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The Toronto Blue Jays have announced that SS Jose Reyes will join the Buffalo Bisons on an MLB injury rehabilitation assignment. Reyes is scheduled to be with the club on Thursday, May 21, and play for the Bisons in their game against the Toledo Mud Hens at 6:30 p.m.

The Blue Jays placed Reyes on the disabled list with a left rib fracture following their game on April 27. The four-time All-Star hit .250 (15-60) with three doubles, seven RBI and three stolen bases in 16 games with the Blue Jays before being injured.

The International League today named Buffalo Bisons 1B Chris Colabello the IL’s “Batter-of-the-Week” for the week of April 20-26.

Colabello hit .467 (14-30) over the past week, leading the circuit in hits (14) and RBI (10). The veteran also hit two doubles and three home runs, helping the Bisons win five of seven games on their roadtrip and take over the best record in the International League at 12-5.

 The Buffalo Bisons will hold a Meet the Team Night at (716) Food and Sport from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, April 7. Fans will have a chance to meet Bisons players and get ready for the start of the season. There is no ticket required to attend the event.

With the Sabres playing poor hockey, the Rochester Americans were a welcome diversion at First Niagara Center Wednesday night. The Amerks in fact had as many shots on goal in the first period (10) as the Sabres had in the whole game the night before in Toronto but there was no scoring after the first 20 minutes of play.

Goaltender Andrey Makarov stopped the first 17 shots on goal from the Hamilton Bulldogs before the visitors scored on their next two shots on odd man rushes to take a 2-0 lead. Makarov made some great stops in net and looks to be the goalie of the future for the Sabres. The Amerks got one back on a nifty pass from Joel Armia to Mikail Grigorenko who scored on a nice shot from the slot. Armia then scored right off an offensive zone faceoff won by Grigorenko to tie the game. Luke Adam fired a wicked wrist shot less than a minute later that gave the home team the lead giving the Amerks three goals in three minutes and thirty two seconds. Rochester lead after the second period 3-2 that also featured a fight between Nick Petrecki and Joe Finley making for an exciting 20 minutes of play.

There was no scoring in the third but plenty of entertaining moments. Grigorenko and Armia playing on the same line, Tim Schaller the big scoring center throwing his weight around, Mike Pysyk and Chad Ruhwedel puck moving scoring threats from the point all lead to signs of hope in the Sabres future.

The third annual CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects game which brings the top 40 American-born prospects eligible for the NHL draft was held at First Niagara Center on September 25th. This is the second time Buffalo has hosted the game since the inaugural event in 2012 also held at First Niagara. The first two years of play a total of eight players who participated were selected in the first round of the NHL draft. The highest Buffalo Sabre draftee to play in the game was J.T. Compher in 2012 who was selected 35th overall. The most recognizable player from the games is Seth Jones who was selected 4th overall by Nashville in 2012. The player to watch in this game was Jack Eichel of N. Chelmsford, Mass. who is expected to be drafted number one or number two in the 2015 NHL entry draft. Eichel was voted Most Valuable Player of the game and the award was presented by Buffalo Sabre Drew Stafford. The lone local player in the game was Joseph Cecconi of Youngstown, NY who played for Team Olczyk (coached by Ed Olczyk). Cecconi, a 6’2 207 lb defenseman played for the Niagara University Jr. Eagles, Wheatfield Blades, Buffalo Regals and the Buffalo Jr. Sabres. The 17-year old is committed to play at the University of Michigan in 2015. Cecconi played solid defense throughout and was not on the ice for any of the opponent’s six goals. The game started a little slow as both teams seemed to make the safe play which lead to a scoreless first period. Things opened up in the second as Team Grier (coached by Mike Grier) opened the scoring at 5:35. That goal brought life into both teams as they opened up and a total of five goals were scored in the period. Team Grier took over in the third period and won the game by a 6-3 score. Jeremy Bracco and Connor Moynihan had two goals apiece while Jack Eichel had a goal and an assist for the winners. Coming as no surprise to the hockey world, attendance was a record for a prospect’s game with an announced crowd of 7,310.

The AAA season is over and the Buffalo Bisons finished just out of a playoff spot ... but there are more games in the future for several Bisons players!

(August 21, 2014):The Buffalo Sabres and the Erie Otters announced today that the Otters will host the Niagara IceDogs at First Niagara Center on October 22 at 7pm.

On hand today were Ted Black (Sabres President) and Sherry Bassin (general manager and managing partner of the Otters). Both gentlemen were very enthusiastic as they talked about this much-anticipated matchup.

The Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame announced last week that former Bisons manager Eric Wedge, former Bisons outfielder Greg Tubbs and long-time Buffalo-area scout Bob Miske have been elected to the Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame.
 
Wedge, Tubbs and Miske will be formally inducted during special Hall of Fame ceremonies before the Bisons 7:05 p.m. game on July 11 against the Durham Bulls.
 

The 2014 season is under way, and the Buffalo Bisons are once again planning some outstanding promotional events. Here are just some of the highlights:

• Home Run Derby Night, May 30
• Star Wars Night, June 7
• Zombie Night, June 27
• Independence Eve Celebration with the BPO, July 3
• County Night, July 11
• Family Camp Out, Aug. 1
• Mystery Ball Night, Aug. 21
• Chicken Wing Bobble Head Giveaway, Aug. 23
• Fan Appreciation Night, Aug. 26