News
Braves add five pitchers to 40-man roster
Move protects players from being Rule 5 Draft-eligibleBy Mark Bowman / MLB.com
11/20/09 10:41 AM EST
ATLANTA -- The Braves have chosen to protect an additional five pitchers from the Rule 5 Draft by adding them to their 40-man roster.
The latest roster additions include three left-handed pitchers -- Jose Ortegano, Lee Hyde and Jonny Venters -- and a pair of right-handers -- Jeff Lyman and Kyle Coffield.
All Major League clubs have until the end of Friday to decide which of their Rule 5 Draft-eligible players they want to protect by placing them on the 40-man roster.
Hyde, who was selected out of Georgia Tech in the fourth round of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft, has made just 58 appearances during his injury-plagued professional career. The 24-year-old left-handed reliever has posted a 3.00 ERA and battled some control problems while recording 13 strikeouts and issuing seven walks in 12 innings during this year's Arizona Fall League.
Ortegano gained attention when he posted a 1.48 ERA and recorded 55 strikeouts in the 60 1/3 innings he completed for Rookie-level Danville in 2007. The 22-year-old left-hander seemed to regain some of that promising form while posting a 1.16 WHIP and a 3.22 ERA in the 29 combined appearances (20 starts) he made with Class A Advanced Myrtle Beach and Double-A Mississippi this year.
Venters combined to go 8-11 with a 4.42 ERA in the 29 combined starts he made for Mississippi and Triple-A Gwinnett this year. The 24-year-old southpaw has battled control problems throughout his professional career. During his 156 2/3 innings this year, he recorded 98 strikeouts and issued 77 walks.
Lyman, who was selected in the second round of the 2005 Draft, combined to go 5-9 with a 3.32 ERA in 38 combined appearances (10 starts) with Gwinnett and Mississippi this year. The 22-year-old right-hander recorded 76 strikeouts and issued 43 walks in the 86 2/3 innings he completed with Mississippi.
Cofield, who was selected in the eighth round of the 2005 Draft, battled control problems and still managed to go 10-5 with a 3.90 ERA in the 26 appearances (24 starts) he made for Mississippi this year. In the 140 2/3 innings that he completed, the 22-year-old right-hander issued 89 walks and registered 87 strikeouts.
Mark Bowman is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
