Barons Announce 2013 Opening Day Roster

The Birmingham Barons have announced their Opening Day roster in preparation for the season opener Thursday against the Montgomery Biscuits in Montgomery, AL. The roster includes 12 players who spent time with the Barons in 2012. In addition, four of the White Sox top-10 prospects will begin the season in Birmingham, including pitchers Erik Johnson (4) and Scott Snodgress (6) and outfielders Trayce Thompson (2) and Keenyn Walker (5).

The Barons offense will be led by a pair of highly ranked outfield prospects in Trayce Thompson and Keenyn Walker. Thompson, the son of former NBA standout Mychal Thompson, begins his second season with the Barons. Ranked as the No. 2 Prospect in the White Sox organization by Baseball America, Thompson spent the majority of the 2012 season with Class A Winston-Salem before joining the Barons in August. He led all White Sox farmhands in RBI, total bases and extra-base hits while ranking second in home runs, doubles and runs scored. Walker, the White Sox 5th ranked prospect according to Baseball America, will be making his first appearance at the Double-A level. In 2012, he led all White Sox farmhands and ranked fifth among all Minor League players in stolen bases with 56.

Returning standouts on offense will include first baseman Andy Wilkins and shortstop Tyler Saladino. Wilkins, the 12th ranked Prospect in the White Sox organization by Baseball America, will begin his second season with the Barons. Wilkins, who attended Arkansas, led the Barons with 17 home runs, 28 doubles and 69 RBI in 2012. Saladino, the 26th ranked prospect in the White Sox organization according to Baseball America, ranked second in the organization in stolen bases (38) and walks (75) during the 2012 season.

The Barons pitching staff will be led by two highly touted prospects in Erik Johnson and Scott Snodgress. Johnson, the 4th-ranked prospect in the organization, begins his first season at the Double-A level after splitting the 2012 season between Class A Kannapolis and Class Winston-Salem. Snodgress, the No. 6 prospect in the White Sox organization, will also being making his Double-A debut after splitting the 2012 campaign between Kannapolis and Winston-Salem.

Rounding out the starting rotation will be returning starters Nestor Molina, Jacob Petricka and Spencer Arroyo. Molina, a highly rated prospect entering the 2012 season, returns to the Barons after spending the majority of the season in Birmingham last year. Petricka, the 16th-ranked prospect in the White Sox organization, split time between Winston-Salem and Birmingham in 2012. Arroyo returns to Birmingham after tying for second in the organization in wins with 11 in 2012.

Manager Julio Vinas begins his first season at the helm for the Barons. A member of the 1995 Barons squad led by skipper Terry Francona, Vinas enters his third season as a manager in the White Sox organization having made previous stops at Class A Kannapolis (2012) and Class A Winston-Salem (2011). He is joined by a brand new coaching staff including pitching coach Britt Burns and hitting coach Gary Ward. Burns was a standout pitcher at Huffman High School in Birmingham from 1975-77 where upon graduation he held the State record for career victories (35) and currently holds the single-season record for lowest ERA (0.00) set in 1977. Ward brings a distinguished coaching resume into his first stint as a coach with the Barons. A former hitting coach for the White Sox from 2001-03, Ward played 12 seasons in the Major Leagues, making the American League All-Star team in 1983 and 1985. Ward previously served as the hitting coach for the Winston-Salem Dash (2011-12) and Kannapolis Intimidators (2009-10).