With the Kansas City T-Bones scheduled to begin their 15th anniversary season on Friday night against Lincoln at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kansas, manager Joe Calfapietra has announced his opening day roster with the league maximum of 23 active players.
The team will feature 22 new players who were not members of the club last season. The team will open with 12 pitchers headlined by former Chicago White Sox and Liberty, Mo native Scott Carroll.
He is joined by fellow righties Jeff Walters, Grant Sides and Myles Smith, who all have AAA experience under their belts.
Four members of the staff have AA experience in right-handers Aaron Brooks, Calvin Drummond, Chris Perry and Cody Winiarski.
The roster includes three pitchers classified as rookies in the American Association, in lefty Rich Mascheri, righties Luis Paula and Kamakani Usui. Gabe Perez a right-hander from Puerta Plata, Dominican Republic, rounds out the pitching staff for Kansas City.
The position players are led by the lone returning T-Bone infielder Brett Wiley. Wiley, is one of four position players with AAA experience for Kansas City joined by infielder/outfielder Patrick Brady, outfielder Marcus Lemon and first baseman-DH Kevin Keyes.
The catching duo will include Leo Rojas and newly signed Christian Correa, of the Houston Astros organization. Correa began this season with Buis Creek in the High A Carolina League for Houston.
The roster includes two players, who played for new manager Joe Calfapietra last season at New Jersey in the CAN-AM League in outfielder Daniel Rockett and infielder Eddie Newton.
Joe Jackson, who began camp as a catcher, will move to the outfield and join the speedy Omar Garcia to round out the active roster.
The team will open with infielder Jordan Edgerton on the disabled list and right-handed pitcher Stephen Johnson on the inactive list.
The T-Bones traded left-handed pitcher Mark McCoy to Sussex County of the CAN-AM League for a player to be named to reach the 23-man active roster limit for opening day.
The T-Bones open the 2017 regular season at home on Friday night May 19 against Lincoln at 7:05 p.m. Tickets are available online or by calling 913-328-5618 or visiting in person the Providence Medical Center Box Office.
– Story from T-Bones