HIGH POINT, N.C. – High Point Rockers right-handed pitcher Jose Atencio on Tuesday had his contract purchased by the Los Angeles Angels. Atencio becomes the 51^st Rocker in just seven seasons to have their contract transferred to an MLB organization or international team.

A native of Maracaibo, Venezuela, Atencio had yet to throw a pitch for the Rockers in the regular season. He was the starter in last week’s exhibition game at Gastonia, allowing just two hits and no runs through four innings of work.

Atencio had been a member of the Washington Nationals farm system for five seasons. The 24-year-old was expected to be a top starter for the Rockers in 2026.

High Point has had eight players reach the Major League level after playing for the Rockers. The Rockers are currently represented by RHP Huascar Brazoban with the New York Mets, and RHP Ryan Weiss with the Houston Astros. Former Rocker LHP Brandon Leibrandt is pitching at Class AAA Louisville for the Cincinnati Reds while LHP Alberto Baldonado is currently pitching in Japan after competing for Panama in the World Baseball Classic. Baldonado was in MLB with the Nationals in 2021.

High Point continues its season-opening series with the Gastonia Ghost Peppers tonight at 6:35 p.m. at Truist Point. The Rockers will send RHP Fin Del Bonta-Smith to the mound to face Connor Grey.

HIGH POINT, N.C. – High Point Rockers manager Jamie Keefe today announced a pair of returning players and the addition of two newcomers to the Rockers 2026 team.

The two returning players are outfielder Bryson Parks and pitcher Scott Rouse. Joining the Rockers for the first time in 2026 are outfielder Frank Perez and infielder Patrick Sanchez.

The Rockers will open spring training on Saturday, April 11 at Truist Point.

Rouse, a right-hander, joined the Rockers in July 2025 after a stint in the Coastal Plan League. He made 17 appearances for High Point, all in relief, and frequently threw more than a single inning. Rouse pitched at the University of Kentucky in 2025 after spending two seasons at Radford University.

Parks was a late season acquisition in a trade from the New Jersey Jackals of the Frontier League. A centerfielder, Parks hit .250 in his 11 games in High Point, scoring three runs. He was used primarily as a pinch-runner during High Point’s postseason run. With the Jackals, Parks posted a .303 batting average with nine home runs and 33 RBI in 79 games while stealing 26 bases. Parks played college baseball at Western Carolina.

Sanchez is another former Jackal who will report to spring training with the Rockers. He played 73 games for New Jersey following a college career that saw him spend two years each at College of Charleston and Molloy University. Sanchez was the Nassau Conference II MVP while in high school on Long Island in 2021.

Perez, 25, is a native of Cuba who has spent his entire professional career in the Houston Astros system. He was most recently with Houston’s Class A club in Fayetteville, N.C. in 2023 and will be in competition for one of the Rockers’ outfield spots.

High Point opens the 2026 season at Truist Point against the Gastonia Ghost Peppers on Tuesday, April 21.

Tickets are on sale now for the upcoming 2026 season at HighPointRockers.com and through the Truist Point Box Office at (336) 888-1000. From March 19-22, fans can buy seats for any of the Rockers first nine games for as little as $5 per ticket by using the promo code PLAYBALL.

Since joining the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball in 2019, the Rockers have posted more wins than any other club, with 435 victories, 79 more than the Long Island Ducks. The Rockers have reached the playoffs in four of their six seasons and won two South Division championships. In 2025, the Rockers reached the ALPB League Championship Series after winning the South Division Championship in five games over Gastonia.

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point Rockers today announced that four players from the 2025 Atlantic League South Division Championship team will be returning for the coming season. The four include infielders Aidan Brewer and Max Viera along with catcher Nolan Watson and Zach Vennaro.

Brewer, Vennaro and Watson will all be with the Rockers for a third consecutive season while Viera will start his second season in High Point.

Brewer emerged as the Rockers starting shortstop in 2025. He led all Atlantic League shortstops with 420 total chances and 251 assists while hitting .230 with 13 homers and 46 RBI. Brewer is the only player in Rockers history to two inside-the-park home runs.

Vennaro has been a key part of High Point’s bullpen since joining the club in 2024. He led all Rockers pitchers with 44 appearances last year and has 105 career strikeouts in just 78.1 innings pitched.

Watson played in 40 games last year, primarily behind the plate, but his speed could allow him to see more time in the outfield as well. High Point led the ALPB in grand slams last year and Watson had one of those, coming against the Lexington Legends on May 13.

Viera was in High Point’s Opening Day line-up in 2025 after joining the club right out of Seton Hall University where he earned All-Big East honors at shortstop. A versatile infielder, he logged starts at second base, third base, shortstop, DH and in the outfield during the 2025 campaign.

Since joining the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball in 2019, the Rockers have posted more wins than any other club, with 435 victories, 79 more than the Long Island Ducks. The Rockers have reached the playoffs in four of their six seasons and won two South Division championships. In 2025, the Rockers reached the ALPB League Championship Series after winning the South Division Championship in five games over Gastonia.

Season tickets for the 2026 campaign are on sale now and are available at www.HighPointRockers.com or by calling the Rockers at (336) 888-1000.

HIGH POINT, N.C. –Luke Napleton, one of the top hitters in the Atlantic League in 2025, will be returning to the High Point Rockers in 2026. Rockers manager Jamie Keefe made the announcement today.

“Luke is a force offensively and defensively,” said Keefe. “Whether he is behind the plate catching or playing first base, his bat will be in the lineup daily.”

Napleton made the Rockers roster out of Spring Training in 2025 before having his contract purchased by the Minnesota Twins on May 7. After seeing action at the Twins’ Class A Fort Myers and Class A+ Cedar Rapids clubs, Napleton returned to the Rockers in early August. He played 31 games for High Point and hit .407 with six home runs and 29 RBI. Napleton had the highest batting average in the Atlantic League in 2025 but did not have enough plate appearances to win the batting title.

As both a catcher and designated hitter, Napleton set the Rockers record by recording an RBI in each of his first seven games and tied a club mark with four extra base hits against the Long Island Ducks on Sept. 7.

Napleton is the third Rocker to sign a contract for 2026, joining infielder Ethan Skender and catcher Lyle Lin.

The Rockers will begin Spring Training on April 11 and will open the season at Truist Point against the Gastonia Ghost Peppers on Tuesday, April 21.

Since joining the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball in 2019, the Rockers have posted more wins than any other club, with 435 victories, 79 more than the Long Island Ducks. The Rockers have reached the playoffs in four of their six seasons and won two South Division championships. In 2025, the Rockers reached the ALPB League Championship Series after winning the South Division Championship in five games over Gastonia.

Season tickets for the 2026 campaign are on sale now and are available at www.HighPointRockers.com or by calling the Rockers at (336) 888-1000.

HIGH POINT, N.C. – Four former players and one current player for the High Point Rockers will be featured in the upcoming World Baseball Classic which begins on Thursday, March 5. Pool play is scheduled for Miami, Houston, Tokyo, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. The semi-finals and championship rounds will be played in Miami and conclude on March 17.

The lone current Rocker in the WBC is catcher Lyle Lin who signed with High Point on Monday, March 2. Lin will represent Chinese Taipei in the WBC. The former Arizona State catcher played at Southern Maryland last year before signing with High Point.

LHP Josh Hendrickson was a late season acquisition by Rockers manager Jamie Keefe in 2025 and was outstanding during the Atlantic League playoffs in helping High Point reach the Championship Series. Hendrickson will be pitching for Australia.

Former Rockers reliever and current New York Mets pitcher Huascar Brazoban will pitch for the Dominican Republic before returning to Mets spring training camp. Brazoban was 1-1 in 16 appearances with the Rockers in 2021 and is one of seven former Rockers to reach the Major Leagues.

Two members of High Point’s inaugural team in 2019 will play in the WBC. First baseman Dante Bichette, Jr. will suit up for Brazil while RHP Alberto Baldonado will pitch for his native Panama. Baldonado made 13 appearances for High Point in 2019 and played for Panama in the 2023 WBC while Bichette was the Atlantic League Player of the Month in May 2019 after hitting .386 with three home runs and 23 RBI in 26 games.

The High Point Rockers open their season on April 21 at home against the Gastonia Ghost Peppers.

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point Rockers have announced the signing of catcher Lyle Lin, an Atlantic League veteran who will be playing for Chinese Taipei in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. The World Baseball Classic begins March 5 at sites around the world. Chinese Taipei will open that day against Australia at the Tokyo Dome. The final game will be played in Miami on March 17.

Lin, 28, was with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs in 2025, appearing in 28 games.

“Lyle proved himself to be one of the premier catchers in the Atlantic League last year,” said Rockers manager Jamie Keefe. “His defense is outstanding and his game-calling was second to none. We are excited for him to get the opportunity to play in the WBC with Chinese Taipei and join the High Point Rockers.”

Lin, 28, was the first Taiwanese-born player to be drafted by a Major League Baseball team in 2016. Lin attended high school in California and played three seasons at Arizona State before being drafted in 2019 by the Arizona Diamondbacks. He reached Class AAA Reno in 2022. He split the 2025 season between Southern Maryland and the Oakland A’s AA Midland team.

Lin is the second Rocker player under contract for 2026, joining infielder Ethan Skender.

Since joining the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball in 2019, the Rockers have posted more wins than any other club, with 435 victories, 79 more than the Long Island Ducks. The Rockers have reached the playoffs in four of their six seasons and won two South Division championships. In 2025, the Rockers reached the ALPB League Championship Series after winning the South Division Championship in five games over Gastonia.

Season tickets for the 2026 campaign are on sale now and are available at www.HighPointRockers.com or by calling the Rockers at (336) 888-1000.

The Rockers open the 2026 campaign at Truist Point on Tuesday, April 21 against the Gastonia Ghost Peppers.