Eric Hosmer added to Naturals' roster
First baseman Eric Hosmer has joined the team from Advanced Class-A Wilmington. The 20-year old Hosmer has had a stellar 2010 campaign, batting .354 with seven homers and 51 RBI in 87 games with the Blue Rocks. Four of his seven home runs have come since the Carolina League's All-Star Break in late June.
Coming into the season, Hosmer, the Royals' first-round selection (third overall) in the 2008 draft, was ranked as the third-best prospect in the Kansas City Royals' organization by Baseball America. He was selected as a Carolina League All-Star this season, and also represented, alongside former Natural Mike Moustakas, the Kansas City organization in the Major League XM All-Star Futures Game, held last Sunday in Anaheim. Hosmer went 4-for-5 in that contest, opening the eyes of baseball fans nationwide. Baseball observers regard the 6'4", 215 lb. left-handed slugger as an above-average defender at first base.
In a corresponding move, first baseman/designated hitter Ernesto Mejia has been reassigned to Wilmington. Mejia, the 24-year old resident of Guanare, Venezuela, is batting .268 with 11 homers and 48 RBI in 71 games with the Naturals, serving primarily as the designated hitter. Mejia was signed by the Royals as a minor league free agent in December after spending the first seven seasons of his career in the Atlanta Braves' organization.
Mejia was a Carolina League All-Star in 2008 with the Braves' affiliate in Myrtle Beach, batting .274 with a league-leading 21 homers and 93 runs driven in.
Hosmer is active for Saturday's double-header at Arvest Ballpark. After the moves, the Naturals' roster remains at the Texas League limit of 24 active players.
The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals and play at state of the art Arvest Ballpark, located in Springdale. You can purchase tickets and group outings with the Naturals by calling (479) 927-4900.