MANCHESTER – The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Blue Jays Double-A affiliate) have announced their tentative Opening Day roster for the 2021 season as they are set to begin a six game series a six-game series against the Portland Sea Dogs (Boston Red Sox) at Hadlock Field tonight through May 9.

Three of the Blue Jays top four prospects (according to MLB.com) will suit up for the Fisher Cats this year: Austin Martin, Jordan Groshans, and Simeon Woods Richardson.

All three players also rank among the top 80 prospects in baseball according to MLB.com.

Austin Martin (SS/OF) led Vanderbilt to a College World Series championship in 2019, and was drafted fifth overall by the Blue Jays the following year. With the cancelation of the 2020 Minor League Baseball season, Martin will make his professional debut at the Double-A level. He currently ranks No. 2 among Blue Jays prospects and No. 19 overall according to MLB.com, as many scouts regarded him as the top hitter in the 2020 draft class.

Jordan Groshans (SS) was the 12th pick in the 2018 draft, and impressed with a .337 batting average with the Class-A Lansing Lugnuts in 2019 before his season was cut short due to a foot injury. MLB.com ranks him as the No. 3 prospect in the Blue Jays system, and No. 39 in baseball.

RHP Simeon Woods Richardson came to the Blue Jays organization from the Mets as part of the trade for former Fisher Cat Marcus Stroman in 2019. Toronto quickly promoted the second-round pick to Advanced-A Dunedin, where he went 3-2 with a 2.54 ERA and averaged over one strikeout per inning. MLB.com ranks Woods Richardson No. 4 among Blue Jays prospects, and No. 78 overall.

The Fisher Cats will also have three members of Toronto’s 40-man roster in New Hampshire this season: Otto Lopez, Elvis Luciano, and Gabriel Moreno.

IF/OF Otto Lopez won the Class-A Midwest League batting title with a .325 average in 2019, and starts the season ranked No. 11 among Blue Jays prospects by MLB.com.

RHP Elvis Luciano pitched in 25 MLB games for the Blue Jays in 2019 after being acquired in the Rule 5 Draft from the Royals.

C Gabriel Moreno has moved up to No. 7 on MLB.com’s list of Blue Jays prospects thanks to a strong 2019 season in Class-A Lansing and an impressive summer at Toronto’s alternate training site.

C Chris Bec, a fifth-round pick out of Maine, will share catching duties with Moreno in his return to the northeast.

Fisher Cats fans will recognize a few familiar names and faces from past seasons, including 2019 regulars IF Vinny Capra, OF Brock Lundquist, and All-Star LHP Zach Logue. 2018 champion RHP Jon Harris will also start the year in New Hampshire.

RHP Kyle Johnston and RHP Maximo Castillo will round out the pitching rotation. Castillo excelled in Advanced-A Dunedin in 2019 with an 11-5 record and 2.69 ERA.

New Hampshire’s outfield will feature talents like OF Reggie Pruitt (48 stolen bases in 2019), OF Demi Orimoloye (acquired in trade for Curtis Granderson), and OF Chavez Young (No. 29 Blue Jays prospect).

IF Nick Podkul (seventh-round pick out of Notre Dame), IF Samad Taylor (acquired in trade for Joe Smith), and the versatile IF Kevin Vicuña will join Capra, Groshans, Lopez, and Martin around the diamond.

The remainder of the roster consists of several new faces in the bullpen, including RHP James Dykstra, RHP Mike Ellenbest, RHP Cre Finfrock, RHP Emerson Jimenez, RHP Connor Law, RHP Sean Rackoski, LHP Brody Rodning, RHP Fitz Stadler, and RHP Curtis Taylor.

The Fisher Cats home opener is set for May 11 at 6:35 p.m. against the Somerset Patriots (New York Yankees Double-A affiliate). Fans can enjoy a spectacular Atlas Fireworks show after the game, with a Magnet Schedule Giveaway from Eastern Propane & Oil.

Opening Night kicks off a six-game homestand from Tuesday through Sunday at Delta Dental Stadium, followed by another six-game series in Manchester against the Future Red Sox from May 18-23.

All 120 games will be broadcast live on the Fisher Cats flagship station, AM 610 WGIR.

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