Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s 2019 Opening Day roster announced

RailRiders open play today in Buffalo to begin 30^th Anniversary Season

MOOSIC, PA (April 4, 2019) – The New York Yankees have announced the Opening Day roster for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. New manager Jay Bell and his staff will lead the club in 2019 and are slated to begin with a 25-man roster that features 14 who played for the RailRiders 2018 playoff-bound team, 13 players with Major League service time and one top-30 prospect.

The Opening Day roster is comprised of ten players drafted by New York, three non-drafted signees, four acquired via trade and eight free agents.

Mike Ford and Ryan McBroom combined to hit 26 home runs for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2018 and return to the RailRiders to start 2019. Giovanny Urshela was acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays in early August last season and went on to hit .307 in 27 games for the RailRiders. Zack Zehner appeared in 87 games last season, batting .262 with 10 home runs and 42 batted in during his time in Triple-A.

Kyle Higashioka is slated to be the everyday catcher for the RailRiders after appearing in 53 games last year before spending the buld of the season on the Yankees roster.  Nestor Cortes began 2018 with the Baltimore Orioles as a Rule-5 selection, but was returned to the Yankees and shined with the RailRiders. Cortes split time between the rotation and the bullpen, posting a 6-5 mark as a starter with a 3.32 ERA over those 18 games, including working a six-inning one hitter with ten strikeouts at Toledo on July 16.

Additional players returning from the 2018 team, which came up one win shy of the team’s third Governor’s Cup Championship, include starting pitchers Chance Adams and David Hale along with relievers Cale Coshow, Raynel Espinal, J.P. Feyereisen, Joe Harvey, Adonis Rosa and David Sosebee.

Adams, the Yankees number 13 prospect according to Baseball America, was a fifth round selection in the 2015 First-Year Player Draft and reached Triple-A in 2017, going 11-5 for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.  He made his Major League debut for New York on August 4, 2018, against Boston at Fenway Park, marking his first of three stints in the Majors last season. 

Gio Gonzalez is most-experienced and decorated newcomer, having been twice named a Major League All-Star during his 11-year big league career. The left-hander was initially drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the first

round of the 2004 and made his Major League debut for Oakland in 2008. Gonzalez signed a Minor League Agreement with the New York Yankees on March 20.

Pitchers Rex Brothers and Danny Coulombe joined the Yankees on Minor League agreements during the off-season, as did catcher Ryan Lavarnway, Billy Burns and Matt Lipka.

Mandy Alvarez, Trey Amburgey, Gosuke Katoh and Wendell Rijo will each make their Triple-A debuts in 2019. 

Bell will manage the club in 2019, his first at the helm of a Triple-A team. He played over 2,000 games during an 18-year, Major League career and has spent the last two years managing in the Yankees organization. Bell is joined on staff by pitching coach Tommy Phelps, hitting coach Phil Plantier and bullpen coach Doug Davis, all of whom are returning to the RailRiders dugout. Julio Borbón joined the Yankees organization in March and will serve as the defensive coach for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Athletic trainer Darren London and strength and conditioning coach Brad Hyde will also return to the RailRiders for the upcoming season.

The RailRiders begin their season at 2:05 P.M. today in Buffalo at Sahlen Field with Gio Gonzalez on the mound.  Opening Night at PNC Field is April 11 at 7:05 P.M. with a magnetic schedule giveaway courtesy of Highmark and post game fireworks. For complete details, visit swbrailriders.com.