Former Lake Monsters On MLB Rosters

BURLINGTON, VT --- 19 former Vermont Lake Monsters, including 14 players and five coaches, are beginning the 2015 Major League Baseball season on MLB opening day rosters of 11 different teams, including six players with the Washington Nationals and 2015 Lake Monster manager David Newhan as Assistant Hitting Coach with the Detroit Tigers.

Shortstop Ian Desmond '04, relief pitcher Craig Stammen '05 and starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann '07 are all in their 7th season with the Washington Nationals, while infielder Danny Espinosa '08 begins his 6th season, outfielder Tyler Moore '08 his 4th and relief pitcher Aaron Barrett '10 his 2nd season with the Nationals. Pitcher Marco Estrada '05 begins his 8th Major League season, the most of any active former Lake Monsters, and his first with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Outfielder Justin Maxwell '06 begins his 1st season with San Francisco and 7th Major League-season, while Tommy Milone '08 begins his 1st full season with Minnesota and 5th in the Majors. Catcher Derek Norris '08 starts his 4th Major League season and 1st with San Diego after being traded to the Padres over the winter by the Oakland A's (there are no former Lake Monsters on Oakland's opening day roster).

The four other former Lake Monster players beginning the 2015 season in the Majors are Sandy Leon '09 (4th year, 1st with Boston), Juan Jaime '09 (2nd with Atlanta), Jake Smolinski '08 (2nd with Texas) and Steven Souza '08 (1st with Tampa Bay after spending end of 2014 season with Washington).

Along with Newhan, there are four other former Vermont coaches beginning the 2015 season on a Major League coaching staff. 2007 Lake Monsters manager Darnell Coles begins his 1st season as Hitting Coach for the Milwaukee Brewers, while 2006-07 Vermont hitting coach Tony Tarasco begins his 3rd year as first base coach for Washington, 2000 Vermont manager Tim Leiper starts his 2nd season as first base coach for Toronto and 2003 & 2005 Vermont pitching coach Craig Bjornson is in his 3rd season as bullpen coach for Houston.

For more information about former Lake Monsters in the Major Leagues, go to the "Major League Monsters" page here on the team website here.