Returning reliever L.T. Pare pitched well down the stretch for the Silver Knights in 2021. (Photo courtesy of Nashua Silver Knights)

NASHUA – Snow and ice has started to cover the outfield at Holman Stadium, but if the Nashua Silver Knights had to field a team to play a game today, they could.

And then some.

With the Futures League reverting back to a more normal off-season routine, as shown by the release of the 2022 schedule, Silver Knights general manager Cam Cook and field manager Kyle Jackson have already put together a roster of over 40 players for the 2022 season.

There are about half a dozen player agreement contracts that have still have yet to be signed and returned, but that won’t hinder what Nashua has already put together.

Cook and Jackson were certainly aware of last summer’s slow start and inexperience, and while there are still as many as six incoming freshmen (2022 high school grads) on the list, Cook feels there is enough veteran experience to avoid last year’s horrendous start.

“We were young last year, and it wasn’t offset by seniority,” Cook said. “For every freshman/sophomore there wasn’t a junior-senior-grad guy. We have that this year. By the time the incoming freshman get here (after they graduate high school), the culture will be established.”

Here’s a glance, by position groups:

PITCHERS

It starts with Plymouth State senior lefty Noah Wachter, who made 14 appearances for the Knights last summer but started two games late and was superb, finishing 1-0, 2.27. His brother, Jonah, who is a freshman at Tulane, is a possible; some may remember he tossed a no-hitter in the Division I title game for Concord last June.

Noah still has two more years of eligibility left.

Another Panther, freshman righty Tyler Wright, also from Concord, will also contribute. Two returning arms include Assumption’s Shea Ryan, who was 3-1, 4.59 last year as a reliever/starter and Merrimack senior reliever L.T. Pare (0-1, 7.85).

Holy Cross freshman righty Trevor Neff is expected to be a conference game reliever, non-conference starter for the Crusaders. Another will be Northeastern University incoming freshman Aiven Cabral, whom the Huskies feel will make an immediate impact for them in 2023, Cook said. .

Kyle Jackson used his connections with the Wake Forest coaching staff to land a couple of players, including freshman righty Will Andrews.

“They’re sending us freshmen and sophomores who are competing in