Buxton highlights 2013 Kernels roster

The Cedar Rapids Kernels have released their 2013 opening-day roster, and it includes the highest draft pick ever to play in Cedar Rapids.

Outfielder Byron Buxton is among the 25 active players. The Minnesota Twins selected him with the second overall pick last year, with the Georgia prep signing a contract that included a $6.2-million bonus.

The only other player with that kind of draft pedigree to play professional baseball in Cedar Rapids was former big-league shortstop Kurt Stillwell, who played for the Cedar Rapids Reds in 1984. He was the second-overall pick of the 1983 draft.

A toolsy right-handed hitter, Buxton, split his rookie season between the Gulf Coast League Twins and Elizabethton of the Appalachian League, hitting a combined .248 with 19 extra-base hits in 48 games. He played center field in a pair of Twins major league spring training games this spring, singling in his first at-bat.

Buxton is ranked Minnesota's No. 2 prospect by Baseball America. The Kernels' opening-day roster also includes several other players ranked by BA among the Twins' top 30 minor-league prospects.

Left-handed pitcher Mason Melotakis is No. 13, a 2012 draft pick being converted from a reliever to starter. Shortstop-second baseman Jorge Polanco is BA's No. 14 Twins prospect, third baseman Travis Harrison No. 17, pitcher Tyler Jones No. 23 and shortstop Niko Goodrum No. 26.

Thirteen of the 25 players have experience in the Midwest League with the Beloit Snappers. They include pitchers, Melotakis, Jones, Taylor Rogers, David Hurlbut, Steven Gruver, Matt Tomshaw, Tim Atherton and Manuel Soliman.

All three catchers (Jhonatan Arias, Tyler Grimes and Jairo Rodriguez) have played in the MWL. Grimes is a converted shortstop.

D.J. Hicks and Drew Leachman are first basemen, with Leachman also able to play outfield. He played last season for Beloit.

Goodrum, Polanco, Harrison and Candido Pimentel are the team's primary infielders. The outfielders are Buxton, Romy Jimenez, Adam Walker and J.D. Williams.

Williams also is a Midwest League veteran.

Other pitchers include Hudson Boyd (a second-round draft pick in 2010), Brett Lee, Chris Mazza and Tyler Duffey.

The Kernels open their season at home Thursday night against Beloit at 6:35 The annual Meet the Kernels promotion is Wednesday night from 5:30 to 6:35, with the team conducting a following public workout.