Tagged: MILB
Lookouts Unveil New Uniforms and Updated Marks
The Chattanooga Lookouts unveiled updated marks and new jerseys for the 2016 season today at a press conference at Erlanger’s e-Kids Learning Center. The team will wear their new home uniforms for the first time on Tuesday, April 12 at 6:15 p.m.
The Lookouts introduced all three uniforms the team will wear during the upcoming season. The home jersey is antique white with red sleeves and red piping with “Lookouts” adorned on the chest. The road jersey features the “Chattanooga” wordmark across the chest in red on a grey jersey. For batting practice, the team will wear a red jersey with the “eyes” logo on the left chest. The team also announced a brand new alternate jersey that the team will wear for Thursday Home Games this season. The alternate uniform is all black with “Nooga” written in white on the front. The Lookouts will wear red belts and socks with each uniform.
The uniforms were modeled by local news anchors, David Carroll from WRCB, Latricia Thomas from WTVC and Joe Legge from WDEF. Each anchor was joined by kids from the Erlanger’s e-Kids Learning Center.
“These new uniforms tie into the Lookouts’ historic past while also creating a unique and distinctive brand identity for the team,” said Lookouts Principal Owner Jason Freier. “We are excited to introduce this new look that will usher in a new era of Lookouts baseball.”
Along with the new uniforms, the team also revealed updated marks. The team’s new primary mark still features the iconic eyes logo with a new script underneath it but the logo has been tweaked to add depth. An alternate mark utilizing only the “Lookout eyes” was also introduced. The eyes will be seen on the team’s black hats that will be worn on Thirsty Thursdaystm with the team’s Nooga Jerseys.
The new uniforms and updated marks were designed by Sky Design of Atlanta. Sky Design also designed the marks and uniforms for the Lookouts’ sister teams, the Fort Wayne TinCaps and Columbia Fireflies.
“The Lookouts eyes logo is iconic and has been a staple of the Chattanooga Community for over two decades,” said Team President Rich Mozingo. “The new marks preserve our classic look while also giving our brand a refreshing update.”
The Lookouts 2016 season, presented by FSG Bank, begins on the road in Biloxi on April 7. The team makes their 2016 home debut on April 12 when they face off against the Jackson Generals at 6:15 p.m. at AT&T Field. Single game tickets for the upcoming season are now on sale on line and over the phone. For more information on how to secure your seats to the season’s best games, call the Lookouts ticket office at 423-267-4TIX.
Former Lookouts Shining in Twins Camp
OF/1B Max Kepler
The 2015 Southern League MVP has handled himself well in spring training as he tries to earn a spot on the big league roster. Max Kepler has displayed solid contact ability against major league pitching, striking out just twice in 14 at bats. The power he displayed late last season during the Lookouts championship run hasn’t showed in games yet (no extra base hits), but he is batting .286 through seven contests with a stolen base and a RBI.
OF/3B Miguel Sano
As this blog post was being written, Miguel Sano took a solid start to the spring and turned it into a wonderful one, going 2-for-2 with a 2B, a RBI and another walk (his SIXTH of the spring in seven games). Over half his hits this spring have been for extra bases and he hasn’t appeared overwhelmed as he adjusts to RF, even picking up an outfield assist, throwing out Troy Tulowitzki trying to stretch a line drive hit into a double.
SP Jose Berrios
Jose Berrios has done everything he can to win the last spot in the Twins rotation so far this spring. His first outing last Saturday wasn’t perfect, walking three batters in 1 1/3 innings. The 21-year-old admittedly struggled with his nerves, yet managed to prevent any runners from scoring. Berrios then went out Thursday and cleaned up his control to the tune of three more scoreless innings with two strikeouts and just one hit, an infield single.
RP Nick Burdi, J.T. Chargois, Ryan O’Rourke and Jake Reed
Four of the key members of last season’s bullpen in Chattanooga have been lights out for the Twins in Florida. Nick Burdi, J.T. Chargois, Ryan O’Rourke and Jake Reed have combined for 11 innings of one-run ball, with just three hits allowed, five strikeouts and a .114 batting average against.
The Twins and their bevy of former Lookouts will continue to prepare for the regular season with a weekend series against the Orioles. Continue checking in at All Aboard to keep track of all the spring training action.
Intriguing Possible Lookouts in Twins Top 30
The MLBPipeline.com staff continued their top 10 farm systems ranking last Thursday with a familiar name sitting at number five, the parent club of the Lookouts, the Minnesota Twins. The staff attributed the top five ranking to the six different players Minnesota’s farm system sports in the site’s top 100 prospects, as well as the depth found top-to-bottom on the Twins top 30 prospects list.
Chattanooga fans will find many familiar names from last season’s roster with a third of the list featuring former Lookouts including number two overall prospect Byron Buxton, Futures Game starting pitcher Jose Berrios and Southern League MVP Max Kepler.
Looking past the 10 former players that contributed to last year’s Lookouts team leaves a handful of intriguing options for players who could play big roles with the Lookouts in 2016 as they defend their Southern League Championship. Since we’re speaking in terms of minor league baseball players and their landing spots for the beginning of the baseball season, it is probably necessary to remind ourselves there are no sure things here. These are merely players that should have enough service time and talent to maybe make them potential pieces of the Lookouts in the near future.
LHP Tyler Jay
Acquired: 2015 Draft, Round 1, Pick 6
Accolades: #60 Top 100 Prospects, #5 Top 10 LHP Prospects, #4 Top 30 Twins Prospects
The Twins drafted Tyler Jay sixth overall in last summer’s draft after the lefty dominated out of the bullpen for the University of Illinois. Jay stayed in that role after being assigned to the Fort Myers Miracle to the tune of a 3.93 ERA in 19 appearances with an impressive 2.75 strikeout-to-walk ratio (22 Ks, 8 BBs in 18.1 Innings).
As Jay goes into his first full season in professional baseball, the central question surrounding his path to the majors will be whether he moves up as a starter or reliever. The scouting report on Jay certainly reads as someone with the tools required to make it as a starting pitcher. He throws strikes and has four pitches rated as at least a 50 on the 20-80 scale, topped by his plus slider and fastball (both at 65).
Should the Twins decide to stretch his arm out, the translation of Jay’s game from the bullpen to the starting role may be the only thing that slows him from reaching the mound at AT&T Field this season.
LHP Stephen Gonsalves
Acquired: 2013 Draft, Round 4, Pick 110
Accolades: #7 Top 30 Twins Prospects, Top 3 in ERA in all of MILB (3rd, 2.01), Top 5 in BAA (5th, .198)
Stephen Gonsalves’ 2015 went about as well as a season can go for a baseball prospect. The 21-year-old began his first full season in pro ball by dominating the Midwest League with a 1.15 ERA and 77 strikeouts in nine starts (55 innings pitched) before getting the call up to Fort Myers
With the Miracle, Gonsalves saw his ERA jump to 2.61, but still finished in the top five in the entire minor leagues in overall ERA and batting average against. The 21-year old also sports projectable growth to his 6’5” frame giving him tremendous upside for any pitcher, not to mention a left handed one.
His young age might end up slowing down his rise through the minors, due to teams often bringing prospects drafted out of high school up slowly. However, if Gonsalves can show development across the board as he continues to physically mature, it won’t be long at all until he dons a Lookouts uniform.
SS Engelb Vielma
Acquired: 2011, Signed out of Venezuela
Accolades: #17 Top 30 Twins Prospects
Engelb Vielma could play, at worst, a respectable shortstop at Target Field this season. With above average rankings in fielding, arm and run categories, there really is no questioning Vielma’s ability to play the field. MLB Pipeline considers him “the best defensive shortstop in the system currently and perhaps in recent memory.” Vielma’s athleticism shines on the basepaths as well, where the shortstop pilfered 35 bases last year.
While both those areas show tremendous promise, Vielma’s credentials will feature one question above all else: can he hit enough for any of it to matter?
In the lower levels of the minors last season, the answer was mostly an affirmative one. Vielma hit .270 in Fort Myers which is enough to keep him a plus prospect with his speed and fielding. However, only 12 of Vielma’s 119 hits in 120 games were for extra bases, and his small, lean stature (5’11”, 155 lbs) doesn’t suggest a ton of room for improvement from a strength stand point. But if Vielma can add some good weight to his frame, and take advantage of what has been a good swing so far, he could prove to be an everyday shortstop with plus speed and phenomenal defense.
LHP Mason Melotakis
Acquired: 2012 Draft, Round 2, Pick 63
Accolades: #20 Top 30 Twins Prospects
After an early pro career experiment of developing into a starting pitcher and sitting out 2015 recovering from Tommy John surgery, Mason Melotakis should begin 2016 as a member of the Lookouts bullpen.
Before the injury in late 2014, Melotakis touched 97 mph with his fastball and missed bats with a solid power curveball in the mid-80s. There were some questions about his control and a third or fourth pitch, but both become less of an issue out of the bullpen. If his pitches show what they did before the injury, and the Twins recently adding Melotakis to the 40-man roster suggest that they do, a successful relief career in the Majors is a definite possibility.
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