OKC Dodgers Release Preliminary 2022 Roster

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma City Dodgers and Los Angeles Dodgers have announced the OKC Dodgers’ preliminary roster as the team opens its 2022 season Tuesday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.

Similar to last season, a Triple-A roster can hold a maximum of 33 players, although only 28 players will be active per game. Some members of the OKC roster will concurrently serve as part of the official Los Angeles Dodgers Taxi Squad. The OKC Dodgers’ preliminary roster has 32 total players, but the preliminary roster is not considered the official Opening Day roster.

The roster is headlined by three of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ top nine prospects per Baseball America: Infielder Miguel Vargas (No. 3) and starting pitchers Ryan Pepiot (No. 5) and Andre Jackson (No. 9). Vargas – who is also the youngest player on the roster at 22 years old – was named Dodgers Branch Rickey Minor League Player of the Year in 2021 after a stellar campaign split between High-A Great Lakes and Double-A Tulsa.

Pepiot and Jackson were both promoted to OKC in early August last season after strong seasons at Double-A Tulsa. Jackson also made his Major League debut in 2021, appearing in three games with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Pepiot is scheduled to start on the mound Opening Night.

In addition to Jackson, utilityman Zach McKinstry and reliever Darien Núñez are also members of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 40-man roster. McKinstry spent time with OKC in both 2019 and 2021 and made the Major League Opening Day roster last season, playing in 60 games for Los Angeles. Núñez was dominant during his time at Triple-A last season, averaging less than a baserunner per inning while striking out 80 batters in 52.0 innings pitched.

Infielder Andy Burns and relief pitcher Shane Greene both appeared for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season and returned to the organization on minor league contracts. Burns was limited to 54 games with OKC in 2021 due to a wrist injury, but also spent some time with the Los Angeles Dodgers and was a member of the National League Championship Series roster. Greene was a 2019 Major League All-Star with Detroit who primarily played with Atlanta before joining the Dodgers near the end of the 2021 regular season.

A total of 12 players spent at least part of the 2021 season with OKC, including infielder Omar Estévez, outfielder Drew Avans, catchers Hamlet Marte and Tony Wolters, starting pitcher Yefry Ramírez and relief pitchers Marshall Kasowski and Bobby Wahl. Ramírez led the team in starts and innings and was second in strikeouts. Estévez tied for the team lead in games played.

Of the 32 players on the preliminary roster, 24 have previous Major League experience and 12 appeared in the Major Leagues last season with a different organization besides the Los Angeles Dodgers: pitcher Yency Almonte (Colorado), infielder Eddy Alvarez (Miami), pitcher Beau Burrows (Detroit/Minnesota), pitcher Jon Duplantier (Arizona), pitcher Carson Fulmer (Cincinnati), infielder Jake Lamb (Chicago-AL/Toronto), outfielder Jason Martin (Texas), pitcher Reyes Moronta (San Francisco), outfielder Kevin Pillar (New York-NL), pitcher Mike Wright Jr. (Chicago-AL), Wolters (Chicago-NL) and pitcher Daniel Zamora (Seattle).

Lamb is the other former Major League All-Star on the preliminary roster besides Greene. He earned the honor with Arizona in 2017 when he set career highs with 30 home runs and 105 RBI. Pillar is a nine-year Major League veteran, spending time with Toronto, San Francisco, Boston and Colorado in addition to the New York Mets. The West Hills, Calif., native is known for his all-out play in the outfield and was named the 2015 Wilson Defensive Player of the Year.

Others who have appeared in the Majors throughout their careers are pitcher Robbie Erlin, pitcher Sam Gaviglio, utility player Ty Kelly, outfielder Stefen Romero, Ramírez, catcher Tomás Telis and Wahl.

Erlin, Gaviglio and Romero all return to the United States after spending 2021 overseas. Erlin and Romero both played in Japan while Gaviglio played in Korea. For Romero, this marks his first time playing stateside since 2016, opting to play in Japan for each of the last five seasons, with four of those as a member of the Orix Buffaloes.

Alvarez and Kelly were both 2021 Olympians. Alvarez won a silver medal playing for the United States and is a former Winter Olympian in speed skating, medaling in 2014. Kelly was a member the first-ever Israeli baseball team to qualify for the Olympics.

Only two players on the preliminary roster have never played above Double-A in their careers: Vargas and outfielder Ryan Noda. Noda spent all of last season at Double-A Tulsa and led Double-A Central with 29 home runs. He also led the circuit with 74 walks and was second with 78 RBI.

The Oklahoma City Dodgers open play Tuesday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark against the Albuquerque Isotopes at 7:05 p.m. The six-game series will feature fireworks nights on Tuesday and Friday, a $2 Tuesday on Opening Night, Tyler’s Amazing Balancing Act throughout Friday’s game, Scout Night on Saturday and a chance for kids to run the bases following the series finale Sunday afternoon.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit okcdodgers.com/tickets or call (405) 218-2182.