Inland Empire Adds Angels 1st Round Pick

June 21, 2012 - California League (CalL) Inland Empire 66ers San Bernardino, CA - The Inland Empire 66ers are reloaded for the second half of the 2012 season with three additions to the active roster. Angels 2010 first round pick Kaleb Cowart leads the class of new additions which includes two returning 66ers, Drew Heid and Daniel Tillman. Travis Witherspoon and Brian Hernandez were promoted to AA Arkansas during the All Star break, and pitchers Baudilio Lopez and Brian Diemer were placed on the disabled list.

Kaleb Cowart was the 18th overall pick of the 2010 draft out of high school in Adel, Georgia. Baseball America rated him the best infield arm in the Angels system to start the season and penciled him into the projected lineup for the Angels in 2015. So far he hasn't disappointed in 2012, leading the Cedar Rapids Kernals in RBI (54, 2nd in the Midwest League),and total bases (126, 3rd in the league) among others prior to his promotion.

Andrew Heid returns to the 66ers after a 25 game stint with the AAA Salt Lake Bees. While with Inland Empire he hit .263 with two home runs, nine RBI and two walk off game winning hits prior to being promoted. He was batting .224 with a home run and seven RBI for Salt Lake.

Daniel Tillman pitched in seven games for the 66ers at the tail end of the 2011 season, adding one of the best fastballs in the Angels system to the Inland Empire bullpen for the playoff run. He started the season in AA Arkansas but struggled through 20 appearances. Baseball America had him as the Angels 8th ranked prospect to start the season.

Brian Hernandez and Travis Witherspoon have both left the 66ers for AA Arkansas in countermoves. Witherspoon was a California League All-Star getting the starting nod for the California League team. He left the team in the top five in the league in stolen bases and hits, and was 10th in batting average hitting .319. Brian Hernandez was one of the top defensive players in the California League at the time of his promotion and was a 66ers offensive leader as well. He went from utility infielder to every day starter and number three hitter in the batting order in a matter of weeks. He leaves the 66ers hitting .292 with three home runs and 33 RBI.

Inland Empire is also placing two pitchers on the disabled list. Brian Diemer with a right labrum injury and Baudilio Lopez with a left quad strain. Their departure from the active roster leaves the 66ers a man down to begin the second half of the season with only 24 active players.

Inland Empire is opening the second half of the season with a seven game homestand featuring a Bernie Bobble Belly Giveaway Sunday, June 24th. Tickets are on sale now both at the 66ers box office and online at http://www.66ers.com for the 66ers second half schedule . For more information on the Inland Empire 66ers please contact Sam Farber, Director of Broadcasting, at 909-495-7632.

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Inland Empire Adds Angels 1st Round Pick