Jumbo Shrimp Announce 2019 Opening Day Roster

16 of the 25 players on the roster have played for Jacksonville before, including nine of the 13 Jumbo Shrimp pitchers. Additionally, six of Jacksonville's players are featured as 2019 Marlins Top 30 prospects according to MLB Pipeline.

"Getting back to Jacksonville is great," said first-year Jumbo Shrimp manager Kevin Randel. "Being in the Marlins organization is a great opportunity right now as a minor league baseball player. A lot of these guys need to take advantage of that, especially being at the Double-A level."

Jacksonville features a deep starting pitching rotation, with the club employing a six-man rotation that includes right-handed pitchers Robert Dugger, Jorge Guzman, Dustin Beggs, Jordan Yamamoto, and Cody Poteet along with left-hander McKenzie Mills. Dugger is the Marlins No. 22 prospect, and will start for Jacksonville on Opening Night on Thursday after making 18 starts for the Jumbo Shrimp in 2018. Guzman is the Marlins No. 9 prospect, and in 2018 was a Florida State League Midseason All-Star with High-A Jupiter, and he is also a member of the Marlins 40-man roster. Yamamoto is the Marlins No. 17 prospect, and was 1-0 with a 2.12 ERA in three starts with Jacksonville last year, and is also on the Marlins 40-man roster. Poteet, Beggs, and Mills all logged starts for Jacksonville in 2018, giving the Jumbo Shrimp an experienced Double-A rotation to begin the season.

Jacksonville's bullpen is also experienced, featuring former major leaguer Brett Graves along with fellow right-handers Parker Bugg, Kyle Keller, and Jordan Milbrath. The Jumbo Shrimp will also have left-handers Jeff Kinley and Dylan Lee in the bullpen, both pitched for Jacksonville in 2018.

Behind the plate, Rodrigo Vigil returns to Jacksonville after a 2018 season that earned him Southern League Midseason All-Star honors. Sharing the catching duties will be seven-year veteran Santiago Chavez, who previously played in the Oakland Athletics organization.

The Jumbo Shrimp also feature prospects in the infield, with Marlins No. 23 prospect Joe Dunand at shortstop, and No. 24 prospect Bryson Brigman at second base. Both logged innings with Jacksonville in 2018, and Dunand is the nephew of 1994 Jacksonville Sun Alex Rodriguez, who was a 14-time All-Star and is currently an analyst on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball. John Silviano and Justin Twine also return from Jacksonville's 2018 infield, along with newcomers Eddy Alvarez and Matt Snyder. Alvarez previously played with the Southern League's Birmingham Barons from 2016-17, and as a short track speed skater earned a Silver Medal for the United States in the 5000 meter relay at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

Marlins No. 14 prospect Brian Miller will headline Jacksonville's outfielders, after hitting .267 with 14 RBI in 66 games for the Jumbo Shrimp in the second half of 2018. Also in the outfield will be former major leaguer Magneuris Sierra, who has seen time with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2017 and last year played in 54 games for the Marlins. Rounding out Jacksonville's outfield will be Anfernee Seymour and Stone Garrett.

The Jumbo Shrimp held Media Day on Tuesday, and will work out on Wednesday afternoon to finish preseason workouts. Thursday brings Opening Day presented by Firehouse Subs and Rimrock Devlin. The Jumbo Shrimp will host a Street Carnival from 4 p.m. through 6:30 p.m. with a rock wall, game truck, face painter, vendors, DJ and stage and life-size games to help celebrate Opening Day. Also among the pregame festivities is the Navy Band Southeast, which will play the National Anthem. During the Seventh Inning Stretch, Google Street View will take a panorama of the entire ballpark from the pitcher's mound. The Jumbo Shrimp's game-used road gray jerseys will be auctioned online at www.jaxshrimp.com throughout the entire homestand. Following the game is the first of a Baseball Grounds-record 22 fireworks shows. The Jumbo Shrimp's Opening Day is not included in the club's Budweiser Thirsty Thursday promotion. The game will be broadcast on the Jumbo Shrimp Network, presented by Community First on Sunny 102.3 FM, with coverage starting with "Shrimp on Deck" at 6:50 p.m.

ABOUT THE JUMBO SHRIMP: The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp offer affordable family fun at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. Their inaugural season garnered the Southern League's Don Mincher Organization of the Year, Promotional Trophy and Jimmy Bragan Executive of the Year, won by General Manager Harold Craw. To experience the excitement with the terrific value of ticket and group options, call the Jumbo Shrimp at (904) 358-2846 or visit www.jaxshrimp.com.