Opening Day Roster Set for 2014 Salt Lake Bees
SALT LAKE CITY - The Salt Lake Bees opening day roster is set for the 2014 season. Of the 25 players on the active roster, 15 played Major League Baseball and 12 spent time in Salt Lake City last year, helping the Bees to the Pacific Coast League Pacific Conference Championship. Nine players on the roster are currently on the Los Angeles Angels 40-man roster -- five position players and four pitchers.
Salt Lake opens its 20th anniversary season at home with an eight-game homestand at Smith's Ballpark beginning Thursday, April 3 at 6:35 p.m. against Sacramento. A complete 2014 Bees schedule is available online at www.slbees.com. Tickets can be purchased online (no fees) or by calling (801) 325-BEES.
Efren Navarro returns to headline the Salt Lake infield. Navarro was named to the 2013 Triple-A All-Star team and was an All-PCL selection in 2013. The Lynwood, California native finished fifth in the PCL with a .326 average and hit a league-best 39 doubles, his third straight year in Salt Lake with at least 35.
Along with Navarro, former University of Utah standout C.J. Cron returns to Salt Lake City and Smith's Ballpark. Cron was drafted by the Angels in the first round of the 2011 draft and is rated as the second-best prospect in the Angels organization by Baseball America. In 2013, Cron was a Texas League All-Star with Double-A Arkansas and a MLB Futures Game selection.
The Angels top prospect according to Baseball America, Taylor Lindsey, will also play for Salt Lake to start the season. Lindsey has been named an All-Star at each level he has played the past three seasons. Joining Navarro, Cron, and Lindsey are three players who suited up for Salt Lake last year: Tommy Field, Grant Green and Luis Jimenez.
After spending all of 2013 with Los Angeles, J.B. Shuck will start the season in the Salt Lake outfield. Shuck garnered A.L. Rookie of the Year votes last season after hitting .293 in 129 games for the Angels. Shuck will be joined in the outfield by Matt Long, Brennan Boesch and Roberto Lopez.
On the mound, the Bees boast 11 pitchers with MLB time. Returning to Salt Lake after throwing for the Bees in 2013 are Jeremy Berg, Buddy Boshers, David Carpenter, Jarret Grube and Cory Rasmus.
Calling the game behind the plate are two veteran catchers. John Hester returns to the Bees after spending most of the 2013 season in Salt Lake. Joining him is Luis Martinez, who has played with the San Diego Padres and Texas Rangers.
The team will play 72 home games and 72 road games in 152 days this season. All games will air on The Zone Sports Network (1280 AM/97.5 FM) from the "voice of the Bees," Steve Klauke.
Salt Lake joins the Pacific Southern Division for the 2014 season and will host division rivals Las Vegas 51s, Albuquerque Isotopes and El Paso (formerly the Tucson Padres) for eight games each. The Bees will also host Pacific Northern Division opponents Fresno Grizzlies, Reno Aces, Sacramento River Cats and Tacoma Rainiers for eight games each.
The Bees will welcome American Southern Division teams (Memphis Redbirds, Nashville Sounds, New Orleans Zephyrs and Round Rock Express) for four games each and will travel to American Northern Division opponents (Colorado Springs Sky Sox, Iowa Cubs, Oklahoma City RedHawks and Omaha Storm Chasers) for four games each.