Tennessee Smokies announce opening day roster

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - The Tennessee Smokies on Tuesday announced the club’s initial 2023 season roster. The team features a number of top 30 prospects in the Chicago Cubs organization and is made up of 15 pitchers and 15 position players.

Outfielders for the Smokies are headlined by the Cubs’ top prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong, who had 132 hits and 61 RBI in 101 games combined with Class A Myrtle Beach and Class High A South Bend last year. Owen Caissie, Chicago’s No. 13 prospect, is coming off of a 96 hit, 58 RBI, and 11 home run season in 2022 with Class High A South Bend. Joining them will be Jordan Nwogu, and Smokies returners Zach Davis and Cole Roederer.

The infield features the Cubs’ No. 25 prospect and returner to Kodak, Chase Strumpf. The 2019 second round pick had 181 total bases, 57 RBI, and 21 home runs in 116 games for the Smokies last year. Other infielders will be Bryce Ball, Nelson Maldonado, BJ Murray, Luis Vazquez, Luis Verdugo, and Andy Weber.

Miguel Amaya - the club’s No. 15 prospect will be the team’s starting catcher. In just 28 games played last year with the Smokies, the Panamanian had 27 hits and 19 RBI.

The pitching staff is fully loaded with top prospects, with five in the top 30 of the Cubs organization. The staff is highlighted by Cubs’ No. 6 prospect Jordan Wicks, No. 8 prospect Ben Brown, No. 14 prospect Daniel Palencia, No. 21 prospect Porter Hodge, and No. 29 prospect Ryan Jensen. Cubs’ 2021 first round pick Jordan Wicks returns to Tennessee after striking out 35 batters in just 28 innings at the Class AA level. Ben Brown is coming off of a 3-0 record in seven games started with the Smokies last year. Hunter Bigge, Ben Hecht, Bailey Horn, Chris Kachmar, Riley Martin, Michael McAvene, Walker Powell, Jake Reindl, Dalton Stambaugh, and Cayne Ueckert round out the staff.

The Smokies begin their 2023 home campaign against the Birmingham Barons on Thursday, April 6.