Press Release: - Savannah Roster Moves

Savannah, GA – The first half champions Savannah Sand Gnats today announced a series of promotions and transactions that will reshape the team’s roster for the second half. The Mets promoted five of the Gnats’ six All-Stars, and eight players overall. Among the All-Stars, SS Wilmer Flores, LF/CF Juan Lagares, C Kai Gronauer and RHP Brandon Moore are headed to Advanced-A St. Lucie and LHP Mark Cohoon will move to Double-A Binghamton. RHP Erik Turgeon, INF Michael Fisher, and OF Rafael Fernandez were also promoted to St. Lucie. All told, between the end of the first half on Sunday, and the beginning of the second half tonight, the Gnats have been involved in roster moves involving 18 different players.


The Gnats received SS Wilfredo Tovar, INF Ryan Mollica, C Juan Torres and RHP Marcos Tabata from Advanced-A St. Lucie. OF R.J. Harris was promoted from the Brooklyn Cyclones in the New York Penn League. 1B Travis Ozga, RHP Gabriel Zavala and RHP Luis Rojas were transferred to Savannah from Kingsport. LHP Brandon Sage, who had been placed on the temporarily inactive list prior to the All-Star Break was also activated.



At the time of his promotion, Cohoon, who had thrown three consecutive complete game shutouts, was leading the SAL in ERA (1.30) and innings pitched (90.1). His three straight shutouts tied a SAL record achieved many times, most recently in 1992 by Scott Robinson of Charleston (WV) in 1992. Cohoon had not allowed an earned run in his last 33.1 innings pitched. Moore was 10th in the League in ERA (2.49), while leading the circuit in strikeouts (98) and strikeout rate for starters (11.02 SO/9 IP).



The 18-year old Flores was hitting .278/.342/.433 (AVG/OBP/SLG) with 18 doubles, seven home runs and a team-best 44 RBI. He was leading the Gnats in homers and doubles. Coming into the year, Baseball America and ESPN.com ranked Flores as the #2 prospect in the Mets system, with Baseball Prospectus ranking him #3. In 2009 with Savannah, he hit .264/.305/.332 with 20 doubles and three home runs in 125 games.



The 21-year old Lagares was hitting .300/.318/.459, with 13 doubles, nine triples, five home runs and 18 stolen bases in 20 attempts. He was ninth in the league in batting average, second in triples (9), and third in hits (87) and total bases (133). Lagares, who has spent time with the Gnats in every season since 2007, has already set new career highs in home runs and stolen bases.


Fisher, who the Mets signed as a minor league free agent after the Atlanta Braves released him at the end of Spring Training, played an important role in helping Savannah secure a playoff berth, hitting .354/.403/.615 with four doubles, three home runs and 14 RBI in 17 games. Turgeon led the Gnats' bullpen with a 1.46 ERA. In 37 innings, he had struck out 30 batters and walked just seven.


The 18-year old Tovar was hitting .246/.276/.305 with five doubles and a triple in 30 games for St. Lucie. Ozga had played one game for the Kingsport Mets, going 2-4 with a double and a home run on Tuesday. Harris was 3-for-10 with two doubles in three games for the Brooklyn Cyclones.



Among the pitchers, Tabata was 0-2 with a 3.48 ERA in the St. Lucie bullpen. Zavala began his career as an outfielder, but converted to the mound full-time in 2009. Rojas spent last year in the Gulf Coast League.



INF Luis Rivera is no longer active with Savannah. He has headed to Kingsport where he will coach.