ROUND ROCK, Texas – We’re one step closer to baseball season! The Round Rock Express, in conjunction with the Texas Rangers, announced the club’s preliminary roster on Thursday morning.
The preliminary roster is subject to change prior to Round Rock Express Opening Day, which is set for Tuesday, April 5 as the El Paso Chihuahuas (San Diego Padres affiliate) visit Dell Diamond at 7:05 p.m.
The preliminary roster features 26 players, two shy of the maximum of 28 allowed for Triple-A clubs during the 2022 season. In total, 16 of the 26 players have logged Major League service time in their careers, including seven of the 13 pitchers on the staff. RHP Justin Anderson (Angels), RHP Kohei Arihara (Rangers), LHP Jake Latz (Rangers), RHP Tyson Miller (Cubs), RHP Jesus Tinoco (Marlins, Rockies), RHP Nick Tropeano (Astros, Angels, Giants, Mets, Pirates) and RHP Dan Winkler (Braves, Cubs).
Round Rock’s pitchers will be in good hands as all four catchers on the club’s preliminary roster have appeared in Major League Baseball at some point in their careers, including Sam Huff (Rangers), Jack Kruger (Angels), Yohel Pozo (Rangers) and Meibrys Viloria (Royals).
Three of the five E-Train infielders suited up for the Rangers a year ago, including Sherten Apostel, Ryan Dorow and Yonny Hernandez. Finally, of Round Rock’s four outfielders, both Zach Reks (Dodgers) and Leody Taveras (Rangers) have logged MLB service time.
The club features six of the top 30 prospects in the Texas Rangers organization, according to MLB.com, led by RHP Cole Winn, who checks in at #3 on the list and #48 in all of baseball. INF Josh Smith is ranked as the #7 prospect in the organization while Huff is listed at #11.
Additionally, Baylor University product INF Davis Wendzel is Texas’ #17 ranked prospect. RHP Yerry Rodriguez (#27) and OF Bubba Thompson (#29) round out the top Rangers prospects appearing on the preliminary Express roster.
Fans will recognize several faces coming to Round Rock in 2022 as 17 players who suited up for the E-Train in 2021 appear on the preliminary roster, including Anderson, Apostel, Arihara, RHP Jason Bahr, Dorow, OF Elier Hernandez, Yonny Hernandez, Huff, Kruger, Latz, Miller, Pozo, Rodriguez, RHP Ryder Ryan, Taveras, Wendzel and Winn.
Four more players are slated to make their Triple-A debuts in 2022: RHP Hever Bueno, RHP Daniel Robert, Smith and Thompson.
Round Rock’s initial roster features a distinct international flair with six different nations represented. In addition to the 17 players from the United States, Viloria was born in Colombia, Apostel calls Curaçao home, Elier Hernandez, Rodriguez and Taveras all hail from the Dominican Republic, Arihara is Japanese, and Yonny Hernandez, Tinoco and Pozo are Venezuelan.
American born players hail from 11 different states, including Alabama (Robert), Arizona (Bueno and Huff), California (Kruger, Miller and Wendzel), Colorado (Winn), Florida (Bahr and Thompson), Illinois (Latz, Reks and Winkler), Louisiana (Smith), Michigan (Dorow), New York (Tropeano), North Carolina (Ryan) and Texas (Anderson). The team’s lone Texan, Anderson hailed from Houston before a collegiate career at the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Round Rock’s full roster can be downloaded via RRExpress.com.
Returning in 2022, MLB clubs will be permitted to carry a five-man Taxi Squad for each road trip made up of Triple-A players. Express players on the Taxi Squad are permitted to travel with the Rangers on the road but must return to the Round Rock roster while Texas is at home. Although up to 33 players can be listed on Round Rock’s roster while Texas is at home, only 28 players can be active for each Triple-A game.
Round Rock’s coaching staff is led by Manager Matt Hagen, Pitching Coach Bill Simas, Hitting Coach Matt Lawson, Bench Coach Chase Lambin, Development Coach Josh Johnson, Athletic Trainer Carlos Olivas and Strength and Conditioning Coach Wade Lamont.
The Round Rock Express kick off the 2022 campaign with Opening Day at Dell Diamond on Tuesday, April 5 at 7:05 p.m. as the El Paso Chihuahuas (San Diego Padres affiliate) come to town. Single game tickets as well as full season and mini season membership plans are on sale now.
For more information about the Express, visit RRExpress.com or call (512) 255-2255. Subscribe to the E-Train email newsletter and keep up with the Express on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!
