Kernels IF Montesino sent to Rookie ball, pitcher Marzi joins club from indy ball

CEDAR RAPIDS - The Cedar Rapids Kernels announced a pair of players move Friday, prior to beginning a four-game Midwest League series at Clinton.

Infielder Ariel Montesino was assigned by the parent Minnesota Twins to Rookie-level Elizabethton. Montesino had been here since opening day, hitting .185 in 45 games, with no home runs and five RBIs.

Joining the Kernels is left-handed pitcher Anthony Marzi, whose contract was purchased by the Twins from New Britain of the independent Atlantic League. Marzi pitched six games of Rookie ball in the New York Yankees organization in 2015, spending the last two seasons with New Britain.

This season, the 24-year-old from the University of Connecticut had five wins and a 2.84 earned run average in 12 starts. He is expected to be inserted into C.R.'s starting rotation.

That rotation has been short-handed since Tyler Wells was placed on the disabled list earlier this week with a shoulder strain. The other starters are Domenick Carlini, Sean Poppen, Eduardo Del Rosario and Clark Beeker.

Poppen and Beeker likely will begin to see their innings curtailed as they are among the leaders in the Midwest League in that category and are going through their first full season of pro ball.

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