Owlz Announce 2018 Opening Night Roster

(Orem, UT) - The Orem Owlz, in conjunction with their parent club, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, have announced their opening night roster for the 2018 Pioneer League season.
The Owlz 2018 opening night roster features seven of the Angels top 30 prospects according to both MLB.com and Baseball America. Infielder Kevin Maitan joins the Angels organization after spending his first professional season with the Atlanta Braves. Maitan is rated as the Angels No. 4 prospect according to Baseball America and the No. 2 prospect in the system according to MLB.com. Coming over the Orem and the Angels organization along with Maitan is infielder Livan Soto who is rated as the Angels No. 16 prospect according to 20 Baseball America and rated 15th by MLB.com. Others in the top 30 on the Owlz opening day roster include LHP Jerryell Rivera (22 BA/MLB), RHP John Swanda (23 BA/27 MLB), OF Nonie Williams (24 BA/16 MLB), RHP Cole Duensing (24 MLB) and LHP Hector Yan (28 MLB).

31 players appear on the first roster of the 2018 season, including five returners from the 2017 season, including starting pitcher Cole Duensing. Duensing, a sixth-round pick in 2016, pitched in nine games with the Owlz towards the end of last season. Joining Duensing as returners on the pitching staff include Cristopher Molina, who pitched in eight games with Orem last season, and Jon Malmin who pitched in two games with the Owlz last season. Rounding out the returners on the pitching staff is Johnny Morrell, who started one game for the Owlz at the end of the 2017 season after spending the majority of the season with the AZL Angels. Only one position player on the Owlz 2018 roster spent time with the Owlz in 2017 as Erven Roper returns for his second stint in Orem. The catcher played in five games for the Owlz last season.
Of the 31 players on the 2018 opening night roster, eighth came from the 2018 MLB First-Year Player Draft. The highest selection from the 2018 draft that appears on the Owlz roster is sixth-rounder Austin Warren, a RHP from UNC-Wilmington. The Owlz have five of the Angels' first ten selections in the 2018 draft including RHP Andrew Wantz (7th), RHP Tyler Smith (8th), RHP Jake Lee (9th) and RHP Ben Morrison who was taken in the 10th round. Infielders Tim Millard (35th) and Mitch Spires (28th) are the only two position players the 2018 draft on the roster. 
FULL ROSTER 2018 ROSTER
The Owlz season will begin on Friday, June 15 in Grand Junction. The first home game will be on Thursday, June 21 at 7:05 against the Ogden Raptors. To purchase season tickets or ticket packs, call 801-377-BALL (2255) or visit goowlz.com. Single game tickets will go on sale in May.