2025 Opening Day Roster Released
April 2, 2025 - Southern League (SL)
Montgomery Biscuits News Release
MONTGOMERY, AL - The Tampa Bay Rays announced the 2025 opening day roster for their Double-A Affiliate, the Montgomery Biscuits, earlier today. The season begins on Friday with a three-game homestand against the Columbus Clingstones (Double-A Affiliate, Atlanta Braves) at Riverwalk Stadium.
The roster features nine MLB Pipeline Top 30 prospects and 13 players who made at least one appearance for the Biscuits last season.
The Top 30 prospects include INF Brayden Taylor (No. 3), RHP Brody Hopkins (No. 8), RHP Jackson Baumeister (No. 14), OF Homer Bush Jr. (No. 17), RHP Ty Johnson (No. 21), INF Cooper Kinney (No. 24), OF Colton Ledbetter (No. 26), OF Matthew Etzel (No. 27), 1B Will Simpson (No. 30).
Taylor enters the season as Montgomery's most highly rated prospect, ranked No. 66 on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 prospect list. The 2023 first rounder played in 30 games for the Biscuits at the end of the 2024 season. Taylor played three collegiate seasons for Texas Christian University and holds the school record with 48 career home runs.
Hopkins is the Rays top ranked pitching prospect. The 23-year-old was acquired from Seattle as part of the Randy Arozarena trade on July 26. The right-hander made seven starts for High-A Bowling Green and registered a 3.45 ERA in 31.1 innings. Baseball America ranked Hopkins as the No. 57 prospect in all of baseball.
The roster is led by Kevin Boles who returns for this second season in Montgomery. Boles was named the 2024 Southern League Manager of the Year after leading the club to 80 wins and a ninth consecutive playoff appearance. The club made it to the Southern League Championship Series for the first time since 2021 and second time since 2007.
Hitting coach Paul Rozzelle (2024) and pitching coach Jim Paduch (2022) are back for a second season while Ronnie Richardson takes over as bench coach.
2025 Montgomery Biscuits Opening Day Roster
Pitchers (15): Keyshawn Askew, Jackson Baumeister, Jonny Cuevas, Ty Cummings, Duncan Davitt, JJ Goss, Dan Hammer, Jack Hartman, Brody Hopkins, Ty Johnson, Trevor Martin, Austin Vernon, Jacob Watters, Cole Wilcox, Alfredo Zarraga
Catchers (3): Ricardo Genoves, Kamren James, Tatem Levins
Infielders (6): Jalen Battles, Cooper Kinney, Will Simpson, Hunter Stovall, Brayden Taylor, Willy Vasquez
Outfielders (4): Homer Bush Jr., Matthew Etzel, Brock Jones, Colton Ledbetter
Opening Night is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. CT on April 4 to kickoff a three-game homestand at Riverwalk Stadium. The homestand features MAX Fireworks shows on Friday and Saturday.
• Discuss this story on the Southern League message board...
Southern League Stories from April 2, 2025
- Pitching Dominates, Shuckers Defeat Pearl River in Final Tuneup Before Opener - Biloxi Shuckers
- 2025 Opening Day Roster Released - Montgomery Biscuits
- Lookouts Announce 2025 Opening Day Roster - Chattanooga Lookouts
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
