Cutdown day

Ryan Kresky, right, was one of 12 players dropped from the roster Sunday. Four more moves must be made before opening day.

Today is the first mandatory cutdown day and the axe was dropped hard in Washington.

The Wild Things trimmed their roster by 12 players -- we mentioned one of the moves in Saturday's edition of the Observer-Reporter as lefty relief pitcher Matt Phillips was placed on the retired list -- and now have 28 active players.

All teams must be down to no more than 24 players when the Frontier League season starts Thursday with two games, Joliet at Florence and Schaumburg at Windy City (yes, the Boomers will have played one game before arriving in Washington for the Wild Things' opener Friday night).

In addition to Phillips, who is recovering from shoulder surgery that caused him to miss all of last season, infielder Ryan Kresky was put on the retired list. Kresky played for Evansville in 2013 and was acquired by Washington last year in a trade. He batted .215 with four home runs and 24 RBI with the Wild Things. He had a miserable night Friday in a 6-4 exhibition loss to Lake Erie. He was charged with four errors, though not all were totally his fault. Kresky was a sure-handed player last year, committing only six errors in 63 games.

Washington also released 10 players and all but one, pitcher Mike Devine, is a rookie by league roster standards. A Springdale native, Devine played three seasons in the Frontier League with Traverse City and Normal.

The other players released were pitchers Jeremy Holcombe, Cory Jordan and Ryan Wakefield, catchers Sammy Ayala and Colbe Herr, first basemen Joey Miller and Jack Morrow and second baseman/outfielder Daniel Massey.

Jordan has been sidelined by a hamstring injury and I had expected him to be placed on the DL. Miller was edged out for a roster spot by rookie first baseman Brady North.

Washington has two catchers, five infielders and four outfielders on the roster. I anticipate all 11 to make the opening day roster, unless shortstop Juedy Valdez, who was issued a visa about nine days ago, arrives in Washington. The Wild Things have 17 pitchers on the roster.

Washington must trim four players who are classified as experienced off the roster before the season begins.

Prior to the exhibition games, Washington released rookie pitcher Kyle Davis and outfielder Tanner Mathis. Davis is a rookie from Allegheny College. Mathis played college ball at Mississippi and spent two years in the Houston Astros' system.