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Spokane Indians

Spokane Indians announce 2024 opening day roster; Robinson Cancel returns as manager

The Spokane Indians gather around pitcher Blake Adams on July 18 at Avista Stadium. (Jesse Tinsley)
By Dave Nichols daven@spokesman.com(509) 459-5441

From wire reports

The Colorado Rockies assigned 30 players to Spokane on Monday for the start of its 2024 Northwest League season, which begins on Friday against the Vancouver Canadians at Avista Stadium. Spokane’s roster includes 16 returning players and five of Colorado’s top 30 prospects.

The headliner on the roster is former Tennessee Volunteers pitcher Chase Dollander, who was selected ninth overall in the 2023 MLB First-Year Draft. The 22-year-old right-hander was named the 2022 SEC Pitcher of the Year and finished last season with a 7-6 record and 12.1 strikeouts per nine innings in 17 starts. Dollander, who has yet to appear in a professional game, is currently ranked as the 52nd-best prospect in all of baseball by MLB.com and 75th-best by The Athletic.

Sean Sullivan will team up with Dollander to form a potent 1-2 punch atop Spokane’s starting rotation. The former Wake Forest southpaw was drafted 46th overall in 2023 after setting the Demon Deacons’ single-season K/9 mark (14.34). Sullivan didn’t allow a hit in three appearances with the Arizona Complex League and Single-A Fresno to close out last season.

The Indians will be led offensively by Cole Carrigg, a versatile player capable of spending time at catcher, shortstop or the outfield. Drafted 65th overall last year out of San Diego State, Carrigg slashed .350/.408/.600 with 13 stolen bases in 36 games between the ACL Rockies and Fresno in his pro debut.

Shortstop Dyan Jorge, ranked as Colorado’s seventh-best prospect by MLB Pipeline, is another name to watch after hitting .306 between two levels as a 20-year-old last season. Jorge will be joined on the left side of the infield by Kyle Karros, a fifth round pick out of UCLA in 2023 and the son of 1992 NL Rookie of the Year Eric Karros.

Returning players on this year’s squad include pitchers Blake Adams, Tyler Ahearn, Mason Green and Victor Juarez, infielders Parker Kelly and Jean Perez, and outfielders Juan Guerrero, Robby Martin Jr, and Braiden Ward.

In January, the Rockies announced field manager Robinson Cancel would return for his second season with the Indians. He’ll be joined by returning bench coach Joe Mikulik, pitching coach Blaine Beatty and hitting coach Tom Sutaris.