LumberKings Release 2016 Opening Day Roster
CLINTON, IA - Today the Seattle Mariners in conjunction with the Clinton LumberKings released the LumberKings 2016 opening day roster. 16 new players will be playing in Clinton for the first time, while nine players who played in a LumberKings uniform in 2015 will return to the club to begin the 2016 season.
Highlighting the group of newcomers is outfielder Braden Bishop. A native of San Carlos, CA, Bishop was selected in the third round of last year's first year player draft by the Mariners out of the University of Washington. As a member of the Everett Aqua Sox, Bishop tore up the Northwest League, hitting .320 in 219 at bats over 56 games. Bishop finished second in the league in qualifying batting average behind teammate Drew Jackson. The outfielder is currently ranked 9th on MLB Pipeline's list of Top 30 Mariners prospects.
Left hander Nick Wells, who was acquired in a trade with Toronto in July, leads the pitching staff into the season. Wells was a third round pick in 2014 out of Battlefield High School in Haymarket, VA by the Blue Jays. He pitched two seasons in the Toronto system before being acquired by the Mariners in the trade that sent big league pitcher Mark Lowe to the Blue Jays. In 18 innings with the Everett AquaSox last year, Wells allowed just two earned runs. Spilt between Everett and Bluefield of the Appalachian League last year, Wells posted a 2-2 record in eleven appearances (ten starts) with a 3.42 ERA over 50 innings. He is Seattle's 18th ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline.
Other Top 30 prospects on the 2016 LumberKings roster include outfielder Luis Liberato (15) as well shortstop Rayder Ascanio (27), who both played briefly with Clinton last year. Right handed pitcher Kyle Wilcox (28) rounds out the list of top 30 prospects.
Pitchers Lukas Schiraldi, Patrick Peterson, Osmer Morales, and infielder Chris Mariscal, who opened 2015 on the LumberKings roster, will begin 2016 with Clinton. Schrialdi, a 15th round pick in 2014 out of the University of Texas, made 26 starts for the LumberKings in 2015. He threw 126.2 innings while holding opponents to a .249 batting average. Peterson, a 23rd round pick in 2014 out of North Carolina State, made 27 appearances (17 starts) last season, throwing 108.1 innings while going 6-6. Osmer Morales made a team high 43 appearances for the 2015 LumberKings while also making three starts. Chris Mariscal was third on the 2015 team with 44 RBIs while also being the only player to have six hits in a game.
Also returning to the team are catcher James Alfonso, right handed pitcher Zack Littell, and left handed pitcher Nick Kiel, and utility man Rafael Fernandez. Alfonso hit .393 in 25 games with the LumberKings, hitting .423 against right handed pitching. Littell, who was called up to the team at the beginning of May, dazzled the masses last year, posting a 3.91 ERA in 21 starts over 112.2 innings pitched. Littell's ERA has gone down over half a run in each of his last two seasons. Kiel was an effective setup man out of the bullpen last season, throwing 37.2 innings in 29 appearances last season. Fernandez played only one game with Clinton, but saw action with five of the six Mariners affiliates last season, including AAA Tacoma.
The LumberKings open their season on the road against the Kane County Cougars on Thursday at 6:30 PM. Opening night at Ashford University Field is Saturday April 9th at 6:30 PM against Kane County. Tickets can be purchased by calling 563-242-0727 or by visiting www.lumberkings.com.