RELEASE FROM MISSOULA OSPREY
MISSOULA – Thursday is “Opening Day” for Major League Baseball and former Missoula Osprey players and coaches are scattered around the league as the first pitch flies. 16 former Missoula Osprey players, including Kansas City Royals’ pitcher Brad Keller who will be making his Major League debut, have made the active rosters
for their respective teams as the season begins. Another former Osprey, Tony Barnette, starts the season on the disabled list but is expected to join the Texas Rangers when healthy.
In addition, former Osprey Andy Green will begin his third season as the Manager of the San Diego Padres as he and six other former Osprey coaches are on Major League coaching staffs to begin the year.
Keller pitched for the Osprey in both the 2013 and 2014 seasons and will be the 62nd former Osprey to play in the Major Leagues. He was selected during the December Baseball Winter Meetings by the Cincinnati Reds in the Rule 5 draft off the Arizona Diamondbacks roster. He was then immediately traded to the Kansas City Royals and
had a solid spring to make the Royals bullpen as a reliever to start the season. Keller, being a Rule 5 pick, had to make the Royals Major League roster or be offered back to the Diamondbacks.
Naturally, the list of former Osprey currently playing in the Majors is led by Diamondbacks star Paul Goldschmidt who is coming off perhaps his best season as he finished 3rd in the MVP voting for the National League last season. The Diamondbacks have six former Osprey on the roster, including Jorge De La Rosa, who pitched for the inaugural 1999 Osprey Championship team and is the “senior” alum in the Majors today.
Green enters his third season as the Padres Manager. Chip Hale and him are the only former Osprey Managers to manage in the big leagues. Hale is currently the Bench Coach for the Washington Nationals. Regionally, Mariners’ fans have probably noticed former Osprey Pitching Coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. in the M’s dugout. “Stott” begins his 3rd season as the Pitching Coach of the Mariners.
Some other Opening Day notes for the Osprey:
Chase Anderson (Osprey 2009) has been named the Opening Day starter for the Brewers and will be pitching today against San Diego and Andy Green.
The 2009 Osprey team has 5 current Major League players and produced 11 Major League players total, the most of any former Osprey team. That 2009 Osprey team make the Pioneer League Championship Series where they fell to Orem in 3 games.
There is one active Major Leaguer representing each of the four Osprey Championship teams. They are Jorge De La Rosa (1999), Gerardo Parra (2006), Jake Lamb (2012), and Gabriel Moya (2015).
Former Osprey on 2018 Major League Opening Day rosters:
Arizona Diamondbacks: Andrew Chafin (2011), Archie Bradley (2011), Paul Goldschmidt (2009), Jake Lamb (2012), Chris Owings (2009), Jorge De La Rosa (1999)
Atlanta Braves: Ender Inciarte (2009)
Colorado Rockies: Carlos Gonzalez (2003), Gerardo Parra (2006), Bryan Shaw (2008)
Kansas City Royals: Brad Keller (2013-2014)
Milwaukee Brewers: Chase Anderson (2009), Keon Broxton (2009)
Minnesota Twins: Gabriel Moya (2014–2015)
Texas Rangers: Tony Barnette – On 10-day Disabled List (2006)
Washington Nationals: Miguel Montero (2002-2003) Adam Eaton (2010)
Major League Coaches:
Andy Green, San Diego Padres Manager (Osprey player 2000, Manager 2012)
Chip Hale, Washington Nationals Bench Coach (Osprey Manager 2000-01)
Mel Stottlemyre Jr., Seattle Mariners Pitching Coach (Osprey PC 2005-06)
Tony Perezchica, Arizona Diamondbacks 3rd Base Coach (Osprey Manager 2004)
Robby Hammock, Arizona Diamondbacks Quality Control/Catching Coach (Osprey Manager 2013)
Luis Urueta, Arizona Diamondbacks Coach (Osprey player 2002)
Doug Bochtler, San Diego Padres Bullpen Coach (Osprey PC 2013)
