April 5, 2022–6:27 p.m.
ROME BRAVES
The Rome Braves, High-A affiliate of the World Champion Atlanta Braves, have announced their Opening Day roster for the 2022 season which opens up on Thursday in Greensboro, North Carolina. As ranked by MLB.com, the Rome club features three of Atlanta’s top thirty prospects including shortstop Vaughn Grissom (No. 7), left-handed pitcher Dylan Dodd (No. 23), and right-handed pitcher Andrew Hoffmann (No. 25).
The roster includes five 2021 draft picks headlined by Dylan Dodd, the 25th pick of the 3rd round. Dylan Dodd was a driving force in leading Southeast Missouri State to its fourth Ohio Valley Conference championship, finishing his senior campaign with a 9-2 record while recording an even 120 strike outs over 96 innings. Andrew Hoffmann was a 12th round pick out of Illinois where, as a sophomore, he recorded an earned run average of 2.87 with 64 strikeouts in just over 60 innings pitched. Austin Smith is a right-handed pitcher from the University of Arizona. Smith posted a scoreless outing in Arizona’s second game of the College World Series against Stanford. Right-handed pitcher Dylan Spain returns to Rome after ending the 2021 campaign here. Spain, the Honolulu, HI native, was the 12th pick of the 10th round in 2021. Justyn-Henry Malloy, a 6’2” first baseman from Georgia Tech, racked up a .308 career batting average with 64 hits and 11 homers. Lastly, Marietta, GA native, Tyler Tolve will spend time behind the plate for the R-Braves in 2022. Tolve was drafted as the 517th pick out of Kennesaw State University, where he was named to the 2021 ASUN All-Conference team.
There will be a few familiar faces in the dugout this year as 12 players from the 2021 squad will start their 2022 campaign in Rome. Marrick Crouse, Dylan Dodd, Ben Dum, Tanner Gordon, Jake McSteen, Lisandro Santos, Davis Schwab, Dylan Spain, Rusber Estrada, Vaughn Grissom, Cody Milligan, Beau Phillip, Drew Campbell, and Andrew Moritz all made appearances for the R-Braves in 2021.
The roster also features twin brothers in pitchers Roddery and Rolddy Muñoz. The Santo Domingo, DR natives both signed with the Braves as international free agents.
Catchers (3): Rusber Estrada, Tyler Tolve, Javier Valdes
Infielders (7): Cade Bunnell, Vaughn Grissom, Bryson Horne, Justyn-Henry Malloy, Cody Milligan, Beau Phillip, Landon Stephens
Outfielders (4): Drew Campbell, Willie Carter, Andrew Moritz, Christian Robinson
Pitchers (16): Alec Barger, Marrick Crouse, Luis De Avila, Dylan Dodd, Ben Dum, Tanner Gordon, Andrew Hoffman, Jake McSteen, Roddery Muñoz, Rolddy Muñoz, Lisandro Santos, Davis Schwab, Austin Smith, Dylan Spain, Malcom Van Buren, Justin Yeager
View the roster in its entirety HERE.
The Rome Braves home opener is scheduled for April 12th at 7pm against the Hudson Valley Renegades. Season tickets, mini ticket plans and individual game tickets are on sale now.