Sal Frelick, Tyler Black, Joe Gray Jr. highlight Wisconsin Timber Rattlers opening day roster

Mike Sherry, Appleton Post-Crescent
·2 min read
Timber Rattlers outfielder Sal Frelick (17) bats against the Beloit Snappers during an August 2021 game. Frelick will open the season with the Rattlers in 2022.
Timber Rattlers outfielder Sal Frelick (17) bats against the Beloit Snappers during an August 2021 game. Frelick will open the season with the Rattlers in 2022.
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GRAND CHUTE – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers’ opening day roster features eight of the Milwaukee Brewers’ top 30 prospects.

Sal Frelick, a first-round pick by the Brewers last year and their No. 1 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, will open the season with the Timber Rattlers after ending last season in Grand Chute.

Infielder Tyler Black, who was a competitive balance round pick of Milwaukee in 2021, is the other top 10 Brewers prospect who will start the 2022 season with the Timber Rattlers. Black, who played in college at Wright State, is rated No. 6 in the system by MLB Pipeline.

The other top 30 prospects who will start the season with the Timber Rattlers include outfielder Joe Gray Jr. (No. 13), pitchers Antoine Kelly (No. 14) and Russell Smith (No. 16), infielder Zavier Warren (No. 18), outfielder Carlos Rodríguez (No. 22), and pitcher Cam Robinson (No. 27).

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Frelick, Gray, Kelly, Warren, Rodríguez and Robinson all spent time with the Timber Rattlers in 2021.

Other players on the opening day roster who spent time in Wisconsin in 2021 include pitchers Kent Hasler, Justin Jarvis, Brandon Knarr, Joey Matulovich, Zach Mort, Brady Schanuel, TJ Shook and Cristían Sierra, catcher Alex Hall, and infielders Yeison Coca and Antonio Piñero. Two pitchers on the roster were members of the Timber Rattlers in 2019, Tyler Gillies and Max Lazar.

Minor League Baseball rules allow 30 active players for teams in the High-A Central League, and the Timber Rattlers are at that 30-player limit.

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers opening-day roster

Here is the complete roster for the Timber Rattlers, who will be managed by Joe Ayrault and open the season against the Peoria Chiefs at 6:40 p.m. Friday at Fox Cities Stadium:

Pitchers (16): Robbie Baker, Tyler Gillies, Miguel Guerrero, Kent Hasler, Justin Jarvis, Antoine Kelly, Brandon Knarr, Max Lazar, Joey Matulovich, James Meeker, Zach Mort, Cam Robinson, Brady Schanuel, TJ Shook, Cristían Sierra, Russell Smith.

Catchers (3): Wes Clarke, Alex Hall, Darien Miller.

Infielders (7): Tyler Black, Noah Campbell, Yeison Coca, Ernesto Martínez Jr., Ethan Murray, Antonio Piñero, Zavier Warren.

Outfielders (4): Sal Frelick, Joe Gray Jr., Tristan Peters, Carlos Rodríguez.

This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Wisconsin Timber Rattlers roster features 8 Brewers prospects