Marauders Announce Opening Day Roster

BRADENTON – The Bradenton Marauders, High-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, today announced the opening day roster for the 2014 season. Led by first-year Manager Tom Prince, the team travels to Port Charlotte to open the fifth season in franchise history on Thursday, April 3.

Headlining the roster is star outfield prospect Josh Bell, a second round pick from the 2011 draft. The 21-year-old outfielder was a Mid-Season and Post-Season All-Star with Low-A West Virginia, helping the Power reach the playoffs. MLB.com rates Bell as the sixth best prospect in the Pirates organization.

The Marauders pitching staff includes six returners from the 2013 team: righties Pat Ludwig, Robby Rowland, Tyler Waldron, and Jhondaniel Medina join lefties Orlando Castro and Thomas Harlan as Marauders veterans. Castro and Ludwig will be joined in the rotation by right handers Chad Kuhl, John Kuchno, and Jason Creasy. Left-handers Josh Smith and Harlan are joined in the bullpen by righties Ryan Hafner, Bryton Trepagnier, Medina, Waldron and Rowland.

Behind the plate, Jacob Stallings is back for a second go-around in Bradenton. He will split the backstop duties with Jin De Jhang, who was an All-Star with the GCL Pirates in 2012 and Short Season Jamestown last season.

Jose Osuna returns at first base, and he is joined in the infield by fellow returns D.J. Crumlich and Ashley Ponce. Bolstering the infield squad are newcomers Max Moroff, Adam Frazier, Jordan Steranka, and Walker Gourley. Moroff, Steranka and Gourley all were keys cogs of West Virginia’s 2013 playoff run, while Frazier was a .321 hitter for Jamestown in his professional debut.

Raul Fortunato and Jeff Roy figure to round out the starting outfield with Bell, with Jonathan Schwind adding depth at the position. Fortunato and Schwind spent 2013 with West Virginia. Roy was a New York Penn League All-Star with Jamestown in his first professional season last year.