The Rome Emperors open their first game under a new name tonight, and we finally have a chance to peruse their opening day lineup. Featuring seven of Battery Power’s top 30 prospects, including our number 3 and 4, the roster features a solid mix of talent and a rotation that should run out a solid arm every day.
Pitching
Spencer Schwellenbach and Owen Murphy are the obvious headlines of the roster, ranking third and fourth on our top 30 respectively. Schwellenbach returns after a good first professional season which saw him spend three games with Rome and post a 1.98 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 13 2⁄3 innings. Schwellenbach struggled a bit with getting back to form and staying on the field in his first season back from Tommy John surgery, but now should see the training wheels come off with the hope he takes the next step. Owen Murphy was one of the top teenagers in the minor leagues last year, striking out 113 batters in 89 2⁄3 innings. Murphy spent three games in Rome as well and had a 4.76 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 17 innings. Drue Hackenberg will take his first trip to Rome as a professional, and he brings excitement with him after he was drafted in the second round last season. 26th-ranked Lucas Braun rounds out the top 30 pitchers, and the 2023 6th round pick had a nice professional debut. In four starts with Augusta he dominated to the tune of a 1.04 ERA, and while he allowed some runs in two with Rome he also struck out 13 batters in 9 2⁄3 innings. The Rome bullpen will have a handful of fun arms to talk about, the most notable being Rolddy Munoz and Jared Johnson. Both players feature upper 90’s fastballs and solid sliders, and could be big league relievers in the coming years.
Position Players
Sabin Ceballos will be one of the major players to watch in the system this season, as he garnered plenty of praise after being drafted in the third round of last year’s draft. Our 14th-ranked prospect, Ceballos is notable for his on base skill and the belief is that his raw power will start to show in games more as a professional. Ambioris Tavarez received a bump from Single-A after a terrible season last year, but with some swing changes the Braves are hopeful that the player once lauded for his hitting ability and raw power will be able to take the next step in his career. Tavarez has the defensive skill to stick at shortstop, and while he lost important development to the Covid-19 shutdown and thoracic outlet syndrome, he is still a talented player with a high ceiling if he can make contact. Kevin Kilpatrick Jr. is a plus athlete who can defend all three outfield spots well and has shown great plate discipline, but will need to hit more and add a bit of power in order to reach his ceiling. Outside of the top 30 Jeremy Celedonio is a fun player to watch, as though his contact skill leaves much to be desired he has the most raw power in the system and will certainly put some tape measure blasts on the highlight reel.
