Atlantic League Pro Showcase presented by Prospect Dugout: The Atlantic League Pro Showcase is set for Tuesday-Wednesday, March 22-23 at the USSSA Complex in Viera, Fla. Over 250 prospects are expected to attend and all 10 ALPB managers will be in attendance. The ALPB Draft will be held in the late afternoon on March 23.

 

ALPB Gets a 10 Count: For the first time in the history of the Atlantic League, there will be 10 clubs contending for the 2022 championship. The Staten Island FerryHawks and the Kentucky Wild Health Genomes join the league this year with the FerryHawks in the North Division and the Genomes in the South. The ALPB has operated with eight teams in every season since 2000.

 

Welcome New Managers: The ALPB will have two new faces in the dugout this season. Edgardo Alfonzo will manage the new entry Staten Island FerryHawks and Billy Horn takes over in Charleston after having served as the bench coach in High Point since 2019. Mark Minicozzi, who guided Charleston into the playoffs in 2021, moves over to take over the Genomes in Lexington. 

 

Front Office Moves: Former St. John’s star and New York City Player of the Year Eddie Medina is serving as SI’s Director of Baseball Operations . . . Lexington, which is sharing its ballpark with the new franchise, the Wild Health Genomes in 2022, has renamed its venue Wild Health Field.  Both clubs will play their home games at Wild Health Field . . . Off-season promotions in the Legends front office have Colin Dodd as the Vice President of Sales and Business Operations and Michael Koltak as Vice President of Baseball Operations.

 

Player Signings: The Staten Island FerryHawks made their first signing in franchise history when GM Gary Perone inked all of SI’s youth baseball players to draw the kids closer to the game and instill a professional baseball frame of mind. The players were offered “contracts” and a “FerryHawk Fun Pass” to attend a future game . . . Gastonia has added RHP Ezequiel Zabaleta and RHP Euclides Leyer who was 4-1 a year ago. Starter A.J. Merkel has agreed to return to Gastonia after posting a 6-3 record last year. New to the GHH bullpen is Henry Martinez, a righty who was 6-3 in 2021 between the Erie Seawolves and Toledo Mud Hens clubs in the Detroit organization . . . Lancaster is returning RHP Brent Teller and C Anthony Peroni. Ps Nile Ball and Tommy Shirley are also returning to the ‘Stormers. Lancaster’s roster is now at eight following the return of P Dominic DiSabatino (11-9, 7.36) and 1B Kelly Dugan (.326/15/88). Lancaster also added new INFs Trace Loehr and Andretty Cordero from the Rangers’ organization . . . Long Island brings back manager Wally Backman and hitting coach Lew Ford while pitching coach Rick Tomlin is back with the club after serving in the same role in 2019. On the field, the Ducks have re-signed 6’7” RHP Hunter Caudelle, RHP Frank Moscatiello, RHP Dylan Peiffer, and LHP Bennett Parry who will start his third year with the Ducks. Perry was second in the ALPB in strikeouts in 2018 with 116. The Ducks have also signed newcomer OF Dustin Woodcock who spent two seasons in the Frontier League . . . York launched its preseason signings with a pair of returning stars in 1B Nellie Rodriguez and 3B Carlos Franco. Rodriguez was an ALPB All-Star and the Revolution’s Player of the Year in 2021 (.316/25/81) while also spending a month playing in the Mexican League.  . . . Southern Maryland will welcome back Rubi Silva for his fifth season in the Atlantic League and third with the Blue Crabs. He was the ALPB Player of the Month in August 2021 and SMD’s Offensive Player of the Year. C Alfonso Reda is back for his fourth season in the ALPB after hitting .182 in 29 games for Charleston in 2021 . . . High Point has signed INF Michael Martinez to return to the Rockers for a second season . . . New to High Point will be seven-year Twins farmhand Zander Wiel who played first base on Vanderbilt’s CWS champion team in 2014 . . . The Charleston Dirty Birds announced six new players for 2022: C Alfredo Gonzalez, RHP Jordan Stephens, OF Anfernee Seymour, RHP Francisco Carrillo, RHP Tyler Wilson, and INF Angel Garced.