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SALT LAKE CITY — Familiar Salt Lake Bees and big league names are returning to Smith’s Ballpark when the team opens its 2018 campaign Thursday.
The Bees announced their opening day roster Monday, which holds 10 players on the Los Angeles Angels’ 40-man roster. A projected eleventh, infielder Nolan Fontana, was recalled by the Angels Saturday night.
“The roster is filled with lots and lots of major league ability,” said Bees general manager Marc Amicone. “There’s almost 3,000 games, I think, we have on our roster of time.”
That includes power or, as Bees manager Keith Johnson put it, “we’ve got the 3-run homer in the lineup this year.”
The Bees roster includes infielder Chris Carter, who led the National League with 41 home runs in 2016 while playing for the Milwaukee Brewers. However, Carter struggled in 2017 with the New York Yankees and was designated for assignment. He signed a minor league deal with the Angels in February.
Fan favorite Eric Young, Jr. also returns to Salt Lake to begin the 2018 season. Young drove in 52 runs, stole 20 bases and hit .305 in 83 games for the Bees last season. He also hit .264 with 16 RBIs and 12 stolen bases in 47 games with the Angels last season, mostly filling in after Angels star Mike Trout suffered an injury.
Jabari Blash, who the Angels acquired in February from the New York Yankees, and major league veteran Ben Revere, who played in 109 games for the Angels last season, will join Young in the outfield. Revere was released by the Cincinnati Reds last week.
“We have some guys who can drive the ball in the gap and drive the ball out of the ballpark, which is going to be fun to watch,” Johnson said.
Salt Lake’s pitching staff also boasts of pitching talent.
Parker Bridwell, who compiled an impressive 10-3 record and 3.64 ERA during his rookie campaign for the Los Angeles Angels, returns to Salt Lake to begin his 2018 season.
Bridwell started the 2017 season in the Baltimore Orioles organization before he was traded to Los Angeles last April. He started five games for the Bees last season.
Nick Tropeano, another previous Angels rotation member, also begins the 2018 season in Salt Lake as he continues to rebound from Tommy John surgery. He started 13 games for the Angels in 2016 before suffering a ligament injury to his throwing arm. He started 17 games for the Bees between the 2015 and 2016 seasons.
Right-handed pitcher Jaime Barria, the Angels’ No. 7 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, will also start the season in Salt Lake.
The roster also includes BYU alumnus Taylor Cole, who signed a minor league deal with the Angels last month. Cole made his major league debut in August with the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Bees begin their 2018 campaign Thursday, hosting Albuquerque in a five-game series.
New changes to the ballpark itself include a new lighting system and an intimidating $24 sandwich called “The 6-4-3 Double Play,” which includes six different types of meat, four vegetables, three kinds of cheese and is the size of a first base.
