Express Announces Initial 2016 Roster
ROUND ROCK, Texas -The Texas Rangers and the Round Rock Express announced the Triple-A affiliate's 2016 roster Tuesday afternoon, highlighted by prospects and veterans alike.
Set to join the E-Train on Opening Day are 3B Joey Gallo, RF Nomar Mazara and 2B Jurickson Profar. Gallo enters the season as the ninth-ranked prospect in all of Minor League Baseball, as well as the top prospect in the Rangers organization, according to MLB.com. Mazara checks in at 19th overall and third in the Rangers system. Profar is making his return to Round Rock for the first time since 2013 after being sidelined by a shoulder injury.
The full roster features 14 pitchers, one catcher, five infielders and four outfielders. With the Pacific Coast League roster limits set at 25 active, the Express could still add one more to the roster prior to Opening Day.
New to the roster in 2016 are pitchers Carlos Fisher, Jefri Hernandez, Myles Jaye, and Michael Roth, infielders Doug Bernier and Patrick Kivlehan, and outfielder James Jones.
Returning from last season's Pacific Coast League American Conference championship team are pitchers Alex Claudio, Chi Chi Gonzalez, Nick Martinez, Francisco Mendoza, Jesus Pirela, Anthony Ranaudo, Jimmy Reyes and Chad Smith, catcher Brett Nicholas, infielders Gallo and Drew Robinson, and outfielders Jared Hoying, Mazara and Ryan Strausborger. Nick Tepesch started the season with the Express but did not pitch last year due to an elbow issue.
The 2016 roster features two players who are making their debuts at the Triple-A level: Hernandez and Jaye. Conversely, the roster features 13 players with Major League playing experience: Bernier, Claudio, Fisher, Gallo, Gonzalez, Jones, Martinez, Profar, Ranaudo, Roth, Smith, Strausborger and Tepesch.
Players on this year's Opening Day roster hail from 12 different states and four different countries outside the United States. The average age of the roster is 26.04 years old with the youngest player, Nomar Mazara, entering the season at the age of 20 and the oldest player, Doug Bernier, at 35.
Express manager Jason Wood returns for his second season at the helm, along with coach Geno Petralli. Strength and conditioning coach Ric Mabie is back for his sixth season with the E-Train. New to the staff in 2016 are pitching coach Greg Hibbard, hitting coach Jim Presley and trainer Carlos Olivas. Former pitching coach Brad Holman is now serving as the Rangers bullpen coach. Former hitting coach Justin Mashore was promoted to assistant hitting coach in Arlington. Additionally, former trainer Jason Roberts was named as the Rangers' minor league medical coordinator during the offseason.
The Express opens the 2016 season on the road before returning to Dell Diamond for the home opener on Friday, April 15 against the Iowa Cubs. Single game tickets are on sale now. For more information on the Express, visit www.RoundRockExpress.com or call (512) 255-2255. Keep up with the Express on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!