Express Roster Announced

ROUND ROCK, Texas - Former University of Texas standout Taylor Teagarden and 2011 Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Year Michael Kirkman highlight the Round Rock Express season-opening roster, announced Friday. The roster features 12 pitchers and 12 position players.

Kirkman, the Rangers fifth-round draft pick in 2005 out of Columbia High School in Lake City, Fla., was 13-3 at Oklahoma City last season and helped the RedHawks claim the PCL American Conference Southern Division title. The southpaw logged 130 strikeouts in 131.0 innings and posted a 3.09 ERA before joining the Rangers roster in August. Kirkman recorded a 1.65 ERA in 14 relief outings with the Rangers and was on the club's postseason roster.

Joining Kirkman on the pitching staff are fellow left-handers Zach Jackson (who pitched at Texas A&M) and Zach Phillips along with right-handers Yhency Brazoban, Cody Eppley, Derek Hankins, Eric Hurley, Seth McClung, Tanner Scheppers, Yoshi Tateyama, Brett Tomko and Ryan Tucker. Scheppers is considered one the Rangers top prospects, while Tateyama joined the Rangers organization during the off-season after 12 years in Japan's equivalent of Major League Baseball.

Teagarden, who twice earned All-Big 12 Conference honors during his time at Texas (2003-2005), joins Kevin Cash, who played 10 games with the Express while a member of the Houston Astros organization last year, as the Express catchers.

The Express carry six infielders, including the familiar face of Matt Kata who played with the Express each of the past two seasons while in the Astros organization. Esteban German ranked third in the PCL last season with 50 stolen bases. Other infielders are shortstop Luis Cruz, third baseman Brian Barden, first baseman Chad Tracy and third baseman Chris Davis.

Outfielders on the Express roster are Endy Chavez, Doug Deeds, Craig Gentry and Brad Nelson. Gentry hit .309 in 69 games at Oklahoma City last season before joining the Rangers in August.

Davis, Gentry, Hurley, Kirkman, Phillips, Tateyama and Teagarden are on the Rangers 40-man roster. Eight players on the Express roster played in the Majors last season.

Round Rock faces Double-A Frisco in a pair of exhibition games - Sunday at Dr Pepper Ballpark in Frisco (4:05 p.m. CDT) and Tuesday at The Dell Diamond (7:05 p.m.). The Express open the 2011 season April 7, beginning a four-game series against the Iowa Cubs. First pitch for the season opener is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

ROUND ROCK EXPRESS ROSTER

Pitchers: RH Yhency Brazoban, RH Cody Eppley, RH Derek Hankins, RH Eric Hurley, LH Zach Jackson, LH Michael Kirkman, RH Seth McClung, LH Zach Phillips, RH Tanner Scheppers, RH Yoshi Tateyama, RH Brett Tomko, RH Ryan Tucker

Catchers: Kevin Cash, Taylor Teagarden

Infielders: Brian Barden, Luis Cruz, Chris Davis, Esteban German, Matt Kata, Chad Tracy

Outfielders: Endy Chavez, Doug Deeds, Craig Gentry, Brad Nelson