan La Stella, Tommy Lawrence, Sean Lerud, Steve Lillibridge, Brent Lincoln, Brad Locke, Jeff Mackowiak, Rob Maholm, Paul Marksberry, Matt Marte, Starling Martin, Cody McConnell, Sam McLouth, Nate Mejia, Francisco Mercer, Jordy Mesoraco, Devin Milledge, Lastings Molleken, Dustin Moskos, Daniel Morel, Ramon Morgan, Nyjer Morris, Bryan Nunez, Abraham O’Connor, Brian Oquendo, Ian Owens, Henry Owens, Rudy Pannone, Thomas Partch, Curtis Paulino, Ronny Pearce, Steven Peraza, Jose Haase, Eric Heller, Ben

2004 2011 2001 2011 2010 1996 1999-2000

Perez, Williams Peters, Chris Phillips, Jason Phipps, Denis Pickford, Kevin Plutko, Adam Presley, Alex Ramirez, Aramis Rasmus, Cory Ravin, Josh Redman, Tike Redmond, Todd Rivera, Carlos Rodriguez, Henry Rodriguez, Nerio Rojas, Miguel Romak, Jamie Sanchez, Romulo Sanchez, Tony Sanford, Chance Santander, Anthony Sappelt, Dave Schlosser, Gus Sharpless, Josh Sheffield, Justus Shelton, Chris Shreve, Chasen Simmons, Andrelton Sims, Lucas Soto, Neftali Sparks, Steve Spruill, Zeke Spurling, Chris Stansberry, Craig Terdoslavich, Joe Tolar, Kevin Valdez, Luis Vanbenschoten, John Villareal, Pedro Vizcaino, Arodys Vogelsong, Ryan Volquez, Edinson Walker, Neil Wallace, Jeff Washington, Rico Watson, Tony Weber, Ryan Wells, Kip Williams, David Williams, Matt Wilson, Craig Wilson, Justin Young, Danny Young, Walter Youman, Shane Zimmer, Bradley

2013 1995 1996-97 2010 ‘95-97, ‘00 2015 2008-09 1997 2011 2010 1997-98 2007 1998-2000 2010 2006 2010 2007, 2009

2004-05 2016-17

2009 2001 1995-96 2015 1997, 2000

2009 2011 2012 2009 2015 2015 1996 1997 2010 2013 2008 2012

2003 2000 2007 2001-02

1997 2011 2017 2006 2010 2010 1995-96, ‘01

2006 2009 1995 2017 2010 2012 2005 2016 2003

1995-97 2001-02 2010 2014 2003 2013 2010 2011-12 1995 2007-08 2006 2009 2009 1998-99 2002-03 2016-17 2009 2010 2009 2007-09 2008 1995 2005-06 2009 1997-98 1997-98 2003 2003-04 2009 2016-17 2010 2001-03 2006-07 2014 2004 2014 2009 2012 1998

2011 2003 2002 2014 2003 2017 1999-02 2010

2012-13 2011-12 2017 2010 1999 2011 2000 2005 2011 1996 2007 2003 2010 2011 2002 2010 2005-06 1997 1999 2008 2011-13 2006 2000 1996 1997-98

2001-02 2013-14 2010 1995, 1998 2012-13 2008 2013-14

2011 2009 2006 2000 1996 2004 2001-03 1999 2007 2003 1998-99

Duffy, Chris Duke, Zach Eldred, Brad Figueroa, Luis Frazier, Clint Freeman, Justin Fryer, Eric Garcia, Freddy Garcia, Harvey Garner, Perci Gattis, Evan Gonzalez, Mike

2002 2004 2004 1997 2017 2010 2009 1996 2009 2015 2012 1998-01, ‘03

2009 1995 2003 2004 2006 2017