After looking at the Loon’s opening day roster, it looks as if they have a pretty talent laden team. Manager Razor Shines, who has one of the coolest names in baseball, should have a successful season leading his charges at Dow Diamond. The team seems to have a pretty good mix of young talent and they return eight players from the 2012 roster. Possibly the player Loons fans may be most eager to see play, is infielder Corey Seager. The Los Angeles Dodgers‘ top pick of the 2012 draft, 18th overall, Seager will play his first pro season for Great Lakes. He’s ranked by Baseball America as the Dodgers’ 3rd best prospect, is the first position player since James Loney (2002) to be a first pick for L.A. With this assignment, Seager becomes the highest drafted position player to ever play for the Loons. He joins five other prospects currently ranked by Baseball America on the Great Lakes roster. Pitching prospects include Scott Griggs (ranked 18th), Zach Bird (19), Angel Sanchez (25), outfielders James Baldwin III (22) and Jeremy Rathjen (29).   Baldwin and Griggs are two of the returning players, as well as pitcher Ralston Cash, Daniel Carela,  Arismendy Ozoria, and Miguel Sulbaran, catcher Tyler Ogle, and outfielder Davin Shines, son of manager Razor. Sanchez also played for the Loons back in 2011. Also joining Shines in the dugout, are pitching coach Bill Simas and hitting coach Mike Eylward. The Loons open their season at home on April 4th, hosting the Fort Wayne TinCaps. I expect to see some great games between the Loons and Whitecaps this season, as both organizations have their games on the MiLB.tv network. Less than a week away from the season’s start, it already looks like it could be a very entertaining one, if mother nature ever decides to stop punishing us. With another blanket of snow dumped on us, and blistering cold wind, it seems more like December 1st than April 1st…I guess the joke’s on us here in Michigan.

Photos courtesy of the Great Lakes Loons