JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, the Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins, announced the Opening Day roster for the 2017 season on Thursday morning.
17 of the 25 players on the roster have played for Jacksonville before, including three members of Jacksonville’s starting pitching rotation.
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Left-handed pitcher Dillon Peters will get the Opening Night start for the Jumbo Shrimp. Peters, listed by Baseball America as the No. 5 Marlins prospect, was 3-0 with a 1.99 ERA in four starts for Jacksonville last year after he was a 2016 Florida State League Midseason All-Star with the High-A Jupiter Hammerheads. Left-handed pitcher Matt Tomshaw and right-handed pitcher Chris Mazza return from Jacksonville’s 2016 rotation, while the rotation is rounded out by Marlins organization newcomers in right-hander Omar Bencomo and left-handed pitcher Mike Kickham.
The Jumbo Shrimp bullpen is highlighted by left-hander Jarlin Garcia, who is a member of the Marlins 40-man roster and the No. 6 Marlins prospect according to Baseball America. He saw Jacksonville time with nine starts for the club a season ago, as well as seven starts for Jacksonville in 2015. Garcia will start the year on the suspended list for just one game, in an incident that is left over from last season. James Buckelew is the other left-handed pitching option for the Jumbo Shrimp out of the bullpen. Right-hander Tayron Guerrero returns for the bullpen, as he is also a member of the Marlins 40-man roster and the No. 16 Marlins prospect according to Baseball America. Other right-handed relievers include Jacksonville returners Hunter Adkins, 2016 Southern League All-Star Tyler Bremer, Tyler Higgins, and Tyler Kinley, with newcomer Victor Payano, who previously pitched in the Texas Rangers organization.
Austin Nola returns to Jacksonville in 2017, however this time he will be primary catcher for the Jumbo Shrimp. Nola previously played in Jacksonville in 2014 and 2015 as a shortstop and helped lead Jacksonville to the 2014 Southern League championship. Cam Maron, who hit .302 with Jacksonville last year, also returns a catcher for the Jumbo Shrimp.
The infield is led by Marlins No. 4 prospect Brian Anderson at third base. Anderson played in Jacksonville during the second half of last season, and was named the 2016 Marlins Minor League Player of the Year. Yefri Perez also returns to play some second base and shortstop, the speedster made his major league debut by playing in 12 games in Miami last year. Taylor Ard, K.C. Serna, Alex Yarbrough, and Southern League veteran David Vidal will all see playing time in the Shrimp infield to begin the season.
In the outfield, 2016 Southern League All-Star Austin Dean returns to play left field, he’s regarded as the Marlins No. 8 prospect by Baseball America. Jeremias Pineda and Alex Glenn return from the 2016 Jacksonville outfield, while Marlins No. 29 prospect John Norwood makes his Jacksonville debut in 2017.
The Jumbo Shrimp also have two players on the disabled list to start the year in catcher Chris Hoo and right-handed pitcher Patrick Johnson.
The regular season begins on the road tonight for the Jumbo Shrimp, facing the Mississippi Braves at Trustmark Park in Pearl, Mississippi at 8 p.m. ET. Peters (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will start for Jacksonville against Mississippi left-hander Max Fried (0-0, 0.00 ERA).