PEORIA, Arizona (September 18, 2019) - Salem manager Corey Wimberly and seven Red Sox alum kick-off Arizona Fall League play this afternoon.Pitchers Yoan Aybar, Jhonathan Diaz, Tanner Houck and Bryan Mata will serve as members of the Peoria Javelinas. Aybar and Mata will fulfill bullpen roles while Diaz and Houck
PEORIA, Arizona (September 18, 2019) - Salem manager Corey Wimberly and seven Red Sox alum kick-off Arizona Fall League play this afternoon.
Pitchers Yoan Aybar, Jhonathan Diaz, Tanner Houck and Bryan Mata will serve as members of the Peoria Javelinas. Aybar and Mata will fulfill bullpen roles while Diaz and Houck rotate amongst starters. Aybar spent the later half of the 2019 campaign with Salem as a reliever including the Sox' run through the playoffs. Mata was the Sox' first-half ace, earing a 1.75 ERA in 10 starts before his promotion to Portland. Jhonathan Diaz cemented himself as a top arm in Salem's 2019 rotation, making 27 starts to a 3.86 ERA including shutout performances in his final three appearances. Tanner Houck is a 2018 Salem alum, departing the Sox after earning a 4.24 ERA in 23 starts.
C.J. Chatham is the lone infield representative while Jarren Duran and Marcus Wilson will be roaming the outfield. Chatham was Salem's lead shortstop in 2018, batting .315 in his campaign en route to earning MiLB Organizational All-Star recognition. Jarren Duran tore up the Carolina League the first half of the 2019 season, at one point maintaining a .416 batting average, the best in Minor League Baseball and Carolina League June Player of the Month before his promotion to Portland. Marcus Wilson carried the torch, earning Carolina League Player of the Month in July 2019 for his .342 average and team-leading 8 home runs in just 45 games.
Manager Corey Wimberly will shift into a coaching role for the duration of the Arizona Fall League. The League serves as a finishing school for the best prospects in all of Minor League Baseball, graduating an average over 70% to Major League Baseball. The Peoria Javelinas are comprised of the Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners, Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Astros, and San Diego Padres best talent.
The Salem Red Sox are the Advanced-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox and call Haley Toyota Field in Salem, Virginia home. The team was founded in 1968 and purchased by Fenway Sports Management in December of 2007. For more information on the Salem Red Sox, please visit SalemRedSox.com or contact Melanie Newman at [email protected]m.
