Top draft pick Gordon on Kernels preliminary roster

It's not an official roster, but a list of the players who worked out Saturday in spring training for the Cedar Rapids Kernels gives you a good idea of the club's opening day roster.

The Kernels arrive in Cedar Rapids on Monday morning from Fort Myers, Fla., there is the annual Meet The Kernels promotion Tuesday, with the Midwest League season opener Thursday night at Kane County. The home opener is a week from Sunday (April 12) against Beloit.

The number of players on Saturday's 'workout list” for the Kernels was 26, one over maximum. The list included Minnesota Twins 2014 first-round draft pick Nick Gordon, a 19-year-old shortstop who hit .294 in 57 games last season for Rookie-level Elizabethton.

Gordon is the son of former longtime major league pitcher Tom Gordon and half-brother of Miami Marlins infielder Dee Gordon.

Other players of note on the preliminary roster include pitchers Mat Batts, Michael Gonsalves, Felix Jorge and John Curtiss, all of whom made starts last season for the Kernels. Reliever Jared Wilson also is on the roster after pitching in 34 games last season out of the bullpen for Cedar Rapids.

The position players included outfielders Zack Granite, Zack Larson, Max Murphy and Tanner English, all of whom spent 2014 time with the Kernels. Granite and Larson were opening-day starters nagged by injuries that held them to a combined 62 games.

Infielder Jonatan Hinojosa also is on the preliminary roster after hitting .341 in 20 games as a late-season recall from E-town. Infielder Trey Vavra is the brother of 2014 Kernels second baseman Tanner Vavra and hit .304 last season for Elizabethton.

The 2015 manager is Jake Mauer, back for his third season. The hitting coach is Tommy Watkins, the pitching coach Henry Bonilla.

Here is the entire preliminary Kernels roster. It should be stressed that changes could be made prior to the team's Monday arrival.

Former Cedar Rapids Washington prep Chad Christensen, who played all of last season with the Kernels, is listed on the preliminary roster of the high-Class A Fort Myers Miracle.

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PITCHERS

Mat Batts (2-0, 2.20 ERA in 6 games, 5 starts last season for CR)

Cameron Booser (1-5, 2.01 in relief at Elizabethton)

Michael Cederoth (4-2, 3.55 as starter for E-town)

Samuel Clay (2-1 record in 19 relief appearances at E-town)

John Curtiss (2-1, 2.30 at E-town, made one postseason start for CR)

Michael Gonsalves (2-3, 3.19 in 8 starts for CR)

Trevor Hildenberger (10 saves in Rookie Gulf Coast League)

C.K. Irby (1-1, 1.35 in 19 games at E-town)

Felix Jorge (4-2, 2.59 12 starts at E-town, after demotion from CR)

Randy LeBlanc (1-3, 2.70 ERA at E-town)

Michael Theofanopoulos (2-3, 4.23 in 11 games at GCL)

Zach Tillery (2-3, 2.37 ERA at E-town/GCL)

Jared Wilson (3-4, 2.95 in 34 games at CR)

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CATCHERS

Brett Doe (.207 batting average in 23 games in E-town)

Jorge Fernandez (.321 in 33 games E-town)

Brian Navarreto (.191 in 34 games at E-town)

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INFIELDERS

Tyler Kuresa (.298 in 46 games at E-town)

Trey Vavra (.319 in 50 games at E-town)

Nick Gordon (.294 in 57 games at E-town)

Jonatan Hinojosa (.341 in 20 games at CR)

Pat Kelly (.242 in 39 games at E-town)

T.J. White (.205 in 13 games at E-town/GCL)

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OUTFIELDERS

Zach Granite (.291 in 21 games at CR)

Zack Larson (.265 in 41 games at CR)

Tanner English (.316 in 32 games at E-town)

Max Murphy (.242 in 32 games at CR)