The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Captains player profiles
Will Benson
Position: Right field Age: 19 Hometown: Atlanta, Ga. Height, weight: 6-5, 215 Bats, throws: R/R Background: Taken with the 14th overall pick in the first round of June 2016 draft out of high school. Rated as 10th-best prospect in the Indians organization by Baseball America. Batted .236 at Mahoning Valley last season with 10 home runs and 36 RBI.
Ulysses Cantu
Position: First base Age: 19 Hometown: Fort Worth, Texas Height, weight:
5-11, 220 Bats, throws: R/R Background: Selected in sixth round of June 2016 draft out of high school. Batted .254 with four home runs and 25 RBI last season at Mahoning Valley.
Ernie Clement
Position: Shortstop, second base Age: 22 Hometown:
Pittsford, N.Y. Height,
weight: 6-0, 170 Bats, throws: R/R
Background: Fourth-round pick in June 2017 draft out of University of Virginia. Rated as 24th-best prospect in the Indians organization by Baseball America.
Tommy DeJuneas
Position: Pitcher Age: 22 Hometown: Milford, CT Height, weight: 6-1, 180 Throws: R Background: Selected in 26th round of June 2017 draft out of North Carolina State.
Tyler Friis
Position: Infield Age: 22 Hometown: Auburn, Wash. Height, weight: 6-3,
180 Bats, throws: Switch/right Background: Selected in 21st round of June 2017 draft out of Indiana State. Played second base, shortstop and third base last season at Mahoning Valley.
Oscar Gonzalez
Position: Outfield Age: 20 Hometown: San Cristobal, Dominican Republic Height, weight: 6-2, 180 Baths, throws: R/R
Background: Non-drafted free agent signee was a New York-Penn League AllStar last season in Mahoning Valley. Batted .263 with three home runs and 34 RBI. Rated as 20th-best prospect in the Indians organization by Baseball America
Juan Hillman
Position: Pitcher Age: 21 Hometown: Gotha, Fla. Height, weight: 6-2, 183 Throws: L Background: Tak- en in second round of June 2015 draft out of high school. Spent 2017 season with Lake County, going 7-10 with a 6.08 ERA in 26 starts.
Grant Hockin
Position: Pitcher Age: 22 Hometown:
Pomona, Calif. Height, weight: 6-4,
200 Throws: R Background: Selected in second round of June 2014 draft out of high school. At Mahoning Valley last season was 2-4 with a 4.36 ERA in six starts. Missed all of the 2015 and 2016 seasons while recovering from Tommy John surgery. Grandson of Hall of Fame slugger Harmon Killabrew.
Todd Isaacs
Position: Outfield Age: 21 Hometown: Nassau, Bahamas Height, weight:
5-11, 180 Bats, throws: R/R Background: Selected in 19th round of June 2015 draft out of Palm Beach State (Fla.) College. Spent last season in Lake County, batting .224 with nine home runs, 33 RBI and 18 stolen bases.
Domingo Jimenez
Position: Pitcher
Age: 24 Hometown: San Cristobal, Dominican Republic Height, weight: 6-3,
175 Throws: Right Background: Signed as non-drafted free agent in November 2013
Nolan Jones
Position: Third base Age: 19 Hometown: Langhorne, Pa. Height,
weight: 6-4, 185 Bats/ throws: L/R
Background: Rated as fourth-best prospect in the Indians organization by Baseball America. Selected in second round of the June 2016 draft out of Holy Ghost Prep High School in Langhorne, Pa. Had a standout 2017 season at shortseason Single-A Mahoning Valley, batting .317 with four home runs, 33 RBI and 69 hits in 62 games.
James Karinchak
Position: Pitcher Age: 22 Hometown: Walden, N.Y. Height, weight: 6-3, 215 Throws: R Background: Selected in ninth round of June 2017 draft out of Bryant (R.I.) University. At Mahoning Valley last season was 2-2 with a 5.79 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 23 1⁄3 innings.
Kirk McCarty
Position: Pitcher Age: 22 Height, weight: 5-10, 185 Throws: L
Background:
Taken in seventh round of June 2017 draft out of Southern Mississippi. Was solid at Mahoning Valley in 2017, finishing 2-2 with a 1.85 ERA.
Jose Medina
Position: First base, outfield Age: 23 Hometown: Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic Height, weight: 6-1, 185 Bats, throws: R/R Background: Signed as non-drafted free agent in September 2013. At Lake County last season batted .237 with nine home runs and 17 RBI in 54 games.
Jean Carlos Mejia
Position: Pitcher Age: 22 Hometown: Gaspar, Hernandez Venezuela
Height, weight: 6-4, 205 Throws: Right Background: Signed as non-drafted free agent in November 2013. With rookie-league Arizona and Mahoning Valley last season, recorded nine saves with 50 strikeouts in 37 innings.
Eli Morgan
Position: Pitcher Age: 21 Hometown: Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. Height, weight:
5-10, 190 Throws: R Background: Selected in eighth round of June 2017 draft out of Gonzaga. Opened eyes last season in Mahoning Valley, going 3-2 with 1.03 ERA, 58 strikeouts and nine walks in 35.0 innings. Rated as 29th best prospect in Indians organization by Baseball America.
Kyle Nelson
Position: Pitcher Age: 21 Hometown: San Francisco, Calif. Height, weight: 6-1, 175 Throws: L Background: Selected in 15th round of June 2017 draft out of UC-Santa Barbara. At Mahoning Valley last season was 2-4 with a 2.48 ERA and four saves.
Francisco Perez
Position: Pitcher Age: 20 Hometown:
Santo Domingo Este, Dominican Republic Height, weight: 6-2, 195 Throws: L Background: Non-drafted free-agent signee comes off a promising season at Mahoning Valley, where he finished 4-4 with a 3.28 ERA in 15 starts.
Michael Rivera
Position: Catcher Age: 22 Hometown: St. Petersburg, Fla. Height, weight:
5-10, 200 Bats, throws: R/R Background: Sixth-round pick in June 2017 draft out of University of Florida.
Jorma Rodriguez
Position: Infield Age: 22 Hometown: Cagua, Venezuela Height, weight:
5-10, 150 Bats, throws: Switch/right Background: Signed as nondrafted free agent in July 2012. Played second base and third base last season for the Captains, batting .201 with three home runs and 16 RBI in 88 games.
Felix Tati
Position: Pitcher Age: 21 Hometown: Quisqueya, Dominican Republic Height, weight:
6-2, 190 Throws: Right Background: Signed as non-drafted free agent in October 2013. At Mahoning Valley last season was 7-3 with a 3.77 ERA.
Jonathan Teaney
Position: Pitcher Age: 22 Hometown: Palmdale, Calif. Height, weight: 6-1, 190 Throws: Right Background: Selected in 29th round of June 2017 draft out of University of San Diego. At Mahoning Valley last season was 2-1, 2.08 ERA with five saves and 51 strikeouts in 30.1 innings.
Gregori Vasquez
Position: Pitcher Age: 21 Hometown: Hatillo, Dominican Republic Height, weight: 6-1, 185 Throws: R Background: Non-drafted free agent was a standout at Mahoning Valley last season, finishing 5-3 with a 2.38 ERA in 14 starts.
Jose Vicente
Position: Catcher Age: 22 Hometown: San Ignacio de Sabane, Dominican Republic Height, weight:
5-11, 175 Bats, throws: R/R Background: Non-drafted free agent signed in July 2013
Austen Wade
Position: Center field Age: 22 Hometown: Midland, Texas Height, weight: 6-1, 185 Bats, throws: L/L
Background: Selected in fifth round of the June 2017 draft out of Texas Christian University. Helped lead the Horned Frogs to the College World Series as a junior. In 36 games at Mahoning Valley batted .255 with one home run and 10 RBI.