The Myrtle Beach Pelicans released its Opening Day roster Monday and it features 13 of the top prospects in the Cubs system.
OF Billy McKinney, OF Shawon Dunston Jr., OF Jacob Hannemann, OF Mark Zagunis, 3B Jeimer Candelario, C Victor Caratini, INF Danny Lockhart, RHP Duane Underwood, RHP Jen-Ho Tseng, RHP Paul Blackburn, RHP Tyler Skulina, RHP Jonathan Martinez and RHP Daury Torrez highlight the Pelicans’ first roster.
Mark Johnson, Baseball America’s Minor League Manager of the Year, will call the shots for High-A Myrtle Beach. Johnson led the Kane County Cougars to a Midwest League Championship and will have a majority of the same pitching staff that rolled through the league.
This is the first season for the Cubs in the Carolina League after a 22-year run with Daytona in the Florida State League. The Cubs signed a two-year Player Development Contract with the Myrtle Beach franchise last fall. Previously, the Pelicans were the High-A affiliate for the Rangers.
The Pelicans’ Opening Day roster currently sits at 27 players and will have to be trimmed to 25 players before the season begins Thursday. Myrtle Beach hosts the Wilmington Blue Rocks (Kansas City Royals) in the opener.
Several players on the Cubs’ Opening Day roster played at Myrtle Beach while in the Rangers’ system. RHP Kyle Hendricks, 3B/1B Mike Olt, RHP Justin Grimm and RHP Neil Ramirez.
• Full Release from Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Coaching Staff
- Manager: Mark Johnson
- Pitching Coach: David Rosario
- Hitting Coach: Mariano Duncan
- Assistant Hitting Coach: Chris Gutierrez
- Athletic Trainer: Peter Fagan
- Strength and Conditioning: Jason Morriss
Myrtle Beach Pelicans 2015 Opening Day Roster
Pitchers
- RHP Paul Blackburn
- RHP Matt Brazis
- LHP Gerardo Conception
- RHP Josh Conway
- LHP Michael Heesch
- RHP Jonathan Martinez
- RHP Juan Carlos Paniagua
- RHP Starling Peralta
- RHP James Pugliese
- RHP Tayler Scott
- RHP Tyler Skulina
- RHP Daury Torrez
- RHP Jen-Ho Tseng
- RHP Duane Underwood
Catchers
- Victor Caratini
- Ben Carhart
- Albert Mineo
Infielders
- Jeimer Candelario
- Wes Darvill
- Andrew Ely
- Danny Lockhart
- Carlos Penalver
- Jacob Rogers
Outfielders
- Shawon Dunston Jr.
- Jacob Hannemann
- Billy McKinney
- Mark Zagunis
• Official Myrtle Beach Pelicans 2015 Opening Day Roster
Single-A teams can have a 35-man reserve roster. The active roster is the same as the big league roster, 25 players. By rule, Single-A clubs cannot have more than two players with more than five years of minor league service time on its 25-man roster.