Sod Poodles reveal Opening Day roster for 2019 season
The Amarillo Sod Poodles have revealed their Opening Day roster for the 2019 season on Monday, which includes seven of the San Diego Padres' top 30 overall rated prospects. (File Photo)
AMARILLO, Texas (KVII) — The Amarillo Sod Poodles have revealed their Opening Day roster for the 2019 season on Monday, which includes seven of the San Diego Padres' top 30 overall rated prospects.
On Amarillo's roster is No. 7-rated LHP Adrian Morejon and No. 15-rated third baseman Hudson Potts, along with 12 players returning from the 2018 San Antonio Missions. Pitcher Kazuhisa Makita and catcher Luis Torrens enter the 2019 season with previous Major League experience.
The Sod Poodles initial 2019 roster breaks down this way:
- Pitchers (13): RHP Elliot Ashbeck, RHP Pedro Avila (40-man roster), RHP Lake Bachar, RHP David Bednar, RHP Reggie Lawson, RHP Kazuhisa Makita, RHP Trevor Megill, LHP Adrian Morejon, RHP Andres Munoz, RHP Emmanuel Ramirez, RHP Blake Rogers, RHP Jesse Scholtens, RHP Dauris Valdez
- Catchers (2): Webster Rivas, Luis Torrens (40-man roster)
- Infielders (7): Matt Batten, Nate Easley, Owen Miller, Kyle Overstreet, Hudson Potts, Peter Van Gansen, Brad Zunica
- Outfielders (3): Edward Olivares (40-man roster), Jorge Ona, Buddy Reed
Morejon enters the 2019 season as the seventh-best prospect and fourth-best pitching prospect in the Padres' organization, according to MLB.com. He was named to the California League's All-Star team last season with High-A Lake Elsinore after posting a 4-4 record with a 3.59 ERA in 11 starts during the first half of the season. He held opponents to a .233 batting average with 70 strikeouts in 62.2 innings of work during the 2018 season. This season with Amarillo will be Morejon's third in the organization.
Potts batted .260 with 19 home runs, 63 RBI and four stolen bases in 128 games between High-A Lake Elsinore and Double-A San Antonio last season and was named to the Padres MiLB.com Organization All-Star team for the 2018 season. Potts tied a team-high with 17 home runs and was second on the team with 35 doubles at High-A Lake Elsinore. He was promoted to Double-A San Antonio on Aug. 9 and contributed to the Missions deep playoff run with a .333 average, two doubles and a home run. In Potts' first full season with Low-A Fort Wayne, he became one of two players to hit at least 20 home runs in the Midwest League since 1987, the other player being the Padres young phenom Fernando Tatis, Jr.
The 2019 season begins Thursday with the Sod Poodles visiting the Corpus Christi Hooks at Whataburger Field in Corpus Christi with first pitch scheduled for 6:15 p.m. The Sod Poodles' home opener will be Monday, Apr. 8 against the Midland RockHounds with first pitch at 7:05 p.m.
