Rockers bring back more returners

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point Rockers on Thursday announced the return of three key players from the 2022 club that won the Atlantic League South Division championship. Catcher Mike Gulino, lefthanded reliever Gabriel Castellanos and righthanded starter Ivan Pineyro are each under contract for the 2023 season.

The Rockers reached the Atlantic League Championship Series last year after taking the South Division title series from Gastonia in five games.

Gulino, a catcher, will be back for his third season with the Rockers after joining the club in June 2021. He split the catching duties in 2022 and hit .221 in 71 games while adding two home runs and 24 RBI. Gulino posted a sterling .990 fielding percentage, committing just five errors in nearly 500 chances.

The lefthanded Castellanos signed with the Rockers in July 2022 after having been out of professional baseball for three seasons. He had played in the Miami Marlins’ farm system including a stint in Greensboro in 2015. Castellanos was a key lefthanded arm out of the Rockers’ bullpen, appearing in 18 games and recording a 2.57 ERA.

Pineyro joined the Rockers’ starting rotation in June and won five games, tied for the second-most among starters. He was 5-3 on the year with a 3.76 ERA with 58 strikeouts in 67 innings pitched. Pineyro won two of his first three starts and posted a pair of wins each over Southern Maryland and Charleston.

“All three of these guys played a key role for us last year,” said Rockers manager Jamie Keefe. “Mike has a lot of experience in our system and is great with our pitchers. Gabriel gave us a solid lefthanded option out of the bullpen and was successful in getting us out of a lot of jams. Ivan was a strong addition to our starting rotation, and we expect him to return to that role again this year.”

The Rockers will open the 2023 season at home on April 28 with the Long Island Ducks. High Point will play its first 10 games at Truist Point through May 8.  Individual game tickets will go on sale starting March 31.

About High Point Baseball, Inc.

The High Point Rockers, operated by the non-profit High Point Baseball, play their home games at Truist Point, a state-of-the-art $36 million ballpark which serves as a catalyst to the rejuvenation of downtown High Point. In 2022, the Rockers reached the League Championship Series of the 10-team Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, an MLB Partner League with clubs from New York to North Carolina.

About the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB)

Celebrating its 25th Anniversary season in 2023, the Atlantic League is Major League Baseball’s first Professional Partner League, a player gateway to the major leagues, and a leader in baseball innovation. ALPB has sent over 1,200 players to MLB organizations while drawing more than 45 million fans to its family-friendly ballparks throughout its 25-year history. Please visit www.AtlanticLeague.com.