23 Lugnuts make MLB Opening Day rosters
Seven on the Toronto Blue Jays, though not Jordan Romano and Danny Jansen (who were placed on the Injured List). Four on the Oakland Athletics, though not Zach Jackson (who was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas). Three on the Pittsburgh Pirates! As the 2024 Major League Baseball begins, 23 former
Seven on the Toronto Blue Jays, though not Jordan Romano and Danny Jansen (who were placed on the Injured List).
Four on the Oakland Athletics, though not Zach Jackson (who was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas).
Three on the Pittsburgh Pirates!
As the 2024 Major League Baseball begins, 23 former Lansing Lugnuts made Opening Day rosters:
- Gabriel Moreno and Miguel Castro on the National League champion Arizona Diamondbacks
- Josh Winckowski in the Boston Red Sox bullpen
- Yan Gomes as the Chicago Cubs' trusted veteran catcher
- Kevin Pillar as the Chicago White Sox' trusted veteran outfielder
- Jon Berti as the New York Yankees' newly acquired starting third baseman, supplying the D for 2015 rehabber Marcus Stroman
*- *Lawrence Butler and Ryan Noda in the Oakland Athletics' lineup and Mason Miller and Dany Jiménez at the back end of the bullpen
- Ryan Borucki, Rowdy Tellez and Edward Olivares reuniting in Pittsburgh
- Tayler Saucedo, who emerged out of nowhere to become a heavily used southpaw for Seattle, returning to the Mariners' relief corps
- Bo Bichette, Cavan Biggio, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Alejandro Kirk and Davis Schneider (who cameoed in the 2019 Crosstown Showdown) in the Toronto Blue Jays' lineup, and Nate Pearson (2018 Showdown) alongside Tim Mayza in the Jays' pen
- and lastly, Lane Thomas (pictured above), who has carved out a prominent role at the top of the Washington Nationals' offense and drew trade buzz last year.
This doesn't include all of the former Lugnuts on coaching staffs: from manager (Toronto's John Schneider) to bench coach (Colorado's Mike Redmond) to catching coach (Atlanta's Sal Fasano) to pitching coach (the Dodgers' Mark Prior) to assistant pitching coach - bullpen (the Blue Jays' Jeff Ware) to bullpen catcher (the Blue Jays' Luis Hurtado) to assistant hitting coach (Texas' Seth Conner) to infield coach (the Angels' Ryan Goins) to first base coach (the Dodgers' Clayton McCullough) to third base coach (Toronto's Carlos Febles). That's covering the bases!
The 2024 Lugnuts open their season unofficially on Wednesday, April 3, against Michigan State University in the 16th Crosstown Showdown. The first 1,000 fans will receive a commemorative Spartan Green Lugnuts Jersey, presented by Delta Dental. First pitch is at 6:05 p.m. Single game tickets are on sale at the Jackson® Field™ box office, available for purchase at (517) 485-4500 or online at milb.com/lansing.