Starting rotation
Johannesburg employs a 5-man rotation strategy of all veteran players north of age 30. Fronting the rotation for the Gold is Rowan Tucker (great last name). Rowan is an Iron Man/Cal Ripken type player who just simply does not miss games. He's missed only one game in his career, and that was due to a viral infection.
So if anyone can be counted on to show up and get it done, it's Rowan Tucker. He knows what it takes to win, as he was a member of the 2058 GBC champions, the London Monarchs. He will bring a wealth of championship experience to the Gold.
Clyde Garrison came over from the Sao Paulo Pilots, where he compiled a 12-6 record with a 3.84 ERA and a solid 4.8 WAR.
Mark Smith and Mark Thomas provide mid-rotation help for the Gold. Thomas spent four seasons with Jacksonville in the BBA from 2054–2057, where he amassed 34 wins against 29 losses. He spent last year with the Madison Wolves before the Gold scooped him up in free agency.
Team captain Ryan Cline anchors the back end of the rotation, providing quality innings and leadership.
Infielders
Switch-hitting catcher Dave Butler will hold down the primary catching job, with Kaden Bin Majdy backing him up. Majdy is a far superior defensive catcher, so Butler will need to play well to keep the starting job. Ricardo Yanez and Yeijiro Kobayashi will man the corners of the infield for the Gold, while Carson Stauffer and Nick Ashwell will provide the middle infield defense. Yanez hit.267 with the Sacramento Mad Popes in 2057 in just two months of work before being released.
Outfielders
The Gold have a decent trio of starting outfielders led by center fielder Ismael Zumaya. Zumaya has good range in the outfield and an absolute cannon for an arm.
He is a player with a high work ethic who should contribute right away for the team. The Gold have decent outfield depth, and they may need it as injuries can change the course of a season quickly.
Designated Hitter
Backup left fielder Marcos Castillo will hold down the DH role for Johannesburg. He could also be utilized in the run game, as he has blazing speed and aggressive stealing ability. He swiped a career-high 39 bases with Cairo in 2056.
2059 Outlook
The Johannesburg Gold are in their inaugural season, so they are in team-building mode, but they have the roster to stay competitive in the GBC. The future looks bright for the South African squad, but during the season the goal should be to play above .500 baseball, and I believe they can achieve that.