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| David Lough in action last season (Photo: Lee Warren) |
The 24 players on the roster are relatively young by Triple-A standards, with no players in their thirties and 15 players aged 25 or younger, including a quartet of young stars aged 22 and younger.
Leading the youth movement are 21-year-old first baseman Eric Hosmer and 22-year-old third baseman Mike Moustakas, the most highly-regarded duo of prospects in the entire minor leagues at No. 8 and 9 in “Baseball America’s” Top 100. Joining them in the infield are Irving Falu, Johnny Giavotella, Clint Robinson and Lance Zawadzki. Behind the plate will be Manny Piña and Cody Clark.
In the outfield, returning starter David Lough will be joined by Lorenzo Cain, who came over in the Zack Greinke deal, Gregor Blanco, who was outrighted to Omaha on Wednesday and Paulo Orlando, a Sao Paulo native vying to become the first Brazilian player in history to earn a trip to the Major Leagues.
Mike Montgomery, a 21-year-old lefthander rated the 19th-best prospect in all of baseball by “Baseball America,” figures to be the club’s Opening Day starter on April 7 in Albuquerque. Other pitchers in the mix for rotation spots include 22-year-old lefty Danny Duffy, Luis Mendoza, Kevin Pucetas, Steven Shell and Everett Teaford. Vin Mazzaro, who will enter the Kansas City rotation on April 16, will make one start for Omaha before joining his big-league teammates.
Rounding out the pitching staff are lefthander Blaine Hardy and righthanders Jesse Chavez, Louis Coleman, Greg Holland and Blake Wood.
