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MLB

Bisons announce Opening Day Roster

Talented, veteran group includes 23 players with big league time
By
April 6, 2015

The Buffalo Bisons, Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, today announced their initial roster for their 130th season of professional baseball in Buffalo, NY. In his second season in charge of the Herd, Bisons manager Gary Allenson will lead a talented, experienced group of players on Opening Day, Thursday, April 9th at Coca-Cola Field against the Rochester Red Wings (2:05 p.m.).

The 2015 Bisons feature 23 players with Major League experience, including nine that wore a Blue Jays uniform last season. A total of 14 players on this year's squad also spent time with in Buffalo a season ago.

The current Bisons roster sits at 27 players. The team will have to reduce their roster by two to the International League limit of 25 by noon on Opening Day on Thursday.

CLICK HERE to download the Buffalo Bisons 2015 Roster.

Plenty of power and speed can be found throughout the Bisons 2015 offense. Recently-acquired INF ANDY WILKINS led the International League with 30 home runs for Charlotte last season while OF EZEQUIEL CARRERA stole 43 bases for Toledo last season, nine more than any other player in the circuit. The Herd offense will also feature INF/DH CHRIS COLABELLO, who hit 16 home runs between Rochester and the Minnesota Twins last year after taking home the International League Most Valuable Player in 2013 while with the Red Wings.

2014 IL All-Star INF MATT HAGUE had 31 extra-base hits with Indianapolis last season before joining the Herd late in the season. INF DARIC BARTON has more walks (874) than strikeouts (827) during his 12-year career that has included 551 games with the Oakland A's. Up the middle, Bisons fans will once again be able to enjoy the defensive wizardry of INF JONATHAN DIAZ, INF RYAN GOINS and INF MUNENORI KAWASAKI as all three have returned to the Herd.

Joining Carrera in the outfield is OF CHRIS DICKERSON, who was named a 2014 IL All-Star while with Indianapolis, but was traded to the Cleveland Indians before playing in the game. Versatile OF CALEB GINDL played 30+ games at each outfield position for Triple-A Nashville last season. OF BRAD GLEN hit .303 with 20 extra-base hits in 61 games for the Bisons last year while making his big league debut.

Behind the dish, fan-favorite C JOSH THOLE will lead the pitching staff after hitting .248 in 57 games with the Blue Jays in 2014. C SEAN OCHINKO also returns to the Herd for his third straight season in Buffalo.

A veteran rotation includes LHP RANDY WOLF and LHP JEFF FRANCIS, who have combined to win 204 Major League games while striking out 2,634 combined big league batters. RHP SCOTT COPELAND won 11 games in 2014, including three in just four starts with the Bisons in August. RHP CHAD JENKINS made 21 appearances for both the Bisons and the Blue Jays last year, posting a 2.56 ERA in the big leagues. LHP ANDREW ALBERS was the 2013 Twins' Minor League Pitcher-of-the-Year with 11 wins for Rochester before spending last season with the Hanwha Eagles of the Korean Baseball Organization.

In the bullpen, 2013 American League All-Star RHP STEVE DELABAR returns to the Bisons after posting a 2.89 ERA in 24 games with the Herd last season. RHP BOBBY KORECKY was an International League midseason and postseason All-Star for the Bisons in 2014, recording 22 saves in a team-high 55 games. RHP GREGORY INFANTE recorded 22 saves for New Hampshire (AA) a season ago, finishing second in the Eastern League. RHP RYAN TEPERA finished second on the Bisons in wins (7) and fifth in strikeouts (67) last season while RHP BO SCHULTZ led Triple-A Reno with 10 wins and 135.1 innings pitched while working as a starter for the Aces. RHP PRESTON GUILMET has 100 saves in six minor league seasons, including 10 with Norfolk in 2014 while RHP AUSTIN BIBENS-DIRKX made four spot starts for the Herd last year while posting a 2.42 ERA in 12 relief appearances.

From the left side, LHP ROB RASMUSSEN did not allow a home run to any of the 177 batters he faced while wearing a Bisons uniform in 2014. LHP SCOTT BARNES was 3-2 with a 3.69 ERA in 25 games with Columbus last year

The Bisons roster will open the season with seven players on the disabled list: OF Andy Dirks, LHP Felix Doubront, C A.J. Jimenez, RHP Wilton Lopez, INF Ramon Santiago, LHP Johan Santana and RHP John Stilson.