OTTAWA- Preliminary rosters for the prestigious Arizona Fall League have been announced and include five Canadian players and one familiar name who will be coaching in the league. The 6-team league sees the top prospects from all 30 Major League Baseball franchises participate.
The Mesa Solar Sox will have Chris Kissock (Trail, BC) on their roster this fall. Kissock is a right handed pitcher in the Philadelphia Phillies system and spent the past year at both the High-A and Double-A levels. James Avery (Maple Creek, SK) and Philippe Valiquette (Montréal, QC) will both be members of the Peoria Saguraros. Avery, a right-handed pitcher spent most of this season in Carolina playing for the Double-A Mudcats while Valiquette, a left-handed pitcher spent the majority of the season at Triple-A Louisville. Both players are members of the Cincinnati Reds organization. Brett Lawrie (Langley, BC) will make his AFL debut with the Surprise Rafters. Lawrie, a second baseman played the entire season with the Huntsville Stars, the Double-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. Henry Mabee (Surrey, BC) spent all season in the bullpen with the Birmingham Barons of the Double-A Southern League. Mabee, a right-hander will be a part of the Peoria Sasuraros in the Fall League.
Stubby Clapp (Windsor, ON) will be the hitting coach for the Peoria Javelinas in the AFL. Clapp has represented Canada as a player at virtually every international baseball event. Currently, Clapp is the hitting coach with the Lexington Legends, the Class-A affiliate of the Houston Astros
Notes: Canadian born SS Cale Iorg will also play in the AFL as a member of the Surprise Rafters. Iorg played at both the Double-A and Triple-A levels in the Detroit Tigers system and is the son of former Toronto Blue Jay Garth Iorg.
