2033 St. Louis River Walkers: And the saga continues

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Walkers news: March 26 -- St. Louis 2, Rockford 1, (16-11)

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Walkers news: March 27 -- Green Bay 5, St. Louis 1, (16-12)

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Walkers news: March 28 -- St. Louis 1, Springfield 0, (17-12)

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Walkers news: March 29 -- St. Louis 3, Cedar Rapids 2, (18-12)

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MBL news: March 30 -- Final spring training standings and leaders

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Walkers news: March 30 -- Spring training statistics

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Walkers news: April 1 -- Player Development Report

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MBL news: April 2 -- Preseason predictions after spring training

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Starter -- Jackson Miller - The River Walkers made a big move in the off-season signing the seven-time All-Star away from Des Moines.
A two-time Silver Slugger winner, most recently in 2032, Miller batted .280 with 12 homers and 77 RBIs in 2034, a season in-which the Harvesters posted the best record in the Midwest Baseball League.
Miller, 33, also is considered one of the league's better defensive catchers.
His deal is worth $18 million over four seasons, the final one featuring a team option.
Backup -- Zach Wenman - The 26-year-old will be back after he spent the final two months of the 2034 season with the Walkers, hitting .308 with no homers and five RBIs in 13 games.
Wenman was acquired from Milwaukee by St. Louis in July 2033.

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1B -- Nick Shaw - The 26-year-old Shaw made his first All-Star team in a season where he batted .315 with 27 homers and 106 RBIs in 158 games.
Expected to be the team's primary clean-up hitter, Shaw also won his first Gold Glove for his play at first base.
2B -- Daniel Becerra - The 2034 campaign was a injury-plagued and disappointing one for Becerra.
The 34-year-old was limited to 109 games, where he hit just .251 with eight homers and 40 RBIs.
In the final year of a contract which will play him $15 million, Becerra could be fighting for his job if he doesn't get a good start to the season.
SS -- Aaron Nixon -- A free-agent signing from Des Moines, Nixon is coming off perhaps the best season of his career.
The 33-year-old batted .297 with 12 homers and 54 RBIs for the Harvesters.
The two-time All-Star was signed to a two-year contract worth $33 million, although the second year featured a team option.
3B -- Bob Saavedra -- A relative youngster at 23, Saavedra tore it up at both AA (Springfield, .329 with six homers and 13 RBIs in 55 games) and AAA (Memphis, .361, five homers and 44 RBIs in 70 games) before getting a September callup.
He was not bad with the Walkers either, hitting .317 with nine RBIs in 11 games.
Saavedra does not possess much power, but gets on base at a high clip. He also is a above-average defender.
UT -- Chris Duncan -- The 32-year old will be back after a solid season as the team's primary backup at second base, shortstop and third base.
Duncan hit .270 with seven homers and 36 RBIs in 97 games (64 starts).

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RF -- Hector Tavarez - The organization's top hitting prospect got called up after the All-Star break and proved he belonged.
Although, he slowed during September, the 25-year-old still hit .260 with 12 homers and 52 RBIs in just 70 games.
Tavarez should be a force in the Walkers' lineup for seasons to come.
CF -- Jose Segura - Injuries limited him to just 117 starts, and most of his numbers came in the first half of the season before encountering a rough patch post-All-Star break.
Segura, 29, hit .233 with 27 homers and 26 RBIs.
With free agency looming after the season, Segura's time with the Walkers may be coming to a close.
LF -- Jose Ramirez - The 31-year-old endured easily the worst season of his career in 2034.
Along with being limited by injuries, he batted just .204 with nine homers and 43 RBIs in 104 games (96 starts).
In the final year of his contract, and with the Walkers boasting a number of top-tier outfielders in the minors, Ramirez may not only be lucky to keep his job during the season. But to keep his place on the team.
OF -- Nathaniel Dixon -- A solid replacement at any of the outfield positions, Dixon enjoyed a solid campaign in 2034 hitting .261 with 11 homers and 50 RBIs in 146 games (78 starts).
Dixon, 28, is viewed as a viable replacement in both center and left field should Segura or Ramirez fall on hard times
OF/UT -- Dan Hillard -- The 29-year-old started out the season like a house afire before fading in the final months.
Hillard still batted .257 with 13 homers and 50 RBIs in 119 games (77 starts).
His biggest benefit is his versatility, being able to play right and left field, third base and possibly some first base this season.
OF -- Manuel Coke - The Walkers' top hitting prospect, Coke will get the chance to start the season on the major league roster.
Coke, 22, split last season between Class A (Palm Beach, .295 with two homers and 19 RBIs in 32 games) and AA (Springfield, .311 with 10 homers and 56 RBIs in 104 games).
He may not be long in the majors for now, but he probably will not have to wait until he is back full time.

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No. 1 -- Jesse McNaboe -- The 26-year-old had already clinched the fourth double-digit win total of his career in 2034, when his season was ended on July 11 by an elbow injury.
The right-hander went 10-9 with a 4.12 ERA in the 25 starts he did make.
McNaboe owns a career record of 53-35.
No. 2 -- Jim Martin - The right-hander enjoyed a good first season with the River Walkers.
Not only did he earn the starting nod for the National League in the All-Star game, but the 30-year-old went 12-12 with a 3.77 ERA in 33 games (32 starts).
Martin owns a career-record of 51-61.
No. 3 -- Josh McDonald -- Acquired in an off-season trade with Ann Arbor, the 28-year old McDonald is coming off a season where he went 7-13 with a 4.74 ERA for the Wolf Pack.
McDonald owns a career record of 41-53.
St. Louis gave up right-handed reliever Justin O'Rourke and right-handed pitching prospect Alejando Chacon in the trade to get McDonald.
No. 4 -- Edward Kunselman -- The 31-year-old right-hander was acquired in a trade from Toledo.
The 2034 season was his first as a full-time starter for the Mud Hens, he went 6-13 with a 4.81 ERA in 26 games.
For his career, Kunselman is 29-27 with two saves and 4.44 ERA in 219 games (52 starts).
St. Louis gave up minor-league pitching prospect Josh Rochford to get Kunselman.
No. 5 -- Shane Drogo -- Acquired from Peoria prior to the 2034 season, Drogo's first season in St . Louis was a disappointment.
The 29-year-old left-hander went 3-10 in 18 starts, he was injured twice, with a 6.47 ERA.
For his career, Drogo is 69-71 with a 3.98 ERA in 219 games (204 starts).

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CL -- Nick Strother -- Acquired in an off-season trade with Toledo, Strother will get to serve as the Walkers closer after filing the same role for the Mud Hens for the past four seasons.
Strother, 30, who has 125 career saves, was 8-6 with 29 saves and 3.00 ERA in 64 games for Toledo in 2034.
Strother is acquired in a deal which sent right-handed starting Kyle Smarr to Toledo.
RHP -- Juan Munoz -- Acquired just prior to opening day in a trade with Cleveland, Munoz has been something of a workhorse for the Juke Box Heroes for the past five seasons.
In 2034, Munoz, 27, got into 68 games during which he went 5-6 with one save and a 2.70 ERA.
For his career, Munoz is 18-17 with 14 saves and a 3.04 ERA in 378 games.
Munoz was acquired in a deal which sent starting pitcher Devin Rogers to Cleveland.
RHP -- Scott Rissler -- Back for his third season in St. Louis, Rissler has proven to be good find for the River Walkers.
Claimed off of waivers from Green Bay before the 2033 season, Rissler, 29, has pitched in 127 games for St. Louis going 8-7 with 10 saves and a 2.27 ERA.
His 2034 season was the best of his career. He got into 57 games, and went 2-4 with nine saves and a 1.87 ERA.
RHP -- Angel Tiburcio -- A three-time Cy Young winner in his younger years with the Walkers, Tiburicio's struggles since his return from shoulder injury suffered in July of 2033 have gotten him banished to the bullpen.
Tiburcio, 34, spent the 2034 season in the St. Louis rotation. He went 9-10 in 28 games (27 starts) with a 5.23 ERA.
The right-hander began his major league career as a reliever, the Walkers are hoping a return to the bullpen can help him turn things around.
LHP -- Nick Ruffalo -- While the 27-year-old Ruffalo didn't have his best season in 2034, he still is very much a viable left-handed option out of the bullpen.
Ruffalo, in 53 games, went 3-3 with 13 saves and a 2.79 ERA.
For his career, Ruffalo is 8-8 with 15 saves and a 2.68 ERA in 202 games.
LHP -- Zachary Stella -- The 34-year-old made his first All-Star team in 2034 before running into some struggles in the second half.
For the season, Stella pitched in a team-high 69 games during which he was 1-3 with two saves and a 2.71 ERA.
For his career, which dates back to 2025, Stella has pitched in 726 games and owns a 63-52 record with 134 saves and a 4.26 ERA.
LHP -- Oscar Martinez -- The 30-year-old may have been St. Louis' best lefty coming out of the bullpen in 2034.
In 59 games, he was 0-2 with a 2.66 ERA in 59 games.
In his career, Martinez is 16-24 with 111 saves in 321 games. He owns a 3.56 career ERA.
LHP -- Greg Sones -- The 26-year-old Sones served as the primary closer for a Memphis team which won the Class AAA Pacific Coast League title.
Sones was 2-4 with 28 saves and a 1.77 ERA in 39 games for the Redbirds.
The left-hander did start the season with the Walkers, but struggled.
He was 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA in 14 games.

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Record: 1-0, 1st/(Tied/w. Kansas City), 0.5 GA Cedar Rapids and Springfield
St. Louis scored two runs in the top of the ninth inning to rally for a 3-2 win over Quad City on Opening Day at Fenway Park (1976).
Down 1-0, the Thunder had tied the game in the bottom of the sixth on a two-out RBI double by Paul Totten off River Walkers starting pitcher Jesse McNaboe.
An inning later, QC took the lead when Alex Richards and Garrett Frechette led off consecutive doubles off St. Louis reliever Oscar Martinez.
The Walkers, however, knocked around Thunder closer Craig Fritzler in the top of the ninth.
Jose Segura led off the inning with a single.
Following a strike out, Aaron Nixon tied the game with a double.
Pinch-hitter Nathaniel Dixon drew a walk.
Bob Saavedra then snapped the tie with another double.
McNaboe worked six innings, allowing one run on three hits. He struck out two and walked three.
Martinez got the first out of the seventh before running into trouble.
Scott Rissler bailed him out, keeping the score at 2-1, and worked a scoreless eighth.
Rissler (1-0) earned the win.
Nick Strother set the Thunder down in order to earn a save in his first outing for St. Louis.

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Record: 1-1, 3rd (Tied/w. Quad City), 1 GB Kansas City
Tied 1-1, Quad City scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to help the Thunder rally for a 3-1 win at Fenway Park (1976).
Masyn Winn got things rolling for QC by drawing a lead-off walk from Juan Munoz.
Winn then stole second.
After a strike out, Jacob Gonzalez drew the second walk of the inning from Munoz.
Another walk, this one to Angel Solis, loaded the bases.
Munoz struck out Paul Totten for the second out.
Zachary Stella took over for Munoz, only to be greeted by a Phillip Clarke single which put the Thunder up 2-1.
Stella then walked Alex Richards, the fourth walk of the inning, to make it 3-1.
Pascal Marcovicci made the start for the Thunder, he handled the first 5.1 innings, allowing one run on two hits. He struck out six and walked three.
A trio of reliever, Jose Betances (1.2 IP), Edwin Cervantes and Craig Fritzler (1.0), combined to finish the game.
They didn't allow a base runner.
Betances (1-0) earned the win.
Fritzler collected his first save.

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Record: 2-1, 2nd/(Tied/w. Kansas City), 0.5 GB Cedar Rapids
Josh McDonald was impressive in his first start with St. Louis, allowing one run on three hits over seven innings, as the River Walkers won 4-1 over Quad City at Fenway Park (1976).
McDonald allowed just three hits in his time on the mound. He struck out five and walked one.
Nick Ruffalo worked a scoreless eighth for the Walkers.
Nick Strother did the same in the ninth for his second save.
St. Louis went up 1-0 in the top of the first, when Hector Tavarez homered in his first at bat of the game for the second straight night.
This homer came off Thunder starting pitcher Mike Koontz.
Tied 1-1, McDonald broke the tie himself with an RBI single off Koontz in the fifth.
Jose Segura capped the scoring with a two-run homer in the ninth off Daniel Espino.

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The St. Louis River Walkers have claimed outfielder Zach Caddell off of waivers from the Des Moines Harvesters.
The 26-year-old outfielder is a very good defender, but has only played 24 games in the majors during which he has hit .258 with three homers and eight RBIs.
Top hitting prospect Manuel Coke has been sent to AAA Memphis.
Coke didn't play in a game during his time in St. Louis.

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Record: 2-2, 2nd/(Tied/w. Springfield, Kansas City and Quad City), 1 GB Cedar Rapids
Madison smacked five home runs and ruined St. Louis home opener with a 10-0 rout of the River Walkers at Busch Stadium (2006).
The Muskies got things moving with three runs in the top of the third off St. Louis starting pitcher Edward Kunselman.
The first run was scored by Brady House on the back end of a double steal with Justin Moore, which featured a throwing error by catcher Jordan Miller.
Jon Solis did the rest with a two-run homer.
The Muskies went up 5-0 in the top of the third, getting back-to-back homers from Adam Macklin and Trent Rowan off Kunselman to open the inning.
Macklin homered for the second time, this one a three-run shot off Angel Tiburcio, in the sixth to make it 8-0.
Alex Greene capped the scoring with a two-run homer off Scott Rissler in the eighth.
All the offense overshadowed a strong performance by the Muskies pitching staff as four pitchers combined on a seven-hit shutout.
Alex Ochoa (1-0) earned the win, going the first 5.2 innings.
He allowed four hits while striking out five. Ochoa didn't issue a walk.
After that, Andrew Perez (1.1 IP), Victor Vodnik (1.0) and Luis Bahena combined to finish off the game for the Muskies.

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Record: 3-2, 2nd/(Tied/w. Kansas City), 1 GB Cedar Rapids
Shane Drogo allowed one run over six innings and St. Louis jumped out to an early 3-0 lead and cruised to a 9-1 win over Madison at Busch Stadium (2006).
Drogo allowed the one run -- on an RBI single from John McCaskey in the top of the fifth to make it 5-1 -- on four hits. He struck out three and walked three.
Jose Segura hit a three-run homer off Muskies starter Jared Darch in the bottom of the first inning to stake the River Walkers to a 3-0 lead.
That lead grew to 5-0 in the third.
Hector Tavarez drove in the first run with a double off Darch.
Segura plated the other with a fly ball, also off Drach.
Nick Shaw later made it 6-1, when he led off the fifth with a homer off Madison reliever Tyler Phillips.
St. Louis got its final three runs in the sixth.
Segura collected two more RBIs with a single off Andrew Perez.
Bob Saavedra made it 91 with an RBI single.
Greg Sones, Scott Rissler and Juan Munoz all pitched scoreless innings to close out the game for St. Louis.

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Record: 4-2, 2nd/(Tied/w. Kansas City), 1 GB Cedar Rapids
Hector Tavarez connected on a two-out double in the bottom of the 11th inning to score Chris Duncan, and give St. Louis a 6-5 win over Madison at Busch Stadium (2006).
The win was the second in a row for the River Walkers, to close out the three-game series.
Duncan had singled off Muskies relief pitcher Bobby Westerman with one-out in the 11th.
A bunt by Aaron Nixon had moved Duncan to third.
Tavarez then dropped line drive down the right-field line to win it.
Jose Segura hit a grand slam in the bottom of the first off Muskies starting pitcher Efrain Garcia to put the Walkers ahead 4-0.
Madison, however, would put up a four-spot against St. Louis starter Jesse McNaboe in the fifth to go up 5-4.
Alex Greene with a double, Justin Moore with a triple and singles by Adam Macklin and Trent Rowan all drove in runs off McNaboe.
St. Louis tied it in the bottom of the sixth.
Segura drew a one-out walk from reliever Wade Hreha.
A Bob Saavedra single moved Segura to third.
Jackson Miller drove Segura win with a fly ball.
The ugly fifth inning blew up a decent start for McNaboe.
He ended up going five innings, allowing five runs on 11 hits. He struck out three and walked one.
The Walkers bullpen was very good after that, as five relievers combined to shutout the Muskies the rest of the way.
Oscar Martinez (1.0 IP) was the first to take the mound.
After that, it was Juan Munoz (2.0), Nick Ruffalo (1.1), Angel Tiburcio (1.0) and Greg Sones (0.2).
Sones (1-0) earned his first win on the major-league level.