FREDERICK, MD-The Baltimore Orioles have announced the tentative break-camp roster for the Frederick Keys. This group includes 14 returning players and 12 newcomers, two local products and an Orioles Minor League Pitcher of the Year. Ryan Minor serves as manager when the Keys begin regular season play against the Myrtle
FREDERICK, MD-The Baltimore Orioles have announced the tentative break-camp roster for the Frederick Keys. This group includes 14 returning players and 12 newcomers, two local products and an Orioles Minor League Pitcher of the Year. Ryan Minor serves as manager when the Keys begin regular season play against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans on Thursday, April 5.
The most notable of the Keys 14 returners is Frederick native, Branden Kline , who will suit up for the orange and black for the first time since 2014. The former Thomas Johnson High School product has not pitched in a regular season game since 2015, after missing the last two years due to injury. In his only season with the Keys, Kline went 8-6 with a 3.84 ERA in 23 starts and was named a midseason Carolina League all-star.
Leading the Keys pitching staff is left-hander Alex Wells . The Orioles Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2017, the Australia native walked only 10 batters in 140 innings and finished with the lowest WHIP (0.91) among full season minor league pitchers.
Wells will be joined in the rotation by a variety of familiar faces in Cody Sedlock , Cristian Alvarado , Ofelky Peralta and Brian Gonzalez . Ranked as the No. 7 prospect in the Orioles system according to Baseball America, Sedlock looks for a rebound season after several stints on the disabled list in 2017. Alvarado turned in a dynamic second half for the Keys, posting a 3.58 ERA and started the first game of the Northern Division Championship Series. Peralta checks in as the 22nd best prospect in the Orioles minor leagues and will try to harness his command in his second Carolina League season.
Gonzalez also earned a playoff start for the Keys in 2017 and like Alvarado pitched well after the all-star break, tallying a 3.83 ERA. Jhon Peluffo and Lucas Humpal are also expected to see time in the starting rotation. A workhorse for the Low-A Delmarva Shorebirds last year, Humpal made 25 starts and logged 150 innings. Meanwhile, Peluffo posted a 3.50 ERA over 23 appearances while seeing time as a starter and reliever.
In the bullpen, Mike Burke rejoins the Keys after an excellent finish to his 2017 season. Over his final 20.1 innings, the former Buffalo product did not allow an earned run. Francisco Jimenez made a one game cameo with Frederick last season, earning a win following 3.2 innings of shutout baseball.
Newcomers to the Keys bullpen include Tyler Erwin , Steven Klimek , James Teague and Matt Trowbridge . All turned in excellent seasons in 2017. Recording a 2.68 ERA with Delmarva, Erwin finished the year with a 10.1 inning scoreless streak. Klimek also enjoyed a fabulous season with the Shorebirds, tallying a 2.67 ERA in 37 relief appearances. Teague spent a majority of his season with Short-Season Aberdeen, recording a 1.02 ERA in 16 games and Trowbridge struck out 53 in 43.2 frames while posting a 3.50 ERA.
On the infield, Jomar Reyes begins his third season with the Keys. Despite missing three months with a broken hand, the 21-year-old showed great improvement at the plate, batting .302 across 50 games. Across the diamond from Reyes, Alex Murphy returns to Frederick. A Keys fan growing up, the Monrovia, MD native hit safely in 13 of his final 15 games before missing the last month of the year with a finger injury. In addition to the return of Reyes at third and Murphy at first base, Chris Clare reprises his role at shortstop. Ending last season with the Keys, Clare was a midseason all-star with Delmarva before receiving a promotion to the Carolina League.
Other members of the Keys infield include Preston Palmeiro , Alejandro Juvier and Collin Woody . The son of former Orioles first baseman, Rafael Palmeiro, Preston led Delmarva in RBIs (77) while also placing fifth in the South Atlantic League. Juvier spent a majority of 2017 at second base with the Shorebirds, but also saw time at third base and shortstop, while Woody alternated between third base and first.
Daniel Fajardo and Stuart Levy make up the Keys catching corps to start 2018. Playing predominantly with the Shorebirds last year, Fajardo did play four games with the Keys in late May and also suited up for the club in 2015. Levy split time with Frederick and Delmarva last year as well.
In the outfield, Randolph Gassaway comes off a solid 2017. With the Keys, the Georgia native was a midseason Carolina League all-star. Jake Ring also enjoyed a breakout campaign last year and recorded the walk-off RBI single that propelled the Keys to a win in game one of last year's Northern Division Championship Series.
Cole Billingsley and Ryan McKenna join the Keys for the first time. Hitting .282 with Delmarva a year ago, Billingsley also got a taste of Double-A, appearing in one of the Bowie Baysox playoff games. McKenna played in career-high 126 games with Delmarva in 2017 and finished third on the club in batting average.
Blaine Beatty and Kyle Moore return as the Keys pitching and hitting coaches, while Jack Graham enters his first season as the club's field coach. Former Keys pitcher, Gene Escat , comes on board as the Keys strength and conditioning coach and Marty Brinker serves as the trainer.
The Keys home opener is slated for Thursday, April 12 at 7:00 p.m. against the Potomac Nationals. For ticket information, fans can call 301-815-9900 or visit frederickkeys.com.
