Starting lineups for Wednesday’s Eastern League game between the Trenton Thunder and the Erie SeaWolves at Jerry Uht Park:
Trenton Thunder (32-24): 1. Abraham Almonte CF, 2. Jose Pirela 2B, 3. Zoilo Almonte RF, 4. Cody Johnson LF, 5. Melky Mesa DH, 6. Luke Murton 1B, 7. Jose Gil C, 8. Addison Maruszak SS, 9. Shane Brown 3B.
Starting pitcher: Vidal Nuno LH (0-1, 0.00 ERA).
Erie SeaWolves (28-28): 1. Jamie Johnson CF, 2. Niuman Romero SS, 3. Nick Castellanos 3B, 4. Rawley Bishop 1B, 5. Bryan Pounds DH, 6. Tony Plagman CF, 7. Brandon Douglas 2B, 8. Michael Rockett RF, 9. Luis Sanz C.
Starting pitcher: Zack Segovia (5-5, 5.88 ERA).
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The SeaWolves are third in the league’s Western Division standings, but their roster is becoming a first-rate one.
One day after the Detroit Tigers promoted third baseman Nick Castellanos, their first pick in the 2010 amateur draft, they summoned catcher James McCann from Single-A Lakeland (Fla.) McCann, 21, was their first pick in last season’s draft and the 76th overall.
McCann was part of Detroit’s catching transactions in the wake of Alex Avila’s injury. The parent club put the former SeaWolves backstop on the disabled list with a hamstring pull.
That necessitated the promotion of Toledo’s Bryan Holaday, who played for Erie in 2011, to the Tigers. The SeaWolves’ Rob Brantly, who hit .311 in 46 games and was solid behind the plate, received his first career Triple-A assignment with the Mud Hens.
– Mike Copper
McCann, a native of Santa Barbara, Calif., hit .288 in 45 games for Lakeland. Although respectable, his average was a distant second to Castellanos’ .405.
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Erie’s revamped roster wasn’t done there.
Pitcher Mark Sorensen, who started and relieved for the SeaWolves since the start of the 2011 season, announced his retirement before Wednesday’s game. Detroit drafted the 26-year-old right-hander in 2008.
This season, Sorensen was 1-2 with a bloated 12.00 earned-run average over six appearances. Despite his former starting experience with Erie, manager Chris Cron opted to go with Double-A rookie Patrick Cooper when he needed an emergency starter for the SeaWolves’ May 28 game against Akron.
Taking Sorensen’s place will be right-hander David Kopp, whom the Tigers signed as a free agent Wednesday.
Kopp, also 26, had played his entire career in the St. Louis Cardinals minor league system since the reigning World Series champions took him in the second round of the 2007 draft.
Last season, Kopp split time between St. Louis’ AA and AAA teams. The Margate, Fla., native was 3-5 with a 6.08 ERA.
Kopp’s five-year minor league record is an even 22-22.
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Portland outfielder Bryce Brentz received two honors earlier this week.
Brentz was voted the league’s player of the month for May. He also was named its latest player of the week winner, with Reading’s David Buchanan its pitcher of the week.
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Muddy the Mud Hen beat C.Wolf in second-round voting for milb.com’s Mascot Mania contest.
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