D-Braves finalize 2017 Opening Day roster

DANVILLE, Va. - The Danville Braves today announced their 2017 Opening Day roster in advance of the season opener Thursday in Elizabethton. The 35-man roster includes 19 pitchers, four catchers, six infielders, and six outfielders.

LHP Kyle Muller, INF Derian Cruz, and OF Sanders Commings highlight the Opening Day roster. Muller, the Braves second-round draft pick in the 2016 MLB Draft, is the highest draftee on the squad, while Cruz is No. 20 on Atlanta's Top 30 Prospects list from MLB Pipeline. Commings, signed by Atlanta as free agent in February, is looking to begin a baseball career after playing football at the University of Georgia and professionally for the Kansas City Chiefs.
12 members of the Opening Day roster are from the 2017 draft class, including 7th-round pick Landon Hughes (RHP, Marietta, GA, Georgia Southern), 8th-round pick John Curtis (LHP, Lenoir, NC, Lenoir-Rhyne), and 9th-round selection Riley Delgado (INF, Miami, FL, Middle Tennessee State).
The D-Braves open the 2017 season Thursday night against the Twins in Elizabethton. The 2017 home opener is Sunday, June 25 at 6pm against the Princeton Rays. Visit dbraves.com to view the complete schedule and a detailed roster.
Complete Roster
Pitchers (19)
Belinda, Jacob
Curtis, John
Dyals, Cutter
Hellinger, Jaret
Heredia, Jesus
Hughes, Landon
Hyssong, Taylor
Javier, Odalvi
Johnstone, Connor
Mejia, Dilmer
Muller, Kyle
Navarro, Raymar
Rangel, Alan
Rice, Zach
Rodriguez, Kelvin
Schlosser, Ryan
Simmons, Connor
Suarez, Gilbert
Weisenberg, Keith

Catchers (4)
Contreras, William
Crowley, Alan
Lugbauer, Drew
Owenby, Hagen

Infielders (6)
Benson, Griffin
Cruz, Derian
Delgado, Riley
Fernandez, Jeremy
Mejia, Luis
Shumpert, Nick

Outfielders (6)
Baez, Leudys
Commings, Sanders
Keller, Bradley
Schwartz, Garrison
Smith, Justin
Wilson, Isranel

Field Staff
Perez, Nestor (Manager)
Texeira, Kanekoa (Pitching Coach)
Garbey, Barbaro (Hitting Coach)
Lopez, Porky (Coach)
Diaz, Julio (Strength Coach)
Scarpone, Vic (Athletic Trainer)