Ryan Soares

Middle infielder Ryan Soares was promoted from extended spring training to the Lakeland Flying Tigers Monday.

Soares, 23, appeared in 38 games with the Connecticut Tigers in 2010, finishing the season with a .220 batting average, .248 on-base percentage and .283 slugging percentage.  He hit one home run and collected eight RBI during his time in Connecticut.

On defense, Soares committed six errors while splitting time between shortstop and second base.

He was the Tigers’ 36th round pick in the 2010 draft.

C: Byron Aird, Patrick Leyland, Gabriel Purroy, Adolfo Reina

1B: Juaner Aguasvivas

2B: Carlos De Los Santos, Alexander Nunez

3B: Josh Ashenbrenner, Edgar Corcino, Matt Perry

SS: Brett Anderson, Javier Azcona, Ryan Soares, Eugenio Suarez

OF: Gilbert Gomez, Bo McClendon, Alexander Moreno, Steven Moya, Samir Rijo, Les Smith, Danry Vasquez

P: Carlos Alvarado, Jeff Barfield, Endrys Briceno, Alex Burgos, Bill Castillo, Fernando Celis, Tyler Clark, Edgar De La Rosa, Emmanuel Del Orbe, Jack Duffey, Darlyn Duran, Drew Gagnier, Rayni Guichardo, Kevan Hess, Logan Hoch, Patrick Lawson, Hua-Wei Lo, Melvin Mercedes, Tim Mowry, Nate Newman, Wilsen Palacios, Benny Paulino, Pedro Perez, Zach Samuels, Luis Angel Sanz, Brennan Smith, Jade Todd, Jay Voss, Tyler White, Richard Zumaya

Toledo Mud Hens (Triple-A):

Robbie Weinhardt, RHP

Erie SeaWolves (Double-A):

None

Lakeland Flying Tigers (Advanced Single-A):

Matt Little, RHP
Julio Rodriguez, C
Eric Roof, C
Shawn Teufel, LHP

West Michigan Whitecaps (Single-A):

Josue Carreno, RHP
Patrick Cooper, RHP
Antonio Cruz, LHP
Ryan Enos, OF
Jeff Ferrell, RHP
Ramon Lebron, RHP
Dixon Machado, SS
Clemente Mendoza, RHP
P.J. Polk, OF
James Robbins, 1B
Jeff Rowland, OF
Michael Torrealba, RHP

Extended Spring Training:

Brett Anderson, SS
Josh Ashenbrenner, 3B/2B
Tyler Clark, RHP
Drew Gagnier, RHP
Rayni Guichardo, LHP
Kevan Hess, RHP
Logan Hoch, LHP
Patrick Lawson, RHP
Tim Mowry, RHP
Alexander Nunez, 2B
Wilsen Palacios, RHP
Matt Perry, 3B/1B
Luis Angel Sanz, RHP
Brennan Smith, RHP
Les Smith, OF
Ryan Soares, SS/2B
Tyler White, RHP

No longer with Tigers organization:

Brandon Barrow, LHP
Lance Baxter, LHP
Sean Finefrock, RHP
Tyson Kendrick, C
Matt Mansilla, OF
Miguel Mejia, RHP
Chris Sedon, 2B
Chao-Ting Tang, OF
Londell Taylor, OF

Right-handed pitcher Josue Carreno ranked eighth and shortstop Dixon Machado checked in at number ten.  Here are Fangraphs minor league writer Marc Hulet’s comments on the two Connecticut Tigers:

Carreno played in Venezuela for a couple of seasons before moving stateside. The right-hander was one of the more promising starters in the short-season New York Penn League. He features a low-90s fastball, good curveball and developing changeup. Carreno needs to improve his fastball command, and overall control, as he walked 33 batters in 64 innings. He showed the ability to induce a healthy number of ground-ball outs in Venezuela and that trend continued in Connecticut. Just 19, Carreno doesn’t have a huge ceiling, but he could develop into a solid No. 3 starter in the Majors. He’ll work on consistency and developing his pitches in Low-A ball in 2011.

Just 18, Machado showed a lot of potential in 2010 at the rookie ball level. Most of that promise comes in the field where he shows Gold Glove magic both with his range and his arm. He also has outstanding hand-eye coordination and is an athlete that makes all the plays. At the plate, Machado needs to get stronger – he is just 140 pounds – which explains his .060 ISO rate. He has some speed and swiped 12 bases in 43 games, but he needs to get on base more and improve upon his .309 OBP. His walk rate of 7.1 BB% shows potential and has a better eye than a lot of teenagers. He could use another year of seasoning in extended spring training but the lack of depth in the system could push Machado up to Low-A in 2011. He doesn’t have a huge ceiling but he could develop into a Cesar Izturis type of player.

Londell Taylor

According to TulsaWorld.com, former Connecticut Tiger Londell Taylor has verbally committed to play football for the University of Oklahoma.

Taylor signed a letter of intent to play football at Oklahoma as a senior in high school in 2007, but he opted to pursue a baseball career instead after the Tigers selected him in the 13th round of the 2007 draft.

Taylor was released by the Tigers this fall.  He batted .159 and slugged .264 in four seasons of minor league baseball.

Howard Bushong will not return in 2011

This will be the 28-year-old Graham’s first professional managerial assignment.  He spent last season as the Tigers’ minor league catching coordinator, while also serving as the hitting coach for the Gulf Coast League Tigers.

Graham spent five seasons in the minor leagues as a player, all with the Tigers organization.  He reached Triple A in 2007, appearing in 36 games with the Toledo Mud Hens.

The Sydney, Australia native played for Australia in both the 2006 and 2009 World Baseball Classics.

Graham’s coaching staff includes Jorge Cordova and Scott Dwyer, who will return as Connecticut’s pitching and hitting coaches respectively.  Athletic trainer T.J. Saunders will move up to the West Michigan Whitecaps in 2011.  His replacement has not been announced.

The Connecticut Tigers will open their season on the road with a three-game series against the Lowell Spinners June 17-19.  The Tigers’ home opener is scheduled for June 20 against the defending champion Tri-City Valleycats.

Stedler Division rivals Tri-City, Lowell and Vermont will all make multiple trips to Dodd Stadium in 2011.  Other teams who will play the Tigers at Dodd include the Brooklyn Cyclones, Williamsport Crosscutters, Batavia Muckdogs, Jamestown Jammers, Staten Island Yankees, Aberdeen IronBirds and Hudson Valley Renegades.

The Auburn Doubledays, Mahoning Valley Scrappers and State College Spikes will not play the Tigers at Dodd Stadium during the 2011 regular season.

The 2011 New York-Penn League All-Star game is scheduled for August 16 at LeLacheur Park in Lowell, Mass.

Here is a link to the full 2011 New York-Penn League schedule.

Julio Rodriguez

As Connecticut’s starting catcher, Rodriguez gunned down 31.3 percent (20 out of 64) of would-be basestealers and allowed only five passed balls.  He displayed a strong arm and quick feet behind the plate and was not afraid to throw behind baserunners in an attempt to pick them off first or second base.  He also showed good ability as a receiver.

Offensively, Rodriguez occasionally flashed good power to the gaps, but he was primarily a singles hitter during his time with Connecticut, finishing the season with a .270/.317/.360 slash line.

Like many catchers, Rodriguez’s well below-average speed is his weakest tool.