The Asheville Tourists at the All Star Break

The Asheville Tourists finished the first half of the South Atlantic League season with a 34-35 record, eight games behind Southern Division winner, the Charleston RiverDogs. The Asheville Tourists had an up and down first half in the wins and losses column but after a very slow start when they only were only batting .209 after their first five games, the Tourists caught fire and lead the South Atlantic League in batting with a .276 average and 351 runs scored.

The Tourists also placed four players on the South Atlantic League's Southern Division All Star squad lead by the South Atlantic League's leading hitter Brian Mundell. He leads the South Atlantic League in several categories including hitting, with a .351 average and 31 doubles. Shortstop Brendan Rodgers is fifth in the South Atlantic League with eight homeruns and 34 runs batted in. Outfielders Yonathan Daza, .322 batting average, and Sam Hilliard, with a .286 batting, five homeruns and 33 runs batted in. He also has six outfield assists.

The Asheville Tourists pitching ranks near the bottom of the South Atlantic League with a 4.31 Earned Run Average and 344 runs allowed. Starters Peter Lambert tops the starters with a 2.25 Earned Run Average but he has only pitched 60 innings in his 13 starts and the Rockies organization is content to build his arm strength. Starter Jack Wynkoop has compiled a 6-3 record with a respectable 3.47 ERA. Primary closer Sam Thoele has 11 saves with a 2.89 Earned Run Average.

The Asheville Tourists Opening Day Roster

The Asheville Tourists announced their Opening Day Roster and the Colorado Rockies are unlike most other major league baseball teams in that their top prospects are playing in the higher levels of their minor league system. Most of the Rockies top 30 prospects have already passed through Asheville at some point and time and played for the Tourists.

Mlb.com has shortstop Brendan Rogers as the #1 ranked prospect in the Rockies system and he will start the season in Asheville with the Tourists. The Tourists will have several other top prospects start the season with the team. Pitcher Peter Lambert (#16) and infielder Jonathan Piron (#29) also made the top thirty prospects list.

The Tourists will also have several top draft picks of the Rockies start the season with them. Pitchers David Hill (second round), Parker French (fifth round), Jack Wynkoop (sixth round), and Trey Killian (ninth round). Lambert and those four pitchers are expected to form the Tourists starting rotation to start the season.

The Tourists are going to carry 13 pitchers and 12 position players to open the season. They are also only going to carry three outfielders with middle infielder Mylz Jones also being able to play the outfield. Jones spent 2015 with Grand Junction in the Rookie League and he played every position except for pitcher, catcher, and first base. Jones has already filled the Rockies criteria for positional versatility.