by Bill Moriarity / A’s Farm Editor
April 3, 2024
With the Midland RockHounds set to start their season on Friday, the opening day roster of the A’s Double-A affiliate in the Texas League has now become official. Double-A teams can carry 28 players on the active roster, and the RockHounds, led by manager Gregorio Petit, are opening the season with 16 pitchers and 12 position players on their active roster.
The team’s catching corps will consist of the A’s 2022 1st-round pick, Daniel Susac, and 2021 9th-round pick Shane McGuire, who appeared in 98 games for Midland last season.
Last year’s top draft pick for the A’s, shortstop Jacob Wilson, and second baseman Cooper Bowman, who will be back for his second season in Midland, are set to anchor the middle of the infield for the RockHounds. They’ll be joined by 2022 6th-round pick Brennan Milone, who should get most of the reps at first base, and Jeremy Eierman, who’s likely to spend most of his time at the hot corner this season. Both can also play multiple positions all around the infield. And Jack Winkler looks set to split his time bouncing between first and third for the RockHounds again this year.
2021 4th-round pick Denzel Clarke and 2022 3rd-round pick Colby Thomas highlight a talented outfield in Midland this year. They’ll be joined by 22-year-old Junior Perez, who’ll be making his Double-A debut after spending last season with High-A Lansing, and Caeden Trenkle, who’ll be back for his second season in Midland. Minor league free agent signee Jeisson Rosario, who’s spent the past three seasons playing in the Double-A Eastern League, is also set to open the season in Midland’s outfield mix.
The RockHounds are set to open the season with a number of talented starting pitchers, including Royber Salinas and Brady Basso, both of whom are on the A’s 40-man roster, as well as Ryan Cusick, Blake Beers, Gunnar Hoglund and J.T. Ginn. Jack Cushing, who split last season between the rotation and the bullpen, will be back for his second season with the RockHounds, while promising righty Jack Perkins will open the season on the injured list with a strained lat. Midland’s bullpen is set to include righties Chase Cohen, Shohei Tomioka, Grant Holman, Tyler Baum, Jack Weisenburger, Stevie Emanuels and Pedro Santos along with lefties David Leal and Austin Briggs.
Midland RockHounds Complete Roster
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