Missions Roster Set for 2014 Campaign
San Antonio - The San Diego Padres have announced the 2014 Opening Night roster for their Double-A affiliate, the San Antonio Missions.
The Missions will open their 2014 season with San Diego's top two prospects (according to Baseball America) in catcher Austin Hedges and starting pitcher Matt Wisler, in addition to seven others ranked in the organization's top 30: OF Rymer Liriano (#6), SS Jace Peterson (#7), 2B Cory Spangenberg (#11), OF Travis Jankowski (#17), OF Yeison Asencio (#24), RHP Adys Portillo (#28) and RHP Johnny Barbato (#30).
Hedges enters the season as arguably the top catching prospect in all of minor league baseball. The San Juan Capistrano, CA native played his final 20 regular season games for San Antonio in 2013 before starting eight of the club's 10 playoff contests. In the postseason, Hedges hit .241 (7-for-29) with a double, three RBI and two runs scored. San Diego recently named Austin their 2013 Minor League Defensive Player of the Year.
Wisler, who was named the organization's Pitcher of the Year for the second consecutive season, went 8-5 with a 3.00 ERA in 20 starts for San Antonio in 2013. However, the 21-year-old righty was at his best during the Missions' playoff run, going 1-0 with a 0.56 ERA in three games (two starts).
Eventually joining Wisler in the San Antonio rotation will be right-hander Jesse Hahn, who tossed 8.2 scoreless innings during big league spring training. The 24-year old was acquired along with reliever Alex Torres in an offseason trade that sent Logan Forsythe and four others to Tampa Bay. Hahn will begin the season piggybacking with Wisler. Both are expected to pitch on Opening Night.
Reigning Texas League Manager of the Year Rich Dauer returns for his second season in the Alamo City and will have back both his pitching coach, Jimmy Jones, and his trainer, Dan Turner. New to the staff in 2014 will be hitting coach Francisco Morales and strength coach Eric Wood.
San Antonio will begin their title defense on Thursday, April 3 (7:10 PM) at Hammons Field in Springfield, MO when they take on the Springfield Cardinals (St. Louis Cardinals AA). After the six-game road trip, which also includes a stop in Tulsa, the Missions will return to San Antonio for their home opener on Thursday, April 10 (7:05 PM) against Springfield.