Continued guide to the High Point Rockers’ inaugural season
By Collin Giuliani// Sports Editor
On May 2, professional baseball returns to High Point as the High Point Rockers of the Atlantic League debut. The Rockers, an independent baseball team, are the first non-collegiate minor league team in the city since the High Point-Thomasville Royals in 1969, and will play their games at BB&T Point, a 5,000-seat downtown facility. Here’s a guide to everything to know about the Rockers and their role in the Atlantic League heading into their inaugural season.
THE NAME
On July 13, 2018, it was announced that the name for High Point’s newest minor league team would be the Rockers. In a statement, officials called the name an “ode to the furniture manufacturing past that made the city of High Point what it is today.” The team held a naming contest in May, where over 2,800 names were suggested. This was eventually narrowed down to three names, including the Rockers, the Dragon Claws, and the Splinters. Other names that received consideration early in the process included the Chairmen, Tri-Stars, Hush Puppies, RockerSox, Iron Eagles, Pioneers and Iron Dragons. The Rockers name is unique to the team, as no other minor league baseball team in North America has this name.
The logo for the Rockers, which shows a rocking chair, consists of four colors, with each of these colors relating to High Point. These colors include Ball Point Blue, High in the Sky Orange, Rocket Chair Red and Summertime Yellow.
“The Rockers name and colors also embody the rock and roll energy [that] the downtown revitalization will provide,” said team officials.
THE BALLPARK
The Rockers will play their games at BB&T Point, a 5,000 seat facility in downtown. The stadium, which cost $36 million to construct, broke ground on April 11, and will be ready in time for the team’s opener on May 2. At the price of $36 million, it becomes the second most expensive facility in Atlantic League history, only behind Constellation Field, which is home of the Sugar Land Skeeters and cost $37 million when it opened in 2012. BB&T is paying $500,000 annually for the naming rights to this facility. Highlights of BB&T Point include the Slane Picnic Area down the third base line, a batting cage area, a Cookout Lookout section in left field with gas grills, and an additional picnic area down the first base line. Tickets for games start at $5.
THE INFIELDERS
The Rockers enter the 2019 season with two infielders who have experience in Major League Baseball. Hector Gomez, 31, played three seasons in MLB, most recently in 2015 when he hit .181 with the Milwaukee Brewers. Tyler Ladendorf, 31, was taken in the second round of the 2008 MLB Draft, and wound up playing two seasons in MLB with the Oakland Athletics. Josh Mazzola, 32, is the oldest infielder on the team; he spent last season with the Winnipeg Goldeyes of the American Association, where he hit .233. Shane Opitz, 27, has spent each of the past three seasons in Triple-A, and spent last season with the Colorado Springs Sky Sox of the Pacific Coast League, where he hit .252. Giovanny Alfonzo, 26, returns to the Atlantic League; in 2017, he hit .309 as a member of the Long Island Ducks, posting the best numbers of his professional career that season. Dante Bichette Jr., 26, was a former first-round pick by the New York Yankees in 2011, and is coming off of a good season with the St. Paul Saints of the American Association, where he hit .310. Bichette Jr. is the son of Dante Bichette, a 4-time All-Star with the Colorado Rockies who finished his MLB career with 1,906 hits. Brett Austin, 26, is the only listed catcher on the roster; the former first-round pick in the 2011 MLB Draft hit .235 as a member of the Charlotte Knights last season in Triple-A.
THE MASCOT
On April 1, the Rockers unveiled their new mascot, which is a rocking horse. The mascot does not have a name yet, as the team is asking the public for ideas as to what to name the mascot. The nine finalist names will be unveiled on April 15, and the winning name will not be announced until the team opens up its season on May 2.
THE OUTFIELDERS
None of the five outfielders on the Rockers’ roster possess any Major League experience, though Kalian Sams, 32, and Quincy Latimore, 30, have spent time in Triple-A. Sams is coming off of a career year with Les Capitales de Quebec, an independent team in the Canadian-American Association; Sams hit .311 last season, which was the best average of his career across an entire year. Latimore, a former fourth-round pick in the 2007 MLB Draft, hit .316 in 2018 in the Mexican League as a member of Leones de Yucaton, helping his team win the South Division in both the spring and fall season. Breland Almadova, 28, joins the Rockers as one of the fastest players in baseball; last season, as a member of the Sussex County Miners in the Canadian-American Association, he stole 51 bases. Jabari Henry, 28, spent the past two seasons as a member of the Sioux Falls Canaries of the American Association, where he hit .275 with 42 home runs. Derrick Loveless, 26, is coming off of a great season with the Normal CornBelters of the Frontier League, where he set a career high in batting average (.326), on-base percentage (.416), slugging percentage (.537), home runs (14), and runs batted in (66).
(Top left) A rendering of BB&T Point Stadium. Photo by wikipedia.org. (Top right) The design for the newest High Point Rockers logo. Photo by wfdd.org. (Bottom right) The newest mascot struts his stuff. Photo by highpointrockers.com