Rogers Gets Call to Tampa as Righty Hurler Morris and Outfielder Vidal Join RiverDogs
LAKEWOOD, NJ - The New York Yankees have announced that LHP Josh Rogers has been promoted to High-A Tampa and RHP Christian Morris gets the call up from Extended Spring Training to join the RiverDogs. After an eye popping stateside debut in Pulaski last season, OF Carlos Vidal also joins Charleston's roster as OF Trey Amburgey has been placed on the 7-day disabled list (retroactive to April 27) with a lower-body injury.
The Yankees 11th round pick in 2015 after two seasons at the University of Louisville, Rogers excelled in four starts to begin the season in Charleston. The left-hander out of New Albany, IN posted a 2-1 record with a 1.59 ERA that ranks seventh in the South Atlantic League among all qualifying pitchers at the time of his promotion. Rogers struck out 25 batters while issuing just two walks over 22.2 innings of work with the RiverDogs. His 0.71 WHIP also ranks third in the league. After giving up four runs (three earned) on five hits in his 2016 debut on April 9 against Columbia, Rogers found another gear, yielding just two runs (one earned) over his next three starts spanning 17.2 innings.
Rogers' vacated spot in the RiverDogs staff will be filled by Morris who receives the call up to Class A Charleston after beginning the season in Extended Spring Training. A native of Williston, FL, the righty made his pro debut last season after being taken by the Yankees in the 33rd round out of Indiana University in Bloomington. Morris made nine appearances, seven of them starts, in 2015, first posting an 0-3 record with a 6.33 ERA with 24 strikeouts and 12 walks in 27.0 innings of work in the Gulf Coast League before making one appearance in High-A Tampa to end the season.
Morris pitched for three seasons with the Hoosiers compiling an 11-5 record with a 3.67 ERA in 45 appearances (28 starts) before being taken by the Yankees in last summer's draft.
Joining the RiverDogs outfield corps will be Colombian outfielder Carlos Vidal who gets the call up from Extended Spring Training. The lefty slugger out of Lorica, Columbia looks to follow up an impressive season in Pulaski where he posted a .303/.389/.492 slash line with nine homers, 46 RBI, and 16 stolen bases in 60 games in his first season stateside. Vidal was selected as an Appalachian League Postseason All-Star after finishing atop the APPY League leaderboards in a number of statistical categories. The 20-year old ranked first in the league in runs scored (49), third in hits (74) and RBI, fifth in stolen bases, sixth in total bases (120), tied for sixth in home runs, and 10th in walks (29).
Vidal was originally signed by the Yankees as an undrafted free agent as an 18-year old in 2014 and spent his first year as a pro in the Dominican Summer League where he hit .365 with one home run, 35 RBI, and 13 stolen bases as a rookie. Vidal missed some time with the Yankees in Spring Training leading into the 2016 season while competing for his country in the World Baseball Classic Qualifiers in Panama City. Vidal went 2 for 8 with an RBI to help Columbia win the four-team double elimination style tournament and qualify for the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
Vidal will fill the outfield spot on the RiverDogs roster vacated by Amburgey who has been placed on the 7-day disabled list.
With the retooled roster, the RiverDogs continue their second road trip of the season as they go for the sweep of the Lakewood BlueClaws, the Class A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, on Thursday and then challenge the Delmarva Shorebirds, the Baltimore Orioles' SAL club, in a four-game tilt from April 29-May 2.
Fans can tune into WTMA 1250 AM in the tri-county area as well as online at riverdogs.com. Ticket information for any of the RiverDogs remaining home games this season may be secured by contacting the box office at (843)577-DOGS (3647) or online at www.riverdogs.com.
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