Inside Scoop on Rock Cats Roster

By: Heather Cavaliere

New Britain, CT - In 2011, the Rock Cats look to climb back to the top rungs of the Eastern Division. After a playoff run in 2009, the 'Cats fell to the bottom of the league last season with a 44-98 record. With 20 returning players, however, the team will have experience that it lacked last season. Seven newcomers join the roster in 2011, with two of those players having Eastern League experience, including one infielder with Major League games under his belt.

Former Rock Cats catcher Jeff Smith returns for his second consecutive year as the team's skipper. He will be joined by a familiar face in pitching coach Stu Cliburn and Tom Brunansky, who makes his debut as the Rock Cats' hitting coach. Cliburn begins his 10th season as the Rock Cats' pitching coach. A former Major League outfielder, Brunansky spent time with the California Angels, Minnesota Twins, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox, and Milwaukee Brewers throughout his 14-year career. He spent 10 years as a high school coach before making the move to the professional ranks, breaking in as the hitting coach for the Gulf Coast League Twins last season.

The trio will lead a group of veterans and young prospects, including 2010 Minnesota Twins' Minor League Player of the Year Joe Benson, former first round draft pick Chris Parmelee, and one of the Twins' top pitching prospects, Liam Hendriks, who will make his Double-A debut this season.

Smith and the Rock Cats are ready to start anew with a clean slate. After all, this is a new season and the standings have been reset to zeros across the board.
"I look forward to starting this year. We have a lot of guys who are second-year. We brought in some experienced guys to mix in here," said Smith. "We're excited to get the season started."
The Opening Day roster consists of 27 players, with 24 active and three on the disabled list. Here is a closer look at the 2011 New Britain Rock Cats:

PITCHERS(12):

Starters:

The starting rotation consists of four returning arms, including potential aces in David Bromberg and Deolis Guerra, and a rookie who just happens to be one of the top-rated pitchers in the system. Bromberg gets the nod as the Opening Day starter when the Rock Cats take on the Richmond Flying Squirrels on the road on April 7. 

RHP David Bromberg - The 6'5," 245-lb. Bromberg brings an experienced and reliable arm to the starting rotation. A member of the Twins' 40-man roster, Bromberg spent the majority of the 2010 season with the Rock Cats where he posted a 3.62 ERA and 65K/35BB ratio in 17 starts. He also started nine games for Triple-A Rochester (3.98, 47 H, 47K/13BB, 52 IP). Originally selected by Minnesota in the 32nd round of the 2005 Draft, he enters the 2011 campaign ranked as the #13 prospect in the organization by Baseball America. He is also rated as having the best curveball in the system.

"(The Twins) signed some six-year free agents that really gave us an opportunity to put a lot of our pitchers in places to have success and develop," said Smith. "We're looking forward to having him on the mound and seeing him compete this year.

"He had a good season last year, but I think he would be the first one to tell you that he wanted to clean up a few mechanical issues right off the bat. You're not going to find a better competitor on the hill."

Bromberg keeps his game plan simple: "I just go out to the mound at go after hitters. I don't try to be too perfect."

RHP Deolis Guerra - The Venezuelan native has been making waves since his rookie level days as a part of the New York Mets' organization. Still just 21 - he will turn 22 on April 17 - Guerra continues to develop his game in the Twins' system and is coming off an impressive spring.  Prior to the 2008 season, Guerra was part of a trade that sent Johan Santana to the Mets. He spent the entire 2008 season with Ft. Myers as he repeated the Florida State League. In 2009, he began the season with Ft. Myers once again (4.69, 57K/25BB, 86.1 IP) before a promotion to New Britain. In his Rock Cats debut, he posted a 6-3 record with a 5.17 ERA and 49K/17BB ratio in 62.2 innings. Guerra spent the majority of the 2010 season with the Rock Cats, where his numbers didn't dazzle (2-10, 6.24, 67K/37BB, 102.1 IP) but still earned him a selection to the Eastern League All-Star Game. He also got his first taste of Triple-A. Guerra, who represented the New York Mets in the 2007 MLB Futures Game as a member of the World Team, is now a member of the Twins' 40-man roster.

RHP Bobby Lanigan - The 23-year-old Staten Island native returns for his second go-around in the Eastern League. Lanigan, who was selected by the Twins in the third round of the 2008 Draft, climbed rather quickly through the system. He began last season with Ft. Myers, where he impressed with a 2.15 ERA and a 41k/7BB ratio while allowing just 43 hits in 54.1 innings. He earned a mid-season promotion to New Britain and posted solid numbers (5.23 ERA, 54 H, 41.1) that he will look to improve on this season. Lanigan enters the season rated as the Twins' #31 prospect.

RHP Steve Hirschfeld - The San Diego State University product is coming off a season where he spent the majority of the time on the disabled list with an Achilles tendon injury. The 25-year-old looks to remain healthy this year as he returns to the Rock Cats for a second stint. In 2010, he tossed just 32 innings between four levels, including a 5.32 ERA with 22 hits and 21 strikeouts in 22 innings for the Rock Cats. Prior to last season, Hirschfeld managed to nab back-to-back All-Star Game appearances with the Midwest League in 2008 and Florida State league in 2009. In 2011, he will be the fifth starter for the Rock Cats. Of his 86 career games, 43 have been as a starter.

RHP Liam Hendriks- A native of Perth, Australia, Hendriks will make his Eastern League debut this season. The 22-year-old enters the season ranked as the Twins' sixth-best prospect, according to Baseball America, as well as having the best control of any minor league pitcher in the system. In 2010, he split the campaign between Beloit and Ft. Myers, where he had a combined 1.74 ERA with just 79 hits in 108.2 innings. In 19 games (18 starts), he struck out 105 while walking just 12. In three professional seasons, he has racked up an impressive 2.44 ERA and a 232K/39BB ratio - with 8.8 strikeouts per nine innings compared to 1.5 walks per nine innings - in 42 career starts. Hendriks missed the 2008 season due to back surgery, but he rebounded well and has shown no ill effects. He represented Australia in the 2009 World Baseball Classic as the youngest Australian player in the classic. Last season, Hendriks had the honor of being selected for the MLB Futures Game, but was forced to miss the event due to appendicitis.

Bullpen:

Smith is excited about this year's relief corps. Entering the season, the team doesn't have a definite closer, especially with the loss of closer Billy Bullock in a move toward the end of camp, but does have plenty of options in the late innings.

"What I see when I look down to the bullpen, I see a lot of versatility and what I also see is three pretty good left handed pitchers - Spencer Steedley, Jake Stevens and Tyler Robertson." Smith points out that there is also another solid left handed arm - in the form of UConn product Michael Tarsi - in the bullpen but mentioned that he will likely see most of his time in a middle-relief role. Smith also has three veteran right handed arms to call upon at any given point in the game.

LHP Tyler Robertson - The 6'5," 220-lb. southpaw led the 2010 New Britain club in starts (27), innings (144.2) and strikeouts (91). He returns for his second stint with the 'Cats. The 23-year-old has collected a career 30-32 record with a 3.71 ERA and 450K/189BB ratio in 526.2 innings. He has started 95 of his 98 games, but is slated to make the move to the bullpen this season.

Smith pointed out that while Robertson may have not posted great numbers in 2010 he still had a good season and showed development. He also pitched in the Arizona Fall League.

"The Fall League is hard to read because you can have one bad outing as a relief pitcher out there and all of a sudden the stats they don't show. Take away the stats and he had a very good Fall League campaign," said Smith."He's throwing harder out of the bullpen. I think we all know Tyler is a bulldog...I'd love to see him get off to a good start and hopefully he's a guy that can get up to the big league club sometime."

RHP Santos Arias - The lanky 5'11," 162-lb. native of the Dominican Republic provides the Rock Cats with an experienced arm in the bullpen. After an impressive 2009 season with Ft. Myers (6-3, 2.15, 72K/27BB, 90H, 100.2 IP), he split the 2010 between Ft. Myers and New Britain. His numbers weren't as spectacular as the previous season, but he posted a solid 4.40 ERA in 35 combined appearances. He also showed versatility as he started all 12 games with the Miracle and came out of the bullpen in 23 of his 25 games with the Rock Cats. 

LHP Spencer Steedley - The UNC Charlotte product provides the Rock Cats with a veteran southpaw arm out of the bullpen. Steedley saw action with the Rock Cats in the past two seasons. He began the 2009 season with Ft. Myers - where he went 4-0 with a 1.79 ERA and 46K/18BB ration in 35 relief appearances - before being summoned to New Britain. In 18.2 innnings out of the bullpen, he went 2-1 with a 3.38 ERA and allowed 16 hits in his Double-A debut. In 2010, he only made 10 appearances, going 1-3 with a 3.00 ERA, 15 hits allowed and 19 strikeouts in 18 innings. Should Steedley remain healthy in 2011, he will provide the Rock Cats with an experienced and reliable arm out of the bullpen.

RHP Cole DeVries - The University of Minnesota product and Eden Prairie, MN native returns for a third stint with the Rock Cats. DeVries, who was originally signed by the Twins as a non-drafted free agent in 2006, put up career numbers in 2008 with Ft. Myers (10-9, 2.93) to go along with an impressive 105K/38BB ratio in 135.1 innings. He spent the entire 2009 campaign in New Britain (7-14, 4.84, 90K/46BB) as a starter before being moved to the bullpen for the majority of the 2010 season. DeVries made the jump to Triple-A for the first time last season, going 0-3 with a 5.79 ERA in 23.1 innings for the Red Wings.

"I know you guys have seen Cole DeVries the past few seasons," said Smith. "I've been watching him pitch in Spring Training and I've known him a long time, he looked like a whole new man for me with the ball coming out of his hand. His curve ball was really tight...I was really excited with how he threw and I think he'll add some depth to that 'pen."

RHP Brett Jacobson - Acquired in the J.J. Hardy trade with Baltimore, the 6'6," 24-year-old Jacobson provides the Rock Cats with a power pitcher. Originally selected by the Tigers in the fourth round of the 2008 Draft, the Vanderbilt product has put up impressive numbers in three seasons. In 97 games out of the bullpen, he has posted a career 3.09 ERA with 153 strikeouts and 55 walks in 166 innings. In 2010, Jacobson, who reportedly fires a fastball that clocks in the mid-to-upper 90s, compiled an 8-1 record with a 2.79 ERA and 67K/24BB ratio with High-A Frederick.

LHP Jake Stevens - The 26-year-old provides the Rock Cats with experience. Originally drafted by the Atlanta Braves in third round of 2003 Draft, Stevens was once ranked as the #92 prospect by Baseball America prior to the 2005 season after posting impressive numbers in the Gulf Coast League and South Atlantic League during his first two professional seasons. Following the successful start to his career, he did not post an ERA under 4.00 until last season, when he went 4-4 with a 2.80 ERA in 46 games with Richmond. He looks to continue the success of last season with another go-around in the E.L.

LHP Michael Tarsi - The pride of Danbury, CT makes his Rock Cats debut playing in his home state for the first time since being selected by the Twins in the 12th round of the 2007 Draft. The former University of Connecticut standout has yet to put up spectacular numbers, but has steadily climbed through the ranks of the system. The 6'8,"202-lb. southpaw spent the entire 2010 season with Ft. Myers, where he posted a 5-10 record and 5.02 ERA and a career-best 1.94 K/BB ratio in 24 games (18 starts). 

CATCHERS (3): 

Allan de san Miguel - The 23-year-old Bentley, Australia native spent portions of the 2009 and 2010 seasons with the Rock Cats. During the past two seasons, he has put in time for Beloit, Ft. Myers. New Britain, and Rochester. His offensive output isn't much - batting .166 with 35 RBI and 6 home runs in 87 combined games last season - but he provides solid defense behind the plate.
 
Danny Lehmann - The Rice University product is coming off a Spring Training that included a few impressive clutch offensive performances for the Twins in big league camp. Lehmann has spent parts of the past two seasons with the Rock Cats. He split the 2010 season between New Britain and Rochester, batting a combined .247 with 45 hits, eight doubles, one homer, and 13 RBI in 59 games. He brings a veteran leadership behind the plate, though, and should receive the majority of the catching duties until jair Fernandez returns from the disabled list.

Jair Fernandez - The native of Colombia had an impressive debut season with the Rock Cats in 2010, batting .267 with 11 doubles, four homers, and 23 RBI in 55 games. He anchored a young Rock Cats' pitching staff and provided reliable defense behind the plate. Fernandez, who was acquired by the Twins in a 2008 trade with the Seattle Mariners, also saw action with Ft. Myers and Rochester last season. He begins the 2011 season on the disabled list with a hamate bone injury.

INFIELDERS(9):  

1B Chris Parmelee - The lone former first round draft pick on the roster, Parmelee has had a slow and steady climb through the Twins' farm system since being nabbed with the 20th overall selection in the 2006 Draft. Making his Eastern League debut last season, Parmelee struggled out of the gate and was eventually sent back to Ft. Myers to regain his swing and confidence. In 22 games with the Miracle, he batted .338 (27/88) with two homers and 17 RBI to prove his Single-A days were behind him. The Twins moved him back to New Britain and he was able to finish the season with a .275 mark with 25 doubles, six homers, and 44 RBI in 111 games. The 23-year-old will display his sweet-stroke from the left side of the plate once again this season. He enters the season ranked as the 18th best prospect in the system and a member of the Twins' 40-man roster.

2B Yangervis Solarte - The switch-hitting Venezuelan native was a late season call-up in the midst of the 2009 playoff run, playing only three games in a season where he batted a combined .176 between three levels. He spent the majority of the 2010 season between Ft. Myers and New Britain - as well as seven games in the Gulf Coast League while rehabbing an injury - and saw his offensive numbers improve to a combined .292 with 18 doubles and five homers in 84 games. The 23-year-old brings a versatility of being able to play multiple infield positions as well as the outfield.

2B/SS Steve Singleton - The 25-year-old switch-hitting infielder provides the Rock Cats with a veteran presence. Singleton spent part of the 2009 season with the Rock Cats - batting .291 in 46 games - before turning in a solid campaign in his first full season in 2010. In 138 games, he batted .267 with 43 doubles, seven homers, and 50 RBI. He has two All-Star Games under his belt - the Midwest League in 1008 and Florida State League in 2009.

SS/2B Mike Hollimon - The lone 2011 Rock Cat with big league experience, the 28-year-old, switch-hitting Hollimon was originally selected by the Twins in the 49th round of the 2003 Draft but opted not to sign. He played at the University of Texas, where he won a National Championship, before transferring to Oral Roberts and was then selected by the Tigers in the 16th round of the 2005 Draft. Hollimon was named a 2007 Baseball America Double-A All-Star and Eastern League Post-Season All-Star after batting .282 with 91 runs, 14 homers and 76 RBI in 127 games with Erie. He spent the majority of the 2008 season with Triple-A Toledo (.211, 15 HR, 91 G) and also made his Major League Debut with the Tigers that year, where he collected six hits in 23 at-bats (.261) with two doubles, one triple, and one homer in 11 games. In 2009, he played just 29 games (.212, 3 HR) with Erie. The Tigers released Hollimon in March 2010 and he signed with the Independent League Grand Prairie Airhogs in June of last year. He signed with the Twins as a Minor League free agent in December.

SS Chris Cates - The 5'3," sparkplug infielder returns for his second go-around with the Rock Cats. Cates, who was drafted by the Twins in the 38th round in 2007 out of the University of Louisville, saw a decline in his offensive numbers in 2010 and will look to improve this season. It is his speed and glove that are his greatest assets. Known to be the shortest player in professional baseball, Cates has unbelievable range and made plenty of jaw-dropping stabs in the middle infield last season. 

SS Estarlin de los Santos - The switch-hitting shortstop arrived in New Britain for the first time in 2010 with high hopes. A former member of the Twins' 40-man roster and one of the top middle infield prospects in the system, the Dominican Republic native struggled at the plate (.177, 60 K's, 64 G) and in the field. He was sent back to Ft. Myers, where his offensive numbers improved (.274, 23 RBI, 25 R, 59 G). The 24-year-old will begin the 2011 campaign on the disabled list with a UCL sprain.

3B Ray Chang - The 27-year-old originally signed with the San Diego Padres as a non-drafted free agent in 2005. Since then, he has played in the minor league organizations for the Padres, Pirates, and Red Sox. In 2010, he spent the entire season with the rival Portland Sea Dogs, where he was named the Eastern League's Best Defensive Third Baseman by Baseball America following the season. In 116 games with the Sea Dogs, Chang batted .298 with 57 runs, 30 doubles, nine homers and 55 RBI to be named a 2010 E.L. Mid-Season and Post-Season All-Star. He signed with Twins in off-season as a free agent.
3B/1B Deibinson Romero - The 24-year-old Dominican Republic native found himself atop the top prospects list since he was first signed by the Twins as an 18-year-old in 2004. He has made a slow but steady climb through system, including spending two full seasons in Ft. Myers, and has been hampered been nagging leg injuries throughout his career. In 2010, he batted .252 with 54 RBI, 16 doubles, five triples and six home runs with Ft. Myers. In five seasons, he has a career .265 average with a high strikeout (319) to walk (158) ratio. He has spent the majority of his playing time at third base, but also has put in time at first. He will see time at both positions in New Britain.

UTL Toby Gardenhire - The switch-hitting utility man has played portions of the past three seasons with the Rock Cats, including spending the entire 2009 campaign in New Britain. That year, Gardenhire posted a solid .265 batting average while providing steady defense on his way to earning the 10th Man Award. Last season, Gardenhire, who is the son of Twins' manager Ron Gardenhire, batted just .196 with 18 RBI and 16 runs scored in 65 games between New Britain and Rochester. The 28-year-old brings a veteran presence and strong baseball mind to the clubhouse and field and has the ability to play virtually any position.

OUTFIELDERS(3): 

Joe Benson - The 2011 edition of the Rock Cats' outfield could provide some serious pop to the offense. Leading the way is Benson, the 2010 Twins' Minor League Player of the Year. Benson, who also struggled to start his 2010 season and was demoted to Ft. Myers early in the season, returned to New Britain on a mission. He finished the season with a combined .259 mark with 27 home runs - tops in all of the Twins' farm system - and career-highs in RBI (62), doubles (31), and stolen bases (19) in 123 games. Benson, who is a member of the Twins' 40-man roster, lives up to the five-tool prospect billing and will look to continue to improve his numbers in a second stint at the Double-A level. Benson, ranked by Baseball America as the Twins' #4 prospect, should spend the majority of his playing time in center field.

Evan Bigley - The 24-year-old will begin the season with the Rock Cats after getting a taste of Double-A to end last season. Bigley was impressive as a late-season call-up last year, batting .336 with nine doubles, four home runs and 15 RBI in just 27 games. He had spent most of the 2010 season with the Miracle, where he hit .262 with 24 doubles, two homers, and 28 RBI in 97 games. Bigley, who was selected out of Dallas Baptist University in the 10th round of the 2008 Draft, should anchor right field for the Rock Cats. 

Mark Dolenc - The versatile Dolenc quietly put together a solid debut season with the Rock Cats last season as he earned the team's 2010 10th Player Award. In 117 games, Dolenc batted .259 with 45 runs, 17 doubles, seven homers, and 50 RBI. He did strikeout a career-high 129 times while walking just 28.

Keep An Eye On:

RHP Alex Wimmers - Selected by the Twins out of Ohio State with the 21st overall pick in the first round of the 2010 Draft...Wimmers is ranked as the seventh-best prospect in the organization, according to Baseball America...made professional debut last season with Ft. Myers, going 2-0 with a 0.57 ERA with six hits, five walks, and 23 strikeouts in 15.2 innings (4 starts)...will start season with the Miracle but could end up in a New Britain uniform before the end of 2011.

RHP Bradley Tippett - Native of Sydney, Australia...originally signed by Twins in 2006...Split 2008 season between Elizabethton and Beloit, going 10-4 with a 2.87 ERA and 78K/14BB ratio...Spent entire 2009 season with Beloit, going 9-8 with 3.21 ERA and 107K/25BB ratio in 146 innings...Limited to 12 games in 2010...begins the season on the disabled list in FT. Myers as he returns from thoracic outlet syndrome.

LHP Daniel Osterbrock - Selected in the seventh round of the 2008 Draft out of the University of Cincinnati...had a career-year last season with Beloit and Ft. Myers, going a combined 9-9 with a 2.65 ERA, 124 hits allowed, and 106K/28BB ratio in 139.1 innings...begins the season on the disabled list in Ft. Myers with a shoulder injury.

OF Angel Morales - Has been atop the list of outfield prospects since being selected by the Twins in the third round of the 2007 Draft...batted .280 with 24 doubles, 10 triples, five home runs, and 69 runs scored in 133 games between Beloit and Ft. Myers...begins this season on the disabled list in Ft. Myers with a shoulder injury that reportedly could require Tommy John ligament-replacement surgery, according to the Star Tribune.

OF Aaron Hicks - The #2 prospect in the entire organization, according to Baseball America...rated as the prospect with the best strike-zone discipline in the system as well as the best defensive outfielder and best outfield arm...has steadily climbed through the system...finished the second-half of last season by batting .308 with Beloit...five-tool potential...will make his debut for Ft. Myers this season.

3B Miguel Sano - Still awhile away from making his New Britain debut, this power-hitting infielder gives the Twins a lot to look forward to as he continues to develop his raw baseball ability...batted .307 while he split the 2010 season between the Dominican Summer League and Gulf Coast League...ranked by Baseball America as the third-best prospect as well as being the best power hitting prospect.

OF Oswaldo Arcia - Was named the Appalachian League Most Valuable Player after leading the rookie league in several offensive categories...batted .375 with 21 doubles, 14 homers and 51 RBI in 64 games with Elizabethton in 2010...rated as the Twins' ninth-best prospect...will make his full-season debut with Beloit.

RHP Adrian Salcedo - Rated as the Twins' #8 prospect...went 4-3 with a 3.27 ERA and 65 strikeouts in 66 innings for Elizabethton and 1-3 with a 6.26 ERA in 27.1 innings for Ft. Myers as a 19-year-old...will begin season with Beloit.