Globe iconLogin iconRecap iconSearch iconTickets icon

Brewers supplemental first round pick from 2012 draft joins Rattlers for second half

Lance Roenicke starts second half with Brewers Midwest League affiliate, too
June 21, 2012
GRAND CHUTE, WI - Just over two weeks ago Mitch Haniger was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers with the 38th pick in the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft. On Friday, he will begin his professional career as a Wisconsin Timber Rattler when the Midwest League's first half Western Division Champions open the second half of the season at Burlington.

The Brewers and the Timber Rattlers announced roster moves today that included the promotion of three players the Florida State league, Haniger's move to the Fox Cities, the activation of Michael Strong from the disabled list, and the addition of a player with a familiar last name.

All-Stars Jason Rogers and Seth Harvey are moving up the ladder to the Brevard County Manatees, Milwaukee's FSL affiliate. Rogers led the Rattlers in RBI (43) and doubles (24) with a .301 batting average and six home runs. Harvey was the closer for Wisconsin in the first half and had 13 saves with a 4-0 record.

John Dishon, who was tied for the team lead in stolen bases (11) and outfield assists (7), also got the call to Brevard County.

Haniger was selected by the Brewers with a compensatory first round pick out of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in the 2012 draft. Haniger was the 2012 Big West Conference Player of the Year at Cal Poly. He led the conference in homers (13), RBI (64), and slugging percentage (.626).

The Timber Rattlers now have the last two Big West Conference Players of the Year on their roster. Nick Ramirez won the award in 2011 while at Cal-State-Fullerton.

Outfielder Lance Roenicke was the 25th round pick of the Brewers in the 2012 draft. He also played his college baseball in the Big West. Roenicke hit .310 with four homers and 35 RBI in his senior season at the University of California-Santa Barbara. Roenicke, the son of Milwaukee Brewers manager Ron Roenicke, had appeared in a pair of games for the Helena Brewers and was 4-for-8 with three RBI for Milwaukee's Pioneer League affiliate.

Also, left-handed pitcher Michael Strong has been activated from the disabled list for Friday's game. Strong had been 1-0 with a 2.38ERA and 12 strikeouts in 11-1/3 innings pitched for the Wisconsin before going on the shelf.

Wisconsin starts the second half of their schedule with a three-game series against the Burlington Bees in Iowa on Friday night. Timber Rattlers fans will get their first glimpse of Haniger and Roenicke when the team returns to Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium on Monday, June 25. Wisconsin will begin a six-game homestand at 7:05pm on Monday night.

Tickets for those games - and for any of the remaining Timber Rattlers regular season home games - may be purchased over the phone at (920) 733-4152 or 800-WI-TIMBER, or in person at the Timber Rattlers Box Office. Box Office hours are Saturday 10am to 3pm and Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.