Bees Announce Opening Day Roster

SALT LAKE CITY (April 5, 2016) - The Salt Lake Bees, Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels, announced the team's Opening Day roster in advance of the 2016 Pacific Coast League regular season. The roster is highlighted by 19 players with Major League experience, eight of the Angels Top 30 prospects, two players with World Series Championship rings, as well as the Angels 2015 Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Year.

Manager Keith Johnson returns to the Salt Lake dugout to lead an experienced team that has combined for more than 1,700 Major League appearances. The Opening Day Bees pitching staff has thrown in 999 Major League games while Bees hitters have combined for 713 Major League games, with 11 of the 13 position players logging big league time.

Seven players will return to Salt Lake City after spending time with the Bees in 2015. Returnees include catcher 2015 PCL All-Star catcher Jett Bandy, reliever Chris O'Grady, starting pitchers Nate Smith and Nick Tropeano and infielders Kaleb Cowart, Kyle Kubitza and Alex Yarbrough.

Starting pitcher Tyler Skaggs will begin his road back to the Major Leagues in Salt Lake. Skaggs held a 4.30 ERA for the Angels in 2014 before undergoing Tommy John surgery after an elbow injury. Alongside Skaggs in the projected starting rotation is Tropeano, Yunesky Maya and Smith, the Angels #3 prospect.

Bees relievers bring a wealth of experience to the mound. Six of the eight projected relievers have pitched in the Major Leagues, combining for over 900 relief outings and 52 big league saves. The projected bullpen includes AJ Achter, Al Alburquerque, Javy Guerra, Lucas Luetge, Greg Mahle, O'Grady, Ramon Rameriez and Cody Satterwhite. Mahle was selected as the 2015 Angels Minor League Pitcher of the Year. The left-hander combined for 25 saves and a 3.26 ERA between stops at Single-A Inland Empire and Double-A Arkansas last season. 

Cowart, the Angels 2015 Minor League Player of the Year, returns along with fan favorites Kubitza, Yarbrough and Bandy. Newcomers to the Bees position players include catcher Juan Graterol, infielders Jefry Marte, Rey Navarro and Gregorio Petit and outfielders Quintin Berry, Nick Buss, Todd Cunningham, Rafael Ortega and Shane Robinson. Berry won a World Series title with the Boston Red Sox in 2013 and joins Ramirez (San Francisco, 2010) as current Bees with World Series rings.

The Bees open up the 2016 PCL regular season with an eight-game homestand starting on Thursday night at 6:35 p.m against the Sacramento River Cats at Smith's Ballpark. All 144-games during the regular season can be heard on 1280 The Zone, with Steve Klauke behind the microphone in his 23rd season as "The Voice of the Bees." Tickets and additional information about the team is available at www.slbees.com.

Click here for the Roster (PDF)