Signing signals shortstop for Biscuits?

Shortstop Ronnie Merrill has signed with the Rays and I suspect will be Montgomery's primary shortstop this year.

Merrill has been in with the Padres, A's and Diamondbacks the last three years, primarily as a Class AA shortstop. He's played only 57 games at Class AAA in his eight-year career. Reid Brignac is set to go to Durham and there's no apparent candidate ready to step up from Vero Beach. (Neil Walton hit just .232 last year and Aaron Sisk is more of a utility guy. Jairo De La Rosa mustered a .211 average at low-A Columbus.)

That leaves Merrill, who was the MVP of the 1998 NCAA Division II series for the University of Tampa here in Montgomery, to return to the city.