Opening Day 2017 at Trustmark Park!

As ranked by Baseball America, the M-Braves club features four of the Atlanta Braves top 10 prospects including Kolby Allard (3), Mike Soroka (4), Patrick Weigel (9) and Max Fried (10).  With 16 of its players taken in the first nine rounds of their respective draft classes, the Double-A Braves roster includes six first-round draft picks. Eight players were members of the 2016 South Atlantic League Champion Rome Braves while 16 players were members of the Mississippi club that made the Southern League playoffs last year.

Allard and Soroka are both 19-year-olds who were selected by the Braves in the first round of the 2015 draft. Weigel, 22, combined to post a record of 11-6 with a 2.47 ERA in 25 games between Low-A Rome and Double-A Mississippi last year. Fried, 23, was 8-7 with a 3.93 ERA in 21 games with the Rome club. Keith Curcio and Matt Withrow, the 2016 Braves High-A Player and Pitcher of the Year, will also start the new season at Trustmark Park. Curcio, 24, posted a .271 batting average with 29 doubles, eight triples, three homers and 54 RBI in 124 games with the Mudcats last year. Withrow, 23, went 9-6 with a 3.80 ERA at High-A Carolina last season.

Seven arms return to the M-Braves pitching staff to start the 2017 season. Right-handers include Akeel Morris, Wes Parsons, Evan Phillips, Chad Sobotka and Weigel. Michael Mader and Philip Pfeifer are the returning southpaws. In addition to Allard, Fried, Soroka and Withrow, other newcomers on the hill at Trustmark Park include LHP Jesse Biddle, RHP Danny Reynolds and LHP Joe Rogers (DL).

Catcher Kade Scivicque returns to the Double-A club after joining the M-Braves in September last year. Armando Araiza and Sal Giardina (DL) join the M-Braves behind the plate to share batterymate duties. Other returnees include infielders Carlos Franco, Reed Harper, Levi Hyams (DL), Joey Meneses and Dylan Moore along with outfielders Curcio, Stephen Gaylor and Connor Lien. Fans will only see a few new faces initially at the plate–infielders Travis Demeritte and Luis Valenzuela along with outfielder Jared James.

There are currently 25 active players and five disabled players on the M-Braves roster.

Come to the game tonight, Thursday, April 6 with game one of a five-game series against Jacksonville. First pitch is slated for 7:00 PM. Gates open at 6:00 PM. In addition to Thirsty Thursday and the annual Opening Night Fireworks Show, the first 5,000 fans get a free M-Braves magnetic schedule! Tickets are on sale now at the Trustmark Park Box Office.

The Mississippi Braves baseball team is the Double-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves.  Since the inaugural 2005 season, over 115 M-Braves have gone on to play in the big leagues.  The M-Braves have made postseason play four times and went on to win the Southern League Championship in 2008.