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MLB

2016 Hot Rods Opening Day Roster Set

Youth, International Flair Highlight Initial Group
By
April 5, 2016

Bowling Green, KY - In anticipation for their 2016 Midwest League opener on Thursday at Bowling Green Ballpark, the Bowling Green Hot Rods have announced their 25-man opening day roster.

Out of the 25 men on the Hot Rods initial roster, highlights include eleven international players and five players under the age of 20 years old.

On the pitching side, seven of the eleven international players will toe the rubber for the Hot Rods in either starting or relief capacity. Out of those hurlers, RHP Jose Mujica is one of four returning hurlers to the Commonwealth. The 19-year-old went 1-4 with a 4.20 ERA with the Hot Rods last year and is the 27th ranked prospect in the Rays system per MLB.com coming into the 2016 season.

Joining Mujica on a return trip back to Bowling Green, righties Henry Centeno and Taylor Hawkins will be the other veterans on the pitching staff. Hawkins, spent part of the 2015 season with the Hot Rods as a catcher, will take the mound consistently for the first time in his four-year pro career, as the Rays made him a knuckleballer during the offseason.

Other notable hurlers on the Hot Rods initial roster include Rays 2014 2nd round pick Cameron Varga along with Alexis Tapia, who was traded to the Rays organization in a deal that sent big leaguer Kevin Jepsen to the Twins last year.

From a hitting perspective, the Hot Rods are headlined by a handful of infielders who were taken in the top ten rounds of their respective drafts. Three of those infielders, 2B/SS Jake Cronenworth (7th round), INF Joe McCarthy (5th round) and 2B Brandon Lowe (3rd round) were all taken by the Rays in the top seven rounds of the 2015 MLB Draft. McCarthy, who was a star outfielder on the University of Virginia team that won the NCAA College World Series last year, will be transitioning to the infield with the Hot Rods this season.

In addition to the trio of early 2015 Rays draft picks, they will be joined by SS Michael Russell and 3B Kevin Padlo, who were each drafted in the fifth round in 2014 by two different organizations. Russell was drafted by Tampa Bay out of the University of North Carolina while Padlo was drafted by the Rockies and traded to the Rays this offseason as part of a deal that sent Corey Dickerson to Tampa Bay and former Hot Rods pitcher German Marquez to Colorado. Padlo, one of the handful of teenagers on the initial Bowling Green roster, is rated as the 21st ranked prospect in the Rays organization per MLB.com. 

Aside from Padlo and Mujica, the other Hot Rods players in their teens include pitcher Genesis Cabrera along with outfielders Zacrey Law and Angel Moreno.

Rounding out the Hot Rods contingent on the field is a familiar coaching crew, led by second-year skipper Reinaldo Ruiz. Joining Ruiz will be pitching coach Bill Moloney and hitting coach Manny Castillo. Both Moloney and Castillo are in their second stints as coaches in Bowling Green, with Castillo returning this season after two years as the hitting coach with Short Season-A Hudson Valley (NY-Penn League).

Athletic Trainer James Ramsdell will be joining the Hot Rods for his first season in Southcentral Kentucky while Andrew Cook is returning to the Commonwealth to oversee the strength and conditioning program for his second straight season.

The entire Hot Rods opening day roster is below.

Pitchers (13): Jose Alvarado, Genesis Cabrera, Henry Centeno, Diego Castillo, Ian Gibaut, Taylor Hawkins, Reece Karalus, Jose Mujica, Roel Ramirez, Alexis Tapia, Cameron Varga, Michael Velasquez, Angel Yepez.

Catchers (2): David Rodriguez, Brett Sullivan.

Infielders (6): Jake Cronenworth, Brandon Lowe, Peter Maris, Joe McCarthy, Kevin Padlo, Michael Russell.

Outfielders (4): Zacrey Law, Angel Moreno, Angel Perez, Manny Sanchez.

The Hot Rods open their eighth season in Southcentral Kentucky on Thursday, April 7 against the Dayton Dragons. The first 2,000 fans in attendance will receive a Rally Towel courtesy of Reinhart Foodservice and all fans will be able to enjoy another fun season of "Thirsty Thursdays" presented by Mountain Dew. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.

 For more information, visit www.bghotrods.com.

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