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Baseball's Late Start Features 'Eaters
July 22, 2020 | Baseball
IRVINE, Calif. --- With all the changes in the sports world in 2020 due to COVID-19, Major League Baseball was heavily affected never reaching Opening Day in late March. The league has adjusted and looks to start games this week on Thursday, July 23 with a few Anteaters making the cut in the new-look rosters for 2020.
Teams had players begin to report on July 1 for the now 60-game season that would start on the 23rd. Teams were able to have up to 60 players report to camp as part of their player pool which will be narrowed down to a 30-man roster that will be available for games with the others continuing to train at an alternate site. Three Anteaters were among their team's 60-player pool to start in Keston Hiura, Chris Rabago, and Royce Lewis
Keston Hiura, who broke through to the Majors in May of 2019, is the only Anteater listed on an active Major League roster, and stands to become the second Anteater ever to start the season on the Opening Day roster. He was the eighth UCI alum to reach the MLB level and could become the second to make an Opening Day starting lineup as well joining Brady Anderson who did it multiple times in the 90s with the Baltimore Orioles.
Hiura begins the season officially on Friday, July 24 against the Chicago Cubs with the Milwaukee Brewers. The squad looks to return to the postseason like they did a year ago reaching the NL Wild Card game.
Chris Rabago and Royce Lewis joined their respective teams at their Summer training camps getting reps in before being sent to their alternate sites earlier in the week. Rabago has been with the Colorado Rockies organization as a catcher since 2014 climbed steadily up the ranks reaching Triple-A in 2019 in Albuquerque, N.M. which is where he'll start at Colorado's altaernate site. Lewis was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 draft by the Minnesota Twins where he was an NLI signee of UC Irvine at the time, and will start at the alternate site in St. Paul, MN home of the independent league St. Paul Saints. Each player has an outside shot of joining the big-league club in this truncated season become the ninth and 10th Anteaters all-time to reach the MLB level.
The numerous other Anteaters across Minor League Baseball will not have a 2020 season as the minor league level has canceled its season entirely. This includes Brian Hernandez who was part of the Mexican League which has ties to the MLB system.
Brandon Lewis Los Angeles Times article
Teams had players begin to report on July 1 for the now 60-game season that would start on the 23rd. Teams were able to have up to 60 players report to camp as part of their player pool which will be narrowed down to a 30-man roster that will be available for games with the others continuing to train at an alternate site. Three Anteaters were among their team's 60-player pool to start in Keston Hiura, Chris Rabago, and Royce Lewis
Keston Hiura, who broke through to the Majors in May of 2019, is the only Anteater listed on an active Major League roster, and stands to become the second Anteater ever to start the season on the Opening Day roster. He was the eighth UCI alum to reach the MLB level and could become the second to make an Opening Day starting lineup as well joining Brady Anderson who did it multiple times in the 90s with the Baltimore Orioles.
Great Scott! Baseball is back. pic.twitter.com/5J45bZUNkY
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) July 3, 2020
Hiura begins the season officially on Friday, July 24 against the Chicago Cubs with the Milwaukee Brewers. The squad looks to return to the postseason like they did a year ago reaching the NL Wild Card game.
?? Backstop Banter pic.twitter.com/EvQhY0e15J
— Colorado Rockies ?? (@Rockies) July 6, 2020
Chris Rabago and Royce Lewis joined their respective teams at their Summer training camps getting reps in before being sent to their alternate sites earlier in the week. Rabago has been with the Colorado Rockies organization as a catcher since 2014 climbed steadily up the ranks reaching Triple-A in 2019 in Albuquerque, N.M. which is where he'll start at Colorado's altaernate site. Lewis was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 draft by the Minnesota Twins where he was an NLI signee of UC Irvine at the time, and will start at the alternate site in St. Paul, MN home of the independent league St. Paul Saints. Each player has an outside shot of joining the big-league club in this truncated season become the ninth and 10th Anteaters all-time to reach the MLB level.
Reminder that #MNTwins top prospect Royce Lewis was named the 2019 Arizona Fall League MVP. Other recent winners of the award:
— Matthew Taylor (@MatthewTaylorMN) July 15, 2020
- Keston Hiura
- Ronald Acuna, Jr.
- Gleyber Torres
- Kris Bryant
- Nolan Arenado
The numerous other Anteaters across Minor League Baseball will not have a 2020 season as the minor league level has canceled its season entirely. This includes Brian Hernandez who was part of the Mexican League which has ties to the MLB system.
Brandon Lewis Los Angeles Times article
This was one of my favorite responses from my conversation with @mikeyfilia:
— Alex Feuz (@AlexFeuz) May 8, 2020
"Be yourself."
Mikey's dad gave him that piece of advice when he was younger and has stuck with him since. @BRoyalsKC | #BRoyalSpotlight pic.twitter.com/Kryvv4v8HD
LAND’ON one over the fence 👊
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