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RiverDogs Starter Taj Bradley Promoted to Bowling Green
On Tuesday afternoon, the Tampa Rays announced that pitcher Taj Bradley has been promoted from the Charleston RiverDogs roster to High-A Bowling Green. Bradley becomes the ninth RiverDogs player to receive a promotion during the 2021 season. The team added pitcher Sandy Gaston and outfielder Beau Brundage from the Florida Complex League and activated pitcher Ben Brecht from the injured list.
Bradley went 9-3 with a 1.76 earned run average during his time in the Lowcountry. Among qualified pitchers, the 20-year old leads Minor League Baseball in ERA and opposing batting average. He also leads the Low-A East in wins, ERA, opponents’ batting average and WHIP, while ranking third in strikeouts. He was also named Low-A East Pitcher of the Month for June.
The Tampa Bay Rays selected Bradley in the fifth round of the 2018 draft out of Redan High School in Stone Mountain, GA. He was ranked by MLB Pipeline as the No. 21 prospect in the Rays farm system entering the season. During the 2019 campaign, the right-hander went 2-5 with a 3.18 ERA in 12 appearances at rookie-level Princeton. He struck out 57 batters in 51.0 innings.
Gaston signed with the Rays for $2.61 million out of Cuba as a 16-year old in 2018. Now 19, the right-hander features a fastball that consistently registers in the upper-90s. He has appeared in seven games with the FCL Rays this season, posting a 1-0 record and 3.20 ERA. Gaston struck out 32 batters in 19.2 innings, limiting opposing hitters to a .115 batting average.
Brundage, 24, was selected by the Rays in the 33rd round of the 2018 draft out of the University of Portland. He has played in eight games with the FCL Rays this season, batting .182 with a home run and three runs batted in. The outfielder split the the 2019 campaign between short-season Hudson Valley and Low-A Bowling Green.
The RiverDogs open a six-game homestand on Tuesday night by hosting the Augusta GreenJackets at 7:05 pm.
Playoff tickets for the Low-A East Championship Series in September are on sale now at riverdogs.com. For a limited time, fans who purchase tickets to the team’s first home playoff game will receive all subsequent home games for free. Purchase playoff tickets here.
All RiverDogs tickets for the 2021 season are available for purchase online and will be delivered digitally. Once purchased, tickets can be printed at home or scanned on a phone. For answers to frequently asked questions, fans are encouraged to visit the RiverDogs Digital Ticket Guide. In addition to tickets, the entire RiverDogs gameday experience will be cashless including parking, the team store and concessions. Fans who do not have credit or debit cards will be able to use cash to purchase gift cards at Fan Services on gamedays. Masks are no longer required, but suggested for non-vaccinated guests. The RiverDogs also have a no bag policy, with the exception of medical bags, diaper bags, and clutch-style purses no larger than 6.5in x 4.5in.
RiverDogs season tickets, flexible ticket plans, and group tickets, including options to the Segra Club at Riley Park, are now available for the 2021 campaign at riverdogs.com/tickets or by contacting the RiverDogs front office at 843-577-3647 (DOGS). A full schedule for the 2021 season is available at riverdogs.com.