Mighty Mussels Announce 2024 Opening Night Roster

FORT MYERS, Fla. (April 1, 2024) – In conjunction with the Minnesota Twins, the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels have announced their 2024 Opening Night roster.

The Fort Myers’ roster includes 16 pitchers and 14 position players. Thirteen of the 30 players return from last year’s team and 15 already have experience at the Low-A level.

Five ranked prospects highlight the active roster, including Walker Jenkins – the unanimous top prospect in the Twins’ organization and the No. 10 prospect in baseball according to MLB Pipeline. Other ranked prospects include RHP Charlee Soto (No. 7 - MLB Pipeline), UT Brandon Winokur (No. 11 – MLB Pipeline), OF Jose Rodriguez (No. 21 – Baseball America) and INF Rayne Doncon (No. 30 – MLB Pipeline).

“We have a very college-draft heavy pitching staff and a really young position player group,” Mussels’ manager Brian Meyer said. “We have five teenage position players and a group of position players who are very versatile in regards to the positions they can play. It’s good to have some leadership back this year in guys like Maddux Houghton and Yohander Martinez, who can mentor the young position players on the ups and downs of a minor league season.”

Jenkins was selected 5^th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, signing for a Twins’ record $7.14 million. The No. 4 draft prospect by both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline, Jenkins twice won the North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year while starring at South Brunswick High School. Jenkins batted .362 with 12 extra-base hits and 22 RBI over 26 games across two levels (.988 OPS). He appeared in 12 games for the Mussels, posting a .392/.446/.608 slash line while delivering a walk-off hit on August 25.

Soto was the Twins’ second pick in last year’s draft, going 34^th overall. Ranked as the No. 28 draft prospect by Baseball America, Soto signed for $2.48 million. Twins’ evaluators touted Soto’s sound delivery, premium velocity, and ability to throw three pitches for strikes. Soto touched 98 mph on the Hammond Stadium radar gun during the Twins’ Spring Breakout game on March 16.

Winokur was selected in the third round of last year’s draft, signing for well above his slot value ($1.5 million) to bypass his commitment to UCLA. A unanimous top-100 prospect in the draft, Winokur hit .365 with nine home runs as a senior at Edison High School last year, winning a league championship. He registered an .883 OPS over 17 games for the FCL Twins last summer, appearing at both shortstop and center field.

Rodriguez has built a strong resume at the Twins’ developmental complexes in Fort Myers and the Dominican Republic. After leading the Dominican Summer League in home runs (13) and RBI (49) in 2022, he shot up prospect lists and entered last season ranked as the Twins’ No. 13 prospect. In his first year in the United States in 2023, Rodriguez led the FCL Twins in hits (49), doubles (10), games played (49) and home runs (6), finishing with a .262/.325/.412 slash line.

Doncon joined the Twins’ organization on February 26 as part of the two-player return for former Mussels’ shortstop Noah Miller. The Dominican Republic native led Low-A Rancho Cucamonga in plate appearances (473) last season, finishing second on the team in hits (92), home runs (14), RBI (52), doubles (21) and runs (62). He split his time between second base, shortstop and third base. He signed with Los Angeles in 2021 for $497.5 K.

Brian Meyer enters his fourth season as the Fort Myers’ manager, having led the club to a winning record in each of his first three seasons. MORE ON THE MUSSELS COACHING STAFF

The Mighty Mussels begin the 2024 season at 7:05 p.m. on Friday, April 5 at Hammond Stadium. Gates will open at 6 p.m. and tickets can be purchased here. April 5 also marks the debut of the Mussels’ video broadcasts, with all games being available to watch here.