The Lehigh Valley IronPigs will feature a talented roster that consists one of the top pitching staffs in the International League. The Pigs roster consists of a mix of players with major league experience and promising young prospects.
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The 2019 roster is highlighted by five players who rank among the Top-30 prospects in the Phillies organization according to MiLB Pipeline. The list includes returning Pigs RHP Enyel De Los Santos (No. 6), LHP Ranger Suárez (No. 10), International League Pitcher of the Year, Cole Irvin (No. 16) and RHP Edgar Garcia (No. 28) along with newcomer LHP JoJo Romero (No. 7).
The IronPigs also break camp with 11 members of Philadelphia's 40-Man Roster in Santos, Suarez, Garcia, RHP Drew Anderson, RHP Vìctor Arano, LHP Austin Davis, RHP Jerad Eickhoff, LHP James Pazos, RHP Yacksel Ríos, INF Mitch Walding and OF Dylan Cozens.
First-year pitching coach Steve Schrenk will guide a strong starting rotation. All six potential members received invitations to Major League Spring Training.
RHP Drew Anderson returns after a successful 2018 season. The Reno, Nevada native made 19 starts with the IronPigs and went 9-4 with a 3.87 ERA. He struck out 84 batters in 104 2/3 innings while only issuing 29 walks. He allowed three runs or fewer in 16 of his 19 starts. Anderson was called up to Philadelphia on July 8th and made his first major-league start against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was called up to more times and ended up pitching in five games for the Phillies.
RHP Enyel De Los Santos is set to begin his second-season with the IronPigs. The 23-year old made 22 starts for Lehigh Valley last season and elected as the starter for the International League in the Triple-A All-Star Game. He was named to the World Team in the All-Star Futures Game. De Los Santos pitched to a 10-5 record with 2.63 ERA and one complete-game shutout last season. He struck out 110 batters in 126 2/3 innings and earned a call-up to Philadelphia on July 10, as he made a start against the New York Mets. The right-hander appeared three other times for the Phillies in 2018.
RHP Jerad Eickhoff battled injury in 2018 and is looking to bounce back in 2019. Eickhoff began last season on the 10-Day disabled list with a right lat strain and didn't appear in a game until May, when he started his rehab assignment with the double-A, Reading Fightin Phils. He appeared with Lehigh Valley in late August and made four starts before getting called up to Philadelphia in September. The Evansville, Indiana native appeared out of the bullpen against the New York Mets on September 8, his first-ever major league relief appearance.
LHP Cole Irvin is the reigning International League Pitcher of the Year and won 14 games for the IronPigs last season, a single-season record. Irvin was selected as an International League mid-season and post-season All-Star. He led the IL in ERA (2.57), WHIP (1.05) and wins (14), was second in innings (161.1), third in strikeouts (131) and t-4th in starts (25). The left-hander allowed one earned run or none in 14 of his 25 starts.
LHP JoJo Romero pitched with double-A Reading in 2018. He made 18 starts before suffering a right oblique muscle strain injury in July that ended his season. The Camarillo, California native went 7-6 with a 3.80 ERA and struck out 100 batters in 106 2/3 innings. He logged a quality start in nine of his final 11 outings, posting a 2.44 ERA from May 20 - July 14.
LHP Ranger Suarez returns to Lehigh Valley for a second season. The lefty began the 2018 season with the double-A Reading Fightin Phils before getting called up to Lehigh Valley on June 26. He went 4-3 with a 2.76 ERA in 12 starts with the R-Phils. Suarez made nine starts with Lehigh Valley and pitched to a 2-0 record with a 2.74 ERA. He was called up to Philadelphia on July 26 and made his major league debut in Cincinnati.
The IronPigs bullpen should also be a strength of the team, as multiple pitchers have major-league experience.
RHP Victor Arano is set to begin his first tour with the IronPigs. Arano appeared in 60 games for the Phillies in 2018 and pitched to a 1-2 record with a 2.73 ERA. He struck out 60 batters in 59 1/3 innings, while only issuing 17 walks. He retired each of the first 25 batters he faced and 32 consecutive batters dating back to 2017. Arano did not allow a run in his first 10 1/3 innings pitched.
LHP Austin Davis returns for a second season with the IronPigs after making his major-league debut with the Phillies in 2018. Davis appeared in 24 games with Lehigh Valley and was called-up to Philadelphia on June 18. Davis pitched in 32 games for the Phillies and struck out 38 batters in 34 2/3 innings. The Scottsdale, Arizona native also appeared in four games for the double-A Reading Fightin Phils.
RHP Edgar Garcia will start 2019 with the IronPigs after getting a late-season call-up to Lehigh Valley in 2018. He primarily pitched with the double-A Reading Fightin Phils and was named to the Eastern League All-Star Team for his efforts. Garcia allowed just one run in his first 24 innings pitched with the R-Phils. He was promoted to Lehigh Valley on August 25 and appeared in five games with the IronPigs.
LHP Tyler Gilbert will also start 2019 with the IronPigs after getting a mid-season call-up to Lehigh Valley in 2018. After appearing in 23 games for the double-A Reading Fightin Phils, Gilbert was called up to Lehigh Valley on June 26. The Santa Cruz, California native struck out 41 batters in 34 2/3 innings in Reading and pitched the same exact innings with Lehigh Valley. Left-handed hitter hit just .169 against him in 2018.
RHP Josh Martin joins the Philadelphia Phillies organization after pitching in triple-A Columbus in 2018. Martin appeared in just 19 games with the Clippers and was undefeated (4-0). He allowed just seven earned runs in 21 2/3 innings, while striking out 24 batters. Martin began the 2018 season on the disabled list with a left oblique muscle strain.
LHP James Pazos comes to the Philadelphia Phillies organization after pitching with the Seattle Mariners in 2018. He appeared in a career-high 60 games with the Mariners and pitched to a 4-1 record with a 2.88 ERA. He did not issue a walk over 26 consecutive appearances from April 7 - June 12. Pazos was acquired from Seattle with Juan Nicasio and Jean Segura for J.P. Crawford and Carlos Santana on December 3, 2018.
RHP Yacksel Rios will be back with Lehigh Valley for a third straight season. Rios spent a good portion of 2018 with the Philadelphia Phillies. He appeared in 36 games for Philadelphia and struck out 36 batters in 36 innings. Rios pitched in 22 games for Lehigh Valley, striking out 26 batters in 22 2/3 innings.
First-year hitting coach Darryl Robinson will get an opportunity to work with an experienced lineup in Lehigh Valley.
Catcher Rob Brantley joins the Phillies after spending last season triple-A with Gwinnett and Columbus. Brantley has played in 678 career minor league games and has a career batting average of .266 with 55 home runs and 312 runs batted in. The San Diego, California native has played in 125 career major-league games for the Miami Marlins and Chicago White Sox.
Catcher Deivy Grullon gets his first crack at triple-A after spending the entire 2018 season with the double-A Reading Fightin Phils. Grullon, an Eastern League midseason and postseason all-star, was also selected as a Phillies Organization All-Star by MiLB.com. He won the Home Run Derby at ARM & HAMMER Park in Trenton, NJ and ranked in the top five in home runs (21) for the Eastern League. The catcher threw out 32.9% (28-for-85) of baserunners last season.
Bethlehem native Matt McBride returns for a second-straight season with the IronPigs. McBride appeared in 60 games and hit 10 home runs with 26 runs batted in. He appeared in games at catcher, first base, right field and designated hitter.
Shortstop Malquin Canelo gets the call-up from double-A Reading, where he spent the past two seasons. Canelo appeared in 128 games for the R-Phils last season and finished in the top five in stolen bases (24) and games played. The San Cristobal, Dominican Republic native joined the IronPigs last season for their playoff run but did not appear in a game.
Malvern native Phil Gosselin joins his home-town organization in 2019. Gosselin signed with the Phillies in the off-season after spending 2018 with the Cincinnati Reds and the Atlanta Braves organizations. He appeared in 20 games with the Reds before getting released. He was claimed off waivers by Atlanta on May 3 and assigned to Gwinnett.
Gift Ngoepe is also a first-timer with the Philadelphia Phillies. The infielder spent last season with the Toronto Blue Jays organization. He appeared in 13 games with the Blue Jays before playing in 48 games with triple-A Buffalo.
Sean Rodríguez comes to the Phillies organization after playing in 1,023 career games at the major league level. Rodriguez spent 2018 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, his second stint with the team after appearing with them from 2015-2016. The Miami, Florida native has also played for Los Angeles (AL), Tampa Bay and Atlanta.
Another position player with plenty of major-league experience, Andrew Romine joins the Phillies organization as well for the first time. Romine appeared in 75 games for the Seattle Mariners last season after playing for the Detroit Tigers from 2014-2017. He also played for Los Angeles (AL) from 2010-2013.
Damek Tomscha will get the opportunity to start the 2019 season in Lehigh Valley after getting a call-up last season from double-A Reading. Tomscha appeared in 26 games for the IronPigs, while playing in 93 games for the R-Phils last season. He was eighth in the Eastern League in average (.294) and slugging percentage (.465), while finishing ninth in OPS (.817).
International League Post-Season All-Star Mitch Walding returns for a second season with the IronPigs. Walding appeared in 119 games for the IronPigs and belted 19 home runs with 69 runs batted in. He led the IL in walks (73), ranked third in on-base percentage (.390) and fifth in slugging percentage (.474). He made his major league debut on May 30 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He became the first Phillie to hit a home run for his first career hit since Brock Stassi.
Lane Adams joins the Phillies organization after spending the 2018 season with the Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves organizations. Adams has played in 117 career major league games for Kansas City and Atlanta. He's appeared in 899 career minor league games, hitting .264 in his career with 75 home runs and 394 runs batted in.
Dylan Cozens begins a third-straight season with the IronPigs. The outfielder his 21 home runs with Lehigh Valley last season and produced 58 runs batted in. He has 48 career home runs with the IronPigs, and 113 career runs batted in. Cozens made his big-league debut with the Phillies on June 1 at San Francisco. He hit his first major league home run at Wrigley Field on June 6 against Brandon Morrow. The Scottsdale, Arizona native finished tied for third in the International League in home runs.
Jan Hernandez played all of 2018 with the double-A Reading Fightin Phils. He was named an Eastern League Mid-Season All-Star. He hit .263 with 14 home runs and 53 runs batted in playing in 103 games for the R-Phils.
Former Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRider Shane Robinson signed with Phillies this offseason. Robinson played in 50 games for the RailRiders last season. He also appeared in 25 games for the New York Yankees, getting called up on April 10. The 34-year-old has played in 760 career major league games with St. Louis, Minnesota, Los Angeles (AL) and New York (AL).
Lehigh Valley will host the Reading Fightin Phils in the 12th Annual 222 Showcase on Tuesday, April 2. First pitch from Coca-Cola Park is set for 6:35 p.m.
The IronPigs will host the Rochester Red Wings in their home opener at Coca-Cola Park on Thursday, April 4 at 7:05 p.m.
The 2019 IronPigs season is the team's 12th as the top affiliate for the Philadelphia Phillies and 12th at Coca-Cola Park. Follow the IronPigs on Twitter at @IronPigs and like them on Facebook via facebook.com/LHVIronPigs.
The 2019 IronPigs season is presented by Capital BlueCross.