STAFF REPORTS
news@allwnynews.com
BUFFALO — Bisons manager Bobby Meacham has named RHP Casey Lawrence the Opening Day starter for the Herd’s first game of the season, Thursday against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (2:05 p.m.).
Lawrence is scheduled to be followed by RHP Mat Latos, LHP T.J. House, RHP Jarrett Grube and LHP Brett Oberholtzer.
Lawrence, 29, is lone returning starter from last season and the right-hander was arguably the Bisons best starter after the All-Star break, allowing three earned runs or fewer in nine consecutive starts and went on to win the Herd’s ‘Comeback Player of the Year’ award. He showed incredible control in 2016, walking just 24 batters in 87.0 innings and overall finished fourth on the Bisons in starts (15) and fifth in wins (5).
He has appeared in parts of three different (2013, 2015-16) seasons with the Herds, making a Triple-A debut with a spot start on April 8, 2013 against Syracuse and returned to Buffalo for another outing May 2, 2015 vs. Louisville.
This off season, Toronto signed the McSherrystown, Pa. native as a minor league free agent and invited him to spring training. Originally, he joined the organization as a 2010 undrafted free agent out of a NCAA Division III, Albright College.
