In 2013, Quad Cities had four of the top 52 prospects, matching the most of any team in Minor League Baseball

DAVENPORT, Iowa (JAN. 24, 2014) - In the last three seasons at Modern Woodmen Park, the Quad Cities River Bandits have twice achieved the highest team honor as Midwest League Champions, and soon the brightest stars of the franchise's last three years may be shining on major league diamonds.

Seven River Bandits of the last three seasons are among the top 100 prospects in all of baseball, according to rankings by MLB.com announced Thursday night. Among the top 52 prospects are four players from the 2013 River Bandits squad, which matched the most of any team in Minor League Baseball last season. No other Midwest League team had more than one of the top 63 prospects play on its roster during the 2013 season.

Among other notes, 2013 All-Star shortstop Carlos Correa was the only one of the top 22 baseball prospects to spend the entire season on one minor league club's roster. Correa and 2013 All-Star pitcher Lance McCullers were the only top-100 prospects to spend the entire season as teammates on a Midwest League club's roster.

In their first year of a new affiliation with the Houston Astros, the River Bandits became the first Minor League Baseball club in history to have back-to-back No. 1 overall draft picks on the same team, as 2012 No. 1 overall pick Carlos Correa and 2013 No. 1 overall pick Mark Appel appeared together in the Quad Cities. Earlier this week, Correa and Appel were among five 2013 River Bandits to be ranked among the top seven prospects in the Houston Astros organization by Baseball America.

Below are the Quad Cities alumni among the top 100 prospects, according to MLB.com:

Oscar Taveras, No. 3 MLB prospect, No. 2 outfield prospect, No. 1 St. Louis Cardinals prospect

As a 19-year-old in 2011, Taveras won the Midwest League batting title by hitting for a .386 average in 78 games with the River Bandits. The native of Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, was a key piece of the first Quad Cities team in 21 years to win a Midwest League Championship that fall. In 2012, Taveras won another championship and was the St. Louis Cardinals Minor League Player of the Year at Double-A Springfield. Injuries limited Taveras to 47 games - all but one at Triple-A Memphis - in 2013.

Carlos Correa, No. 8 MLB prospect, No. 3 shortstop prospect, No. 1 Houston Astros prospect

At 18 years old, the Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico, native led all Houston Astros full-season minor leaguers with a .320 batting average and was the youngest player on the Midwest League Postseason All-Star team in 2013. Correa was also the youngest player in the Midwest League All-Star Game and SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game in New York, where he was the first-ever River Bandits position player to appear while on the Quad Cities roster. He led the Midwest League with a .872 on-base-plus-slugging (OPS).

Mark Appel, No. 17 MLB prospect, No. 6 right-handed pitcher prospect, No. 2 Houston Astros prospect

The No. 1 overall pick of the 2013 draft made his Class-A debut with the River Bandits July 14 and made his final eight starts of his first professional season with Quad Cities. The Stanford University graduate earned his first three professional wins in a River Bandits uniform, including the playoff-clinching game Aug. 25. The Astros' top pitching prospect remained with the team for its playoff run to the sixth Midwest League Championship in franchise history.

Jonathan Singleton, No. 50 MLB prospect, No. 1 first base prospect, No. 4 Houston Astros prospect

Singleton started his 2013 season with the River Bandits May 28 and homered in each of his first three games. After his first six games with Quad Cities, he was promoted to Double-A Corpus Christi, where the Lakewood, Calif., native played 11 games before being promoted to Triple-A Oklahoma City for the entire second half of the season. Singleton is now on the Houston Astros 40-man roster entering spring training.

Lance McCullers, No. 52 MLB prospect, No. 5 Houston Astros prospect

The Astros' top pitching prospect entering the 2013 season and the team's first supplemental round pick of 2012 pitched his first full season with the River Bandits. At 19 years old, the Tampa, Fla., native was the starting pitcher for the Western Division in the Midwest League All-Star Game and earned his first six professional victories with Quad Cities. McCullers was third in the league with a 2.08 ERA in the first half, and he finished the year with 117 strikeouts, good for fifth in the Midwest League.

Kolten Wong, No. 58 MLB prospect, No. 1 second base prospect, No. 2 St. Louis Cardinals prospect

The Cardinals' first-round pick in 2011, Wong made his professional debut and played his first season with the River Bandits. In 47 games, he hit for a .335 average. The Hilo, Hawaii, native earned his first of two consecutive minor league championships with Quad Cities, which went 7-0 in the postseason in 2011. Wong advanced to Double-A Springfield in 2012 and Triple-A Memphis in 2013, before making his major league debut with St. Louis Aug. 16 and was part of the Cardinals' roster that reached the 2013 World Series.

Stephen Piscotty, No. 98 MLB prospect, No. 3 St. Louis Cardinals prospect

Selected in the first supplemental round of the 2012 draft by St. Louis, Piscotty played his first professional season with the River Bandits. In 55 games, the Stanford University product hit for a .295 average and assembled a 16-game hitting streak that was tied for fourth-longest in the Midwest League in 2012. He switched from third base to the outfield in 2013, when he hit .295 in 112 games for Class-A advanced Palm Beach and Double-A Springfield.

The River Bandits will open the 2014 Midwest League season at Modern Woodmen Park Thursday, April 3. A full schedule of home and road games for 2014 is available at www.riverbandits.com, and ticket plans for the 2014 season are now on sale.

UP NEXT: Call today to reserve a Valentine's Day dinner at Modern Woodmen Park for Friday, Feb. 14, orSaturday, Feb. 15. Couples can enjoy a gourmet four-course dinner in a private luxury suite or take in the spectacular views of the ballpark, Centennial Bridge, Mississippi River and downtown Davenport from a table in the glass-enclosed, climate-controlled Sky Deck. Reservations are due Thursday, Feb. 6, by calling 563-324-3000. To order ticket plans - with new lower prices - for next season, call the River Bandits box office at 563-324-3000 or visit www.riverbandits.com to download the season ticket order form. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $40. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.

Omar Lopez set for second year as manager; Borkowski, Chimelis and Coleman return from 2013 field staff

DAVENPORT, Iowa (JAN. 15, 2014) - Manager Omar Lopez and three coaches from the Quad Cities River Bandits' run to the 2013 Midwest League Championship are returning to the team for the 2014 season. The River Bandits and Houston Astros, entering their second season of a new affiliation, announced the Class-A club's field staff on Monday.

Lopez will begin his second season with Quad Cities and seventh as a manager in the Astros organization when the River Bandits host Kane County on Opening Day at Modern Woodmen Park April 3. In 2013, the River Bandits won 81 regular season games - the third-most in franchise history - and Lopez, 37, reached his first playoffs as a minor league manager. Quad Cities went 7-1 in three postseason rounds to claim its second Midwest League Championship in three seasons and sixth title since the franchise joined the league in 1960. Lopez is the 34th manager for the Quad Cities Midwest League franchise and fifth to manage an Astros affiliate in the Quad Cities. He is the third Quad Cities manager to win a championship in his first season, joining Jim Napier of the 1979 Quad City Cubs and Don Long of the 1990 Quad City Angels. Prior to Lopez, only Fred Koenig, with the 1969 Quad City Angels, and Napier, with the 1980 Quad City Cubs, returned to the Midwest League club the season after leading the team to a championship.

Lopez has a career regular season record of 217-237 (.478) in his first six managerial seasons in the Astros organization. He managed the rookie-level Greeneville Astros in the Appalachian League in 2011 and 2012, the Gulf Coast League Astros in 2009 and 2010, and the Venezuelan Summer League Astros in 2008. Prior to managing, Lopez served as a hitting and infield instructor in the Astros Venezuelan program and as a scout for the organization from 1999 to 2007. He was the Astros International Man of the Year in 2005 and Player Development Man of the Year in 2010. A native of Valencia, Venezuela, Lopez was an infielder for three seasons in the minor league systems of the Chicago White Sox (1996-97) and Arizona Diamondbacks (1998). He played two seasons for the rookie-level Bristol White Sox and his final season with the South Bend Silver Hawks of the Midwest League.

Former major league pitcher Dave Borkowski returns for his second season as the River Bandits pitching coach and fifth as a coach in the Astros organization following 15 seasons (1995-2009) as a professional pitcher. Borkowski's first Quad Cities staff issued the fewest walks (394) in the league and posted a 3.62 team ERA that was fourth-best among 16 teams. Borkowski, 36, appeared in 181 Major League games (21 starts) and was 13-20 with one save and a 5.87 ERA in seven combined seasons with Detroit (1999-2001), Baltimore (2004), and Houston (2006-08). His first professional season was in 1995 after being selected in the 11th round of the June 1995 draft by Detroit, and he pitched in the Midwest League for the 1997 West Michigan Whitecaps. Borkowski coached the pitching staff of Class-A Lexington in the South Atlantic League in 2011 and 2012, and he was the pitching coach of rookie-level Greeneville in 2010.

Joel Chimelis returns for his second season as the Quad Cities hitting coach and ninth consecutive season as a hitting coach in the Astros organization. In 2013, Quad Cities was fourth in the league with 636 runs and third with a .338 team on-base percentage. The 2014 season will be the 11th overall as a minor league coach for Chimelis, 46, following a 14-season professional career. He has also coached in the Astros organization with short-season Class-A Tri-City (2006-10), Class-A Lexington (2011) and Double-A Corpus Christi (2012). Chimelis was on a championship-winning staff with Tri-City in 2010. He spent 2004 and 2005 with the Savannah Sand Gnats of the Washington Nationals (Montreal Expos in 2004) organization. As a player, Chimelis was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 11th round of the 1988 Major League draft. He was a minor league infielder in the Athletics (1988-1991), San Francisco Giants (1991-1995) and New York Mets (1996) organizations. He was called up to the Giants major league roster in 1995 but did not appear in a game. Chimelis also played in Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Taiwan and Korea.

Former major league All-Star Vince Coleman is entering his second season with the River Bandits and Astros organization as a development specialist focused on outfield and baserunning. He will again be with the club for homestands and also be a scout and roving instructor within the Astros organization. Quad Cities led all Midwest League Western Division teams with 151 stolen bases as a team in 2013. Coleman, 52, played 13 seasons for the St. Louis Cardinals (1985-90), New York Mets (1991-93), Kansas City Royals (1994-95), Seattle Mariners (1995), Cincinnati Reds (1996) and Detroit Tigers (1997). He was the National League Rookie of the Year when he set a major league rookie record with 110 stolen bases in 1985 - the first of a major league-record three straight 100-steal seasons to start a career. In his first six seasons, he was a two-time All-Star, and led the National League in stolen bases every year from 1985 to 1990. In 1989, Coleman set the major league record when he stole 50 consecutive bases without being caught. His 752 career stolen bases rank sixth in Major League history.

Michael Rendon enters his first season as the River Bandits athletic trainer and fourth season overall with the Astros organization. Rendon worked with rookie-level Greeneville in 2011, and he was with short-season Class-A Tri-City in 2012 and 2013, when the ValleyCats won the New York-Penn League Championship. A 2010 graduate of Southern Illinois University, Rendon completed two internships with the athletic training staff for the Double-A Springfield Cardinals in the St. Louis organization and worked for the Southern Illinois University Clinical Experiences, assisting with the rehabilitation and treatment of injured student athletes.

James McNichol enters his first season as the River Bandits strength coach and second with the Astros organization. McNichol was with the Gulf Coast League affiliate in 2013. Prior to joining the Astros, McNichol worked at the National Basketball Academy in Orlando, Fla. He received his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Central Florida, where he majored in applied exercise physiology.

In 2013, the Houston Astros had a franchise-record six minor league playoff clubs, becoming the first organization to have six domestic affiliates qualify for the playoffs in the same season since Pittsburgh in 2003. Each of the highest six affiliates - Triple-A Oklahoma City (Pacific Coast League), Double-A Corpus Christi (Texas League), Class-A Advanced Lancaster (California League), Quad Cities, short-season Class-A Tri-City (New York-Penn League), and rookie-level Greeneville (Appalachian League) - made the postseason. Quad Cities and Tri-City each won their respective league championships. The combined regular season winning percentage of all affiliates (.569, 476-360) ranked second out of 30 MLB organizations.

UP NEXT: Season-ticket holders can still guarantee their same seats for the upcoming season, but time is running short! Ticket-plan holders must renew their plans with a $50 deposit per seat by Jan. 31, in order to keep the same seats as last season. Contact your account representative or call 563-324-3000 today to renew your ticket plan. To order ticket plans - with new lower prices - for next season, call the River Bandits box office at 563-324-3000 or visit www.riverbandits.com to download the season ticket order form. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $40. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.

ABOUT THE BANDITS: Having just been named Ballpark Digest's winner of Best Ballpark Improvement in America under $1 million, the River Bandits ownership is making one of the biggest improvements to Modern Woodmen Park since the ballpark was first built back in 1931! A new Ferris wheel, standing 112 feet over the playing field, is opening this spring, along with a carousel, a new ride called a "Drop and Twist," an expanded zip line, and many other new games and attractions. In 2013, the team unveiled a new 220-foot long dual zip line, a rock climbing wall, and a number of new bounce houses. The team's major league affiliate, the Houston Astros, just saw all six of its affiliates reach the playoffs - the first time in a decade any MLB team can claim such success. The River Bandits were one of three affiliates to reach the championship round and one of two to win their league championship.

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Two Quad Cities-area students will gain summer internship, first year of college tuition

DAVENPORT, Iowa (DEC. 4, 2013) - The Quad Cities River Bandits are now accepting applications for the 2014 Keith Lucier Memorial Scholarship and 2014 Bandit Scholarship. Through the Bandit Scholars Program, each scholarship is awarded annually to an area high school senior. Each scholarship pays for the winner's entire first year of tuition and includes a summer internship with the River Bandits following the winner's first year of college.

Applications for each scholarship are available at www.riverbandits.com and will be accepted until Feb. 14, 2014, at Modern Woodmen Park. The Keith Lucier Memorial Scholarship is open to all Quad Cities-area high school seniors entering the University of Iowa. The Bandit Scholarship is open to all Quad Cities-area high school seniors entering either Black Hawk College in Moline, Ill., or Western Illinois University in Moline, Ill. The scholarship winners will be announced and honored at a 2014 River Bandits home game at Modern Woodmen Park.

"The Bandits Scholars Program recognizes and supports the promising futures of talented students and young leaders in the Quad Cities, and it continues to be a wonderful way for the River Bandits to give back to a community we love," said River Bandits co-owner Dave Heller. "Giving out these scholarships is the single most enjoyable thing I do as owner of the River Bandits, and I can't wait to help make the dream of free college tuition become real for two more Quad Cities families!"

River Bandits owners Dave Heller and Bob Herrfeldt founded the Bandit Scholars Program in 2009. The Keith Lucier Memorial Scholarship is named in honor of the late Keith Lucier, who passed away in 2009. The Lucier Scholarship honors Keith's strong belief in higher education and celebrates his love for sports, learning, charitable endeavors and the Quad Cities community. Lucier graduated from Bettendorf High School and the University of Iowa. He was the River Bandits' Assistant General Manager in 2008.

The Lucier Scholarship pays for the entire year's tuition for an incoming fresshman at the University of Iowa and includes a summer internship with the River Bandits. It has been awarded annually to one Quad Cities-area high school senior since its inception. The Bandit Scholars Program expanded in 2012 with the addition of a second scholarship; the second scholarship pays for a year's tuition for an incoming freshman on the Illinois side at either Western Illinois University or Black Hawk College, and also includes a summer internship with the team.

To help fund the scholarships, the River Bandits hold promotional events, including the annual Frost Fest, set for Sunday, Dec. 15, and the Bandits Race to Home 5K. Early registration for the next Bandits Race to Home 5K on April 12, 2014, runs through Dec. 31. Fans can also send donations for the scholarship fund to Modern Woodmen Park. One hundred percent of every donation goes to fund the scholarships.

UP NEXT: Join the River Bandits for a free day of holiday fun and activities at Modern Woodmen Park, Sunday, Dec. 15, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Enjoy a chance for holiday shopping, activities and indoor fun at the ballpark. To order ticket plans - with new lower prices - for next season, call the River Bandits box office at 563-324-3000 or visit www.riverbandits.com to download the season ticket order form. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $40. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.

ABOUT THE BANDITS: Having just been named Ballpark Digest's winner of Best Ballpark Improvement in America under $1 million, the River Bandits ownership is making one of the biggest improvements to Modern Woodmen Park since the ballpark was first built back in 1931! A new Ferris wheel, standing 112 feet over the playing field, is planned for this spring, along with a carousel, a new ride called a "Drop and Twist," an expanded zip line, and many other new games and attractions. In 2013, the team unveiled a new 220-foot long dual zip line, a rock climbing wall, and a number of new bounce houses. The team's major league affiliate, the Houston Astros, just saw all six of its affiliates reach the playoffs - the first time in a decade any MLB team can claim such success. The River Bandits were one of three affiliates to reach the championship round and one of two to win their league championship.

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Team adds assistant general managers for baseball operations and special events

DAVENPORT, Iowa (NOV. 19, 2013) - The Quad Cities River Bandits have made a pair of offseason acquisitions, as they announced on Tuesday their two new assistant general managers, whom the Midwest League club will have oversee the baseball operations of the franchise and the year-round special events at Modern Woodmen Park.

The front office team welcomes Travis Painter as the Assistant General Manager of Baseball Operations and Taylor Satterly as the Assistant General Manager of Special Events.

"We are very pleased to add two talented and experienced new members to our front office team," said River Bandits co-owner Dave Heller. "Travis brings diverse experiences in Minor League Baseball and is widely regarded as a rising star within the industry, and Taylor is the kind of outstanding home-grown talent we pride ourselves on hiring. She has proven skills, great experience and the kind of familiarity with the Quad Cities region that only a local could have. Together, they are going to take baseball and special events at Modern Woodmen Park to a whole new level!"

Painter joins the River Bandits from the Pensacola (Fla.) Blue Wahoos, Double-A affiliate of the Cincinatti Reds in the Southern League. A native of Luray, Va., and graduate of James Madison (Harrisonburg, Va.) University, Painter previously served as assistant general manager for the Potomac (Va.) Nationals, the advanced Class-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals in the Carolina League. He also helped start the Pensacola franchise and open its new stadium in his two-year stint with the Blue Wahoos. Painter will assist with the day-to-day operations of the club and help oversee many of the River Bandits front office departments.

"I am excited to be joining the River Bandits, and helping to take this already extraordinary team to the next level," Painter said. "It's been a great transition to the Quad Cities, and I look forward to jumping into my new role, and meeting lots of new people."

Satterly comes to the River Bandits after eight years at the Stoney Creek Inn of Moline, Ill., most recently as the Assistant General Manager. A native of Henry County, Ill., Satterly graduated from Western Illinois University in the Quad Cities. She will lead the special events department at Modern Woodmen Park and will oversee all sales, planning, setup and cleanup of special events - including weddings, rehearsal dinners, corporate meetings, luncheons, holiday parties, fundraisers and many other year-round events.

"I would like to thank Dave Heller and Bob Herrfeldt for this opportunity to join such a great organization so committed to outstanding customer service," Satterly said. "I am very excited to use my years of experience in the hospitality industry to help make Modern Woodmen Park the first choice for weddings, parties and all kinds of events here in the Quad Cities."

The River Bandits, the Class-A affiliate of the Houston Astros, will open the 2014 Midwest League season at Modern Woodmen Park Thursday, April 3. A full schedule of home and road games for 2014 is available at www.riverbandits.com, and ticket plans for the 2014 season are now on sale.

UP NEXT: Lock in your season ticket plan - with new lower prices - for the 2014 season! A deposit of $25 per seat by December 31 enters you in a drawing for a free suite rental at an April 2014 home game. Call the River Bandits box office at 563-324-3000 or visit www.riverbandits.com to download the season ticket order form. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $40. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.

ABOUT THE BANDITS: Having just been named Ballpark Digest's winner of Best Ballpark Improvement in America under $1 million, the River Bandits ownership is making one of the biggest improvements to Modern Woodmen Park since the ballpark was first built back in 1931! A new Ferris wheel, standing 112 feet over the playing field, is planned for this spring, along with a carousel, a new ride called a "Drop and Twist," and many other new games and attractions. In 2013, the team unveiled a new 300-foot long dual zip line, a rock climbing wall, and a number of new bounce houses. The team's major league affiliate, the Houston Astros, just saw all six of its affiliates reach the playoffs - the first time in a decade any MLB team can claim such success. The River Bandits were one of three affiliates to reach the championship round and one of two to win their league championship.

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