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LOS ANGELES -- The Great Lakes Loons have a brand new coaching staff and open their season on Thursday night against Fort Wayne at Dow Diamond in Midland, Michigan. The preliminary 2015 roster for the Dodgers' low Class-A affiliate was announced on Monday, and is highlighted by pitcher Grant Holmes and outfielder Alex Verdugo.
Holmes, the Dodgers' first-round selection in the 2014 draft, was 2-3 with a 3.72 ERA in 11 games, including 10 starts, combined for rookie levels Arizona League and Ogden, with 58 strikeouts and 13 walks in 48⅓ innings.
Verdugo, drafted in the second round last year, hit .353/.421/.511 with 15 doubles, three triples and three home runs in 54 games, 49 of which were in the rookie-level Arizona League.
Holmes and Verdugo are two of 13 draft picks from 2014 on the Loons' preliminary roster, including five of their top seven picks - pitchers Jeff Brigham, Brock Stewart and Trevor Oaks.
Holmes was ranked the fourth-best Dodgers prospect this season by our David Hood, with Verdugo ninth and Brigham 17th.
Also highlighting the Great Lakes preliminary squad is catcher Julian Leon, who hit .332/.420/.565 with 12 home runs and 14 doubles in 63 games at age 18 for Ogden in 2014.
The Loons have three first-year coaches, including manager Luis Matos, hitting coach Jay Gibbons and fourth coach Angel Sanchez. They are joined by pitching coach Glenn Dishman, in his 11th year coaching in the Dodgers' system, after spending the last four seasons in the same position for Triple-A Albuquerque.
Excited to fly out of AZ and get things going with the @greatlakesloons. Back to the Midwest I go! Michigan bound tomorrow!
— Brock Stewart (@B_Rock_one5) April 5, 2015
Early flight at 7am to Midland, Michigan. Can't wait for the opportunity to be a @greatlakesloons!
— Jimmy Allen (@j_allen_15) April 6, 2015
The full opening day roster will be finalized before Thursday, but for now here is the preliminary 2015 Looks roster:
| 2015 Great Lakes Loons preliminary roster | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pitchers (14) | B/T | 2015 age* | How acquired | Highest 2014 level |
| Jeff Brigham | R/R | 23 | 2014 draft (4th rd) | Ogden |
| Joe Broussard | R/R | 24 | 2014 draft (15th rd) | Ogden |
| Victor Gonzalez | L/L | 19 | international FA, 2012 | Ogden |
| Yeuri Gonzalez | R/R | 22 | international FA, 2014 | AZL Dodgers |
| Kevin Guzman | R/R | 20 | international FA, 2013 | AZL Dodgers |
| Grant Holmes | L/R | 19 | 2014 draft (1st rd) | Ogden |
| Kyle Hooper | R/R | 24 | 2013 draft (25th rd) | Great Lakes |
| Karch Kowalczyk | R/R | 24 | 2014 draft (37th rd) | Ogden |
| Jose Molina | L/L | 24 | minor league FA, 2015 | High-A Charlotte |
| Trevor Oaks | R/R | 22 | 2014 draft (7th rd) | Ogden |
| David Reid-Foley | L/R | 24 | undrafted FA, 2013 | AZL Dodgers |
| Bubby Rossman | S/R | 23 | 2014 draft (22nd rd) | AZL Dodgers |
| Brock Stewart | L/R | 23 | 2014 draft (6th rd) | Ogden |
| J.D. Underwood | L/R | 22 | 2013 draft (5th rd) | Ogden |
| Catchers (2) | B/T | 2015 age* | How acquired | Highest 2014 level |
| Julian Leon | R/R | 19 | international FA, 2012 | Ogden |
| Ryan Scott | R/R | 20 | 2013 draft (30th rd) | Ogden |
| Infielders (8) | B/T | 2015 age* | How acquired | Highest 2014 level |
| Michael Ahmed | R/R | 23 | 2013 draft (20th rd) | Ogden |
| James Allen | R/R | 23 | 2014 draft (24th rd) | Ogden |
| Justin Chigbogu | L/L | 20 | 2012 draft (4th rd) | Great Lakes |
| Josmar Cordero | R/R | 23 | international FA, 2010 | Great Lakes |
| Scott DeJong | R/R | 22 | 2014 draft (32nd rd) | AZL Dodgers |
| Faustino Oguisten | R/R | 24 | international FA, 2009 | Double-A Chattanooga |
| Kelvin Ramos | R/R | 21 | 2014 draft (14th rd) | Ogden |
| Tyler Wampler | R/R | 23 | 2014 draft (17th rd) | Great Lakes |
| Outfielders (3) | B/T | 2015 age* | How acquired | Highest 2014 level |
| Yadir Drake | R/R | 25 | international FA, 2014 | pro debut |
| Jacob Scavuzzo | R/R | 21 | 2012 draft (21st rd) | Great Lakes |
| Alex Verdugo | L/L | 19 | 2014 draft (2nd rd) | Ogden |
| *age as of June 30, 2015 | ||||