Nakamura begins season in Omaha, along with odd catcher. It's AAA for Kasim. (2051.09)

[niles08]

Omaha has announced its final roster moves before opening day. With many expecting the team to send top pitching prospect Takashi Nakamura to AAA, they’ll be shocked to read that Omaha has announced that he will be the 5th man in the starting rotation to start the season. Nakamura had a good spring, striking out 30 batters in 19 innings with a 2.25 FIP. He should be in the running to be named a potential rookie of the year, assuming he spends the entire season at the big league level. Being that he plays for Omaha, don't be surprised to see him sent down at some point, even if he were having a "Nebraska" type season.

Others showing up on the roster include a late call-up of catcher Ray Kendall who wasn’t with the team for spring training. Kendall has no BBA experience, having spent last season in single A ball, where he had just 6 at bats. In his career, the 29-year-old has put together a .209/.301/.354 triple flash in 825 games.

The only other newsworthy notes involved the team announcing that Amid Kasim had been optioned back to AAA Lincoln. While with AAA last season, the now 24-year-old, managed a .230/.373/.476 triple slash with 32 home runs for the second consecutive year at AAA. His OPS+ was at 147 over 535 plate appearances.

The team also sent Luis Urbina to AAA. Urbina, the former rule 5 draft pick, compiled a 116 wRC+(park adjusted) while with the BBA club last year and appeared in 109 games, primarily in a pinch hitting role against right handed pitching.