Senators 2010 Season Opening Roster Set
Sens fans will see four of the top six prospects in the Nats organization and seven of the top 30 prospects according to Baseball America. Highlighting the roster is the 2009 MLB overall number one draft choice RHP Stephen Strasburg. He is making his professional debut with the Senators. Strasburg is joined by the 10th pick in the 2009 draft, RHP Drew Storen. Storen appeared in 10 games with the Sens in 2009.
Joining Strasburg and Storen is SS Danny Espinosa, the number five prospect in the Nats organization entering his third professional season with the Nationals organization. The number six prospect, 1B Chris Marrero returns to Harrisburg after finishing a strong 2009 campaign with the Sens.
Two of the remaining three top 30 prospects finished the season in Harrisburg with the Senators. Number twelve prospect LHP Aaron Thompson and number 27 prospect RHP Jeff Mandel both appeared with the Sens in 09. Rounding out the top 30 prospects is number 26 RHP Hassan Pena.
Sens fans will also have the opportunity to see favorites from the past couple of seasons including OFs Michael Daniel and Leonard Davis. Daniel and Davis both spent significant time in 09 in Harrisburg providing the Sens plenty of offensive spark. OF Bill Rhinehart, RHP Erik Arnesen, RHP Adam Carr, LHP Matt Chico, and LHP Yunior Novoa have all spent time with the Sens the past two seasons and are fan favorites as well.
The Sens two catchers are also well known to the fans as Sean Rooney and Jhonatan Solano both return to Harrisburg after spending part of the 2009 season with the Senators. The full roster is below.
The Senators average age is just 25 years old and the average experience is just 4.5 years. The Nationals have worked hard at turning around their farm system the past several seasons and it shows in Harrisburg with 16 of the 24 players having spent their entire careers in the Nats organization.
The Sens were well represented in spring training as 15 of the 24 players appeared in a Nats major league game and nine of the Sens were invited to the Nationals' annual accelerated development camp for the Nats organization's top prospects.
The Senators are trying to snap the longest playoff drought in team history, having not appeared in the Eastern League playoffs since 2002. The team is coming off a strong finish to the 2009 season where it went 57-38 from June 2 to the end of the season.
Randy Knorr begins his first season as the Sens manager. His last managerial job came in 2008 when he led Potomac to the Carolina League Championship. He's joined by a couple of former Senators, pitching coach Randy Tomlin and hitting coach Troy Gingrich. Tomlin begins his second season as the Sens pitching coach while Gingrich is in his third as hitting coach. Trainer, Atsushi Toriida also returns for a second season. Tony Rogowski, strength and conditioning coordinator, rounds out the staff.
Don't forget that the Senators annual FanFest takes place this Saturday, April 10th at the new Metro Bank Park from 11 AM to 3 PM. There will be games for kids, tours for all ages, and you just might earn a chance to sing the National Anthem before a Sens game.
The Senators historic 2010 home season begins on April 15th against the New Britain Rock Cats at 7pm. Friday night, April 16th against the Rock Cats, RHP Stephen Strasburg is projected to make his home debut at 7:00 PM. Tickets for these two games or any game this season are available by phoning the Sens at 231-4444 or online at senatorsbaseball.com. Don't miss your chance to be a part of the historic home opener or Stephen Strasburg's first home start.
2010 Season Opening Roster
PITCHERS (12)
Arnesen, Erik
Carr, Adam
Chico, Matt
Garate, Victor
Mandel, Jeff
Martin, Rafael
Milone, Tom
Novoa, Yunior
Pena, Hassan
Storen, Drew
Strasburg, Stephen
Thompson, Aaron
CATCHERS (2)
Solano, Jhonatan
Rooney, Sean
INFIELDERS (5)
Espinosa, Danny
Fox, Adam
Lopez, Pedro
Marrero, Chris
Martinez, Michael
OUTFIELDERS (5)
Daniel, Michael
Davis, Leonard
Nelson, Dan
Rhinehart, Bill
Valdez, Jesus