Miguel Hiraldo returns to the Fisher Cats this season, beginning with tonight's season opener in Binghamton. (File photo)

MANCHESTER – The New Hampshire Fisher Cats roster includes 16 returners to New Hampshire and 12 new faces from Vancouver or Dunedin that are all set to make their Double-A premieres when the team begins a three-game series to kick off the 2024 season against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies tonight at Mirabito Stadium.

In partnership with the Toronto Blue Jays, the Fisher Cats announced their preliminary 2024 Opening Day roster, featuring five players drafted in the top five rounds since 2020. The Fisher Cats roster lists five names from the 2022 MLB Draft class, including two of Toronto’s first five selections in 2022.

Infielder Josh Kasevich (2nd Round, 2022) is set to make his Double-A debut when New Hampshire travels to Binghamton to begin the 2024 season on April 5, while outfielder Alan Roden (3rd Round, 2022) returns to the Double-A level, where he slashed .310/.421/.460 with an OPS of .881 in 46 games for the remainder of 2023.

MLB Pipeline lists Roden as Toronto’s No.7 prospect and rank prior to 2024, while Kasevich rests at No.11.

New Hampshire slots promising pitching entering 2024 behind a mix of arms with Eastern League experience and a core of pitchers – and staffers – that powered High-A Vancouver to a Northwest League title in 2023. Double-A newcomer LHP Adam Macko (No. 9) and returner RHP CJ Van Eyk (No. 18) both fall in MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 Toronto Prospect list.

Infielder Alex De Jesus (MLB Pipeline No. 23) also makes his Double-A debut after being acquired by Toronto with RHP Mitch White in a trade that sent pitchers Nick Frasso and Moises Brito to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2022. Returning infielders include Michael Turconi, Rainer Nunez and Miguel Hiraldo. Hiraldo led all 2023 Fisher Cats hitters in his 89 games with a .380 BABIP, which highlights batting averages on balls put into play, and finished with the third-most extra-base hits (33).

New faces in the outfield include Gabriel Martinez, Glenn Santiago and Garrett Spain. Spain led Vancouver in extra-base hits (39), enough to receive high praise from Baseball America and was named Best Outfield Arm of all Blue Jays prospects before the 2024 season. Along with Roden, fellow returning outfielder *Devonte Brown* knocked out the second-most HRs for Vancouver last season (14) before receiving promotion.

Working with the Fisher Cats hurlers are catchers Phil Clarke, Andres Sosa and Zach Britton, who all return to New Hampshire for 2024. Baseball America named Clarke as Toronto’s best defensive catcher amongst 2024 prospects.

The Fisher Cats are scheduled to play 69 home games in 2024 at Delta Dental Stadium beginning this Tuesday with a six-game series against the New York Yankees Double-A affiliate, Somerset Patriots.

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