'It's time to play baseball': Players arrive in Birmingham ahead of 2023 Barons season

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBMA) — There may be a new coaching staff taking the lead at Regions Field this season but there will still be plenty of familiar faces taking the field for the Birmingham Barons to start the minor league baseball season this week. Some of the top prospects in the Chicago White Sox farm system will be starting the year in Birmingham, giving local baseball fans something to look forward to this season.

"We're all excited to get this thing underway," outfielderTyler Neslony said when players arrived at the airport earlier this week. "We've got a lot of new faces, a lot of new talent. Mainly excited to get spring training over with and get this season underway, for sure."

Neslony is back in Birmingham for a third season after having a successful stint with the club last season. In 68 games, Neslony had a slash line of .326/.404/.578 before spending the final part of the season with the Triple-A squad.

He's joining a group of outfielders who all spent some time with the Barons last season including Yoelquis Cespedes, who led last year's team in games played. Duke Ellis and Luis Mieses are the other two outfielders on the Barons opening day roster.

Chicago's top prospect Colson Montgomery spent some time with Birmingham last season but he is expected to start at High-A before moving back to the Barons' roster while he deals with a reported oblique injury. That will open the door at shortstop for Jose Rodriguez who ranks No. 6 on MLB.com's top prospects in the franchise. Rodriguez led the team in hits and runs scored during a full season in Birmingham last year.

Third baseman Bryan Ramos, the No. 3 prospect in the White Sox system, played just 21 games for the Barons last season but he will be starting in Birmingham this year.

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"I'm excited for the group of young men we have here," new Birmingham manager Lorenzo Bundy said. "This is my 42nd season in baseball and every year is an exciting time. I've heard a lot about the ballpark and a lot about the city... we're here to develop major league baseball players and it's time to play baseball."

The Barons Opening Day roster includes 21 players who played for Birmingham last season. You can see the full roster below.

Bundy, along with pitching coach Danny Farquhar and hitting coach Nicky Delmonico, spent last season with Chicago's Single-A squad.

"This is going to be the first time as a group that we really get to start to mesh," Bundy said. "These next three days are kinda getting to know each other. There's a lot of familiar faces... but it's early in the year and it's a bonding time."

Players who are returning to Birmingham are certainly hoping to make a move up the ranks to get to Chicago one day but they spoke highly of their experiences in Birmingham.

"We do have some good fans on the weekends," Neslony said. "It's a pretty nice ballpark, the scenery, like being there in downtown Birmingham. You can't really beat it. It's one of the better Double-A parks for sure."

Birmingham opens the season Thursday on the road against the Tennessee Smokies. The team's first home game will be Tuesday, April 11 against the Rocket City Trash Pandas. You can see the team's full schedule here.

"I've heard nothing but good things about it. I look forward to being here and look forward getting out there. I hope we have our guys put on a show for the Birmingham Baron fans."