Just like that, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders can officially close the book on their 2016 campaign, which ended with International League and Triple-A National Championship titles.
The RailRiders now have their national championship rings in tow — after a pregame ceremony Friday before the New York Yankees’ spring training game at George M. Steinbrenner Field — and could finally flip the switch to 2017. Even if they had already done that weeks ago when they opened their spring training schedule on March 17 against the Indianapolis Indians.
“It was a great ceremony. You can tell the guys were having a blast,” RailRiders reliever and Crestwood High School graduate Matt Wotherspoon said. “Was nice to get everyone back together, and I think it definitely is a little motivation for next season, but the focus is always just going to be to work hard and compete.”
Sporting one of the top farm systems in baseball, the RailRiders are primed to defend their International League and national titles this season. And with Al Pedrique back in the saddle again, his players are convinced the second-year manager is the man for the job.
“It all comes from Skipper,” RailRiders pitcher Brady Lail said of the team’s excitement this spring. “Al Pedrique, he does a great job. He gets everybody excited for these (spring training) games that are tough to get going for. We’re just all excited to get up there and get rolling and try to defend a championship.”
Led by players like Wotherspoon, outfielders Mason Williams and Clint Frazier and pitchers Luis Cessa, Johnny Barbato and J.P Feyerson, who pitched in Double-A last year, the RailRiders are stocked with talent throughout their roster.
Frazier, who was re-assigned to the Yankees’ minor-league camp on Friday and is currently on the RailRiders’ active roster, and Feyerson came to the Yankees from the Cleveland Indians’ organization in the Andrew Miller trade in July.
After reaching the top of the Triple-A mountain last year, the players aren’t looking to settle for anything less.
“I think with the team we have, we’re going to be really good again. We’re going to be really good,” Barbato said.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre led the International League in ERA, shutouts and fewest hits allowed,and finished second in strikeouts and WHIP last season. With Cessa, Barbato, Wotherspoon and Lail returning, and a few other prospects like Feyerson graduating from Double-A to Triple-A, pitching is expected to be a strength again this year.
It also helps that RailRiders pitching coach Tommy Phelps has returned for his second season.
“Top to bottom, our rotation is going to be strong,” Wotherspoon said. “Last year, those bullpen guys with me were unbelievable. Most of them got big-league time and were really, really good.
“Me and (Phelps) have a great relationship. He’s just a great person and a really great pitching coach. Hopefully I get the opportunity to work with him again this year.”
With a stress toward prospects and the farm system at the trade deadline and during this past offseason, there is a youth movement going on throughout the organization. By getting younger at the major-league level, there have been a residual effects in the minors.
As the spring training games left drop into the single digits, excitement has been bubbling over at the New York Yankees Minor League Complex as the RailRiders prepare to defend their International League and national championship titles.
“As far as goals, we just want to go out and have fun and compete every day, and play to the best of our ability. I think I feel like if any team does that they’re going to be pretty successful,” Wotherspoon said. “There’s a lot of buzz around the clubhouse, a lot of energy. I think guys know that if you perform, you’re going to get moved (along). They’re going to push you and you’re going to have the opportunity to make the big leagues.”
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre opens its title defense April 6 in Buffalo.