Meet the Timber Rattlers (2006 Opening Day Version)

The roster is out and it is official.

For the record, there is one returning player, two members of the Top 30 Mariner Prospects (according to Baseball America's Prospect Handbook), and five members of the 2005 Mariner draft class. There are also some familiar players for those who have followed the Seattle farm system for the last few seasons.

The returning player from last season is Jason Snyder. The tall right handed pitcher went 9-7 for the Rattlers last season. He missed a little time last season, but was solid as a starter.

The members of BA's Top 30 list are Michael Saunders and Luis Valbuena. Saunders, a Canadian, is rated 12th on the list and hit .270 with 7 homers and 39 RBI in Everett last season. Valbuena, a Venezuelan, is rated 14th in the M's system. He led the Northwest League in homers with 12 and RBI with 51.

The members of the '05 draft class joining the Rattlers are Justin Thomas, Bryan Sabatella, Alex Gary, Nick Allen, and Jeff Gilmore.

Thomas (4th round Youngstown State), Allen (21st round, Villanova), and Gilmore (29th round, Stanford) are all pitchers.

Sabatella (9th round, Quinnipiac) was mainly an outfielder in Everett last season.

Gary (22nd round, Virginia Commonwealth University) also played the outfield for the AquaSox last season.

Here is the roster:

No. Name (2005 team W-L ERA)
Pitchers (12)
21 Nick Allen (Everett: 6-4, 4.59)
19 Jose Escalona (Aguirre {VSL}: 3-4, 1.18; Non-drafted free agent '03 Venezuela)
11 Paul Fagan (Everett: 6-2, 3.50; 4th round pick in '03 Bartram Hills {FL} High School)
10 Ruben Flores (Did not pitch in '05: 12th round pick in '03 El Paso CC)
34 Rollie Gibson (Everett: 3-2, 4.45; 30th round '04 Fresno City College)
23 Edgar Guaramato (Everett: 1-4, 3.62; NDFA '00 Venezuela)
30 Jason Snyder (Wisconsin: 9-7, 4.82; 17th round '03 Salt Lake CC)
22 Justin Thomas (Everett: 3-3, 3.81; '05 Horizon League Pitcher of the Year)
27 Marwin Vega (AZL M's: 4-2, 4.73; NDFA '03 Colombia)
20 Harold Williams (Everett: 0-2, 5.79; 38th round '04 Mt. San Jacinto College)
35 Joe Woerman (Everett: 0-0, 4.76; 11th round '03 San Diego City College)

Catchers (3) ('05 team: AVG-HR-RBI)
25 Nick Prosise (AZL M's: .240-0-14; NDFA '05 George Mason)
4 J.B. Tucker (Everett: .259-11-36; NDFA '05 Wake Forest)
15 Chao Kuan Wu (Everett: .217-0-1; NDFA '02 Taiwan)

Infielders (7)
2 Jeffrey Dominguez AZL M's: .240-0-11; 9th round '04 PR Baseball Academy)
12 Jeff Flaig (Everett: .254-7-38; 2nd round '03 El Doraado {CA} HS)
5 Ron Garth (AZL M's: .357-3-15; NDFA '01 Nicaragua)
3 Robby Hudson (Everett: .253-0-16; NDFA '05 University of Texas)
17 Bryan Sabatella (Everett: .249-3-18)
32 Mike Saunders Everett: .270-7-39; 11th round '04 Tallahassee CC)
18 Luis Valbuena (Everett: .261-12-51; NDFA '02 Venezuela)

Outfielders (3)
7 Casey Craig (Everett: .278-6-28; 21st round '03 Granite Hills {CA} HS)
13 Alex Gary (Everett: .237-6-22)
24 Eddy Hernandez (AZL M's: .356-4-18; NDFA '01 Dominican Republic)


UPDATE: Post edited on 4/4/06. Edits are in bold italics)