Results tagged ‘ Ernie Young ’
Tigers, Whitecaps set 2011 Roster
The Detroit Tigers organization along with the West Michigan Whitecaps have set the opening day roster which includes ten returning players and seven that are on Baseball America’s top prospect list. This will be a young team just like last year, with six teenagers being asigned to Detroit’s Single-A affilate in Grand Rapids.
The top prospect making the team is third baseman Nick
Castellanos (pictured), who is ranked number two on Detroit’s list after former ‘Cap Jacob Turner. The 19 year old was Detroit’s first pick and 44th overall in 2010. Castellanos impressed scouts at the 2009 Under Armor All-American Game at Wrigley Field where he won the home run derby and was named Player of the Game after hitting 4-4 with four doubles. Playing at Archbishop McCarthy High School in Florida, he was named 2010 Gatorade Player of the Year after hitting .542, 41 RBI’s, six homers, and 22 steals.
Other prospects joining this years club are relief pitcher Bruce Rondon, catcher Rob Brantley, shortstop Dixon Machado (sweet baseball name btw), and starting pitchers Kyle Ryan and Ramon Lebron.
The amount of young talent has first year Whitecaps manager Ernie Young optimistic about the upcoming season. He told the Grand Rapids Press: “It’s going to be and exciting group of guys. We’re going to do a lot of things baseball-wise–we’re going to hit-and-run, steal and take extra bases. We’re going to do little things to help us become a better ball club.”
Returnig to West Michigan are Brantly, Lebron, Antonio Cruz, Shawn Teufel, Patrick Cooper, Jordan Pratt, Luis Alberto Sanz, Hernan Perez, Jimmy Gulliver and Jeff Rowland.
Photo courtesy of Grand Rapids Press
Whitecaps name Ernie Young Manager for 2011
The West Michigan Whitecaps and Detroit Tigers organizations have name Ernie Young to manage the ‘Caps in 2011. Young seems like a good fit in West Michigan with a solid managing history to date. He started out in the ChiSox oraganization in 2008 as a hitting coach for Great Falls in the rookie Pioneer League, helping them win a league championship. In 2009, he was promoted to manage the Kannapolis Intimidators of the low-A South Atlantic League. Young led the team to a league best 82-57 record, but was knocked out in the first round of the playoffs. In 2010 the Intimidators went 65-74. Also this season, Young coached Team USA at the Pan American Qualifier tournament in Puerto Rico, where his team went 9-1 and tied for third place. That was good enough for Team USA to qualify for a spot in both the 2011 Pan American Games and the 2011 IBAF World Cup. Young began his playing career in 1990 after being drafted by Oakland. He would go on to paly in the Kansas City, Arizona, Detroit, and Cleveland organizations, as well as playing in Japan. Young commented on coming to the Whitecaps by saying: “I’m excited for the opportunity to be back in the Detroit Tigers organization and I’m looking forward to being back in the Midwest. I can’t wait to get the 2011 season started, and lead the Whitecaps to another successful season.” Detroit Tigers Director of Minor League Operations Dan Lunetta also commented on Young’s hiring: “We are very fortunate and excited to have someone of Ernie’s caliber as a member of the Tigers organization, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity for him to start his Tigers managing career in West Michigan. He will be an outstanding addition to our organization and to the Whitecaps.” Also joining Young on the 2011 staff will be hitting coach Ben Oglivie. Oglivie played sixteen season in the Majors with Boston, Detroit, and Milwaukee. In 1980 with the Brewers, he hit 41 home runs which tied the league lead with Reggie Jackson. Oglivie started his coaching career in 1995 in the Pittsburgh organization with their AAA team in Calgary and has coached at every leavel in the Minors for the Pirates, Padres, and Rays. He’s also served as hitting coach at the Major League level with San Diego in 2000. Young replaces Joe DePastino who has been assigned the Tigers roving catching coach, and Oglivie replaces Louis Quinnones who’s contract was not renewed. Mark Johnson returns as pitching coach in what will be his fourth year in 2011.
Minoring In Baseball
Recent Comments