Cedar Rapids Kernels reveal 2022 opening-day roster

CEDAR RAPIDS — The Cedar Rapids Kernels released their 2022 opening-night roster Monday afternoon, and let’s just say the majority of these guys know all about playing baseball here.

A whopping 18 of the 30 members on the team already have spent time as Kernels. That includes catcher Jair Camargo and infielders Seth Gray and Wander Javier, all of whom spent the 2021 season in the Midwest League.

Well, to be completely accurate, it was known last season as the High-A Central League. The traditional Midwest League moniker has returned.

Speaking of returning, Camargo, Gray and Javier are joined on the opening-night roster by catcher Jeferson Morales and infielders Anthony Prato, Yunior Severino and Aaron Sabato, all C.R. repeaters in some form. Sabato was the parent Minnesota Twins’ first-round draft pick in 2020, hit 19 home runs between Cedar Rapids and low-A Fort Myers, including eight in just 22 games for the Kernels.

First-year position players are catcher Charles Mack, infielders Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Will Holland, and outfielders Willie Joe Garry Jr., Alerick Soularie and Kennie Taylor. Soularie was a second-round pick of the Twins in 2020 out of the University of Tennessee.

Familiar faces on the pitching staff are Melvi Acosta, Denny Bentley, Andrew Cabezas, Osiris German, Sawyer Gipson-Long. Cody Laweryson, Casey Legumina, Derek Molina, Sean Mooney, Tyler Palm and Aaron Rozek.

The newbies are Bradley Hanner, Brent Headrick, Bobby Milacki, Matt Mullenbach, Cade Povich and Miguel Rodriguez. Mullenbach is an Urbandale native.

The Kernels begin their season with home games Friday night, Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon against the Beloit Sky Carp.

Here is the entire roster. Brian Dinkelman returns to manage the club, with Shawn Schlechter and Jairo Rodriguez the hitting coaches, and Mark Moriarty and Richard Salazar pitching coaches.

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