The Florida Marlins top pick in last year’s draft, catcher Kyle Skipworth, is in town along with a bus load of guys from the Jametown Jammers. The Jammers are the Marlins’ short-season New York-Penn League team and these boys made a good showing last year up North.
Now they have headed South for this spring/summer and with them comes a number of kids that were here in Greensboro last summer. The Hoppers have Double K, Kyle Kaminska back for another serving of “K Zone” letter K hangings, which Don Moore and his “K Zone Crew” will be apt to do when Kaminska is on the hill for the Hoppers.
The Hoppers also return Stuart Alexander, the right hander, who pitched what might be the best-game ever at NewBridge Bank Park on a Sunday afternoon last summer. The game lasted something like an hour and thrity-nine minutes(1:44 to be exact) and Alexander only allowed one hit.
*****from that Sunday in August 2008 courtesy of Greensborosports.com:
Alexander retired the first 16 batters in order before allowing a seventh inning single to Nick Noonan. The right-hander was making quick work of the Augusta GreenJackets and the first three innings were over in less than 30 minutes. Alexander returned to the mound in the eighth inning, but after allowing a leadoff single to Angel Villalona, manager Edwin Rodriguez let his starter walk off to a standing ovation from the 5,022 in attendance and turned to ball over to A.J. Battisto.*****
Other pitchers that were here in 2008 include Peter Andrelczyk, Bryan Evans, Jose Rosario and Josh Roberts(Roberts here in part of 2007).
Catcher Torre Langley returns along with infielders Ben Lasater and Emilio Ontiveros. Lasater started out at third last year to keep the corner hot until Matt Dominguez arrived and Ontiveros was at shortstop, but he can also play second base.
Justin Jacobs is the Grasshoppers’ lone returning outfielder, but the Hoppers do have Jeremy Synan from Northeast Guilford HS and N.C. State University on the roster as well as Kevin Mattison out of East Forsyth HS in Kernersville ready in the OF.
This has the makings of solid team under the leadership of Darin Everson and here’s the word from the Hoppers’ front office on this year’s squad:
Opening Day Roster set for 2009 Grasshoppers
(Greensboro, NC) The Greensboro Grasshoppers Opening Day roster was announced on Monday, April 6, 2009. The 25-man roster carries twelve pitchers, two catchers, six infielders and five outfielders.
Notable early round selections from the 2008 draft include catcher, Kyle Skipworth (1st round, 6th overall) of Sarasota, Florida and southpaw, Brad Hand (2nd round) from Chaska, Minnesota.
Eight players return to Greensboro after suiting up for the team during the 2008 season.