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Rockies add two to 40-man roster, outright Brown

DENVER – The Colorado Rockies announced on Friday that the club has added left-handed pitchers Edwar Cabrera and Christian Friedrich to the 40-man roster. Additionally, the Rockies have sent infielder/outfielder Andrew Brown outright to Triple-A Colorado Springs after he cleared waivers.   

Cabrera, 24, split the 2011 season between Single-A Asheville and High-A Modesto, going a combined 8-3 with a 3.34 ERA (167.0 ip, 62 er), 41 walks and 217 strikeouts in 26 starts between the two stops. Cabrera set career-highs in nearly every pitching category in 2011 and his 217 strikeouts led the Minor Leagues and were the most for a Rockies Minor League pitcher in franchise history. Cabrera was named to the South Atlantic League Mid-Season All-Star team prior to his promotion to Modesto in late June. He went 4-2 with a 3.14 ERA (86.0 ip, 30 er), 18 walks and 118 strikeouts in 13 starts for the Tourists, then went 4-1 with a 3.56 ERA (81.0 ip, 32 er), 23 walks and 107 strikeouts in 13 starts for the Nuts. The native of the Dominican Republic had never pitched in a full-season league prior to 2011. 

Friedrich, 24, spent the entire 2011 season as a member of the Double-A Tulsa Drillers starting rotation. He went 6-10 with a 5.00 ERA (133.1 ip, 74 er), 43 walks and 103 strikeouts in his 25 starts for the Drillers. The left-hander was named to the Texas League Mid-Season All-Star team, as he went 6-5 with a 3.94 ERA (82.1 ip, 36 er) prior to the All-Star break. The Rockies former first-round draft selection in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft out of Eastern Kentucky University, Friedrich ranked as the Rockies No. 2 prospect in the organization by Baseball America prior to the 2011 season. He was also rated the 50th-best prospect by MLB.com prior to the 2011 season. Additionally, Friedrich was selected to the 2010 Futures Game as a member of Team USA.       

Brown, 27, was claimed by Colorado off waivers from St. Louis on October 12th. The versatile player split the 2011 season between Triple-A Memphis and in the Majors with the Cardinals. Brown made his Major League debut with St. Louis on June 12, and in 11 games for the club hit .182 (4-for-22) with one double, 3 RBI and one run scored. Brown saw all of his action in the field with St. Louis as the club’s right fielder. Brown spent the balance of the 2011 season with Triple-A Memphis as one of the club’s regulars. In 107 games he batted .284 (102-for-359) with 12 doubles, 3 triples, 20 home runs and 73 RBI. Brown was named to the Pacific Coast League’s Mid-Season All-Star team in 2011. Originally selected by St. Louis in the 18th round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Nebraska, the right-handed hitting and throwing Brown has spent his entire professional career in the Cardinals system. Brown has three 20-plus home run seasons in the Minors (2008, 2010-11).  

The Rockies currently have 38 players on their 40-man roster.

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