Howlers Announce 2026 Opening Day Roster
Published on March 31, 2026 under Carolina League (CarL)
Hill City Howlers News Release
The Hill City Howlers and the Cleveland Guardians have announced their roster for the 2026 season. The roster is highlighted by 18 members of the Carolina League Championship team from last year. In addition, the roster includes five members of the Guardians top 30 list (as per MLB Pipeline), ranking as high as number ten.
Right-handed pitcher Joey Oakie tops the list of Howlers top prospects. Currently ranked tenth, Oakie arrived in August and played an immediate impact on the team's playoff run. Drafted out of high school in Iowa, 19-year-old Oakie finished the season in Lynchburg with a 1-1 record and a 2.22 ERA.
Joining Oakie as a top returner is Juneiker Caceres, who sits 11th in the top prospects list. Caceres debuted in Lynchburg at 17-years-old and made an immediate impression with his powerful left-handed bat. He finished his season with nine extra-base hits in 30 games.
Ranked 21st, 18-year-old infielder Gabriel Rodriguez makes his full-season debut with the Howlers. The son of a Venezuelan baseball scout for the Brewers, Rodriguez has quickly moved through the ranks of the Guardians system. Born in Florida, Rodriguez boasted a .795 OPS in the Arizona Complex League last season.
Also making their full season debut is 19-year-old Robert Arias, who ranks 22nd on the MLB Pipeline list. Arias signed for $1.9 million out of the Dominican Republic in 2024 and has showcased a combination of contact and speed. The outfielder finished with 29 stolen bases in 46 games last year in Arizona.
Wrapping up the Howlers top prospect list is Dauri Fernandez, who returns after finishing last season as a Carolina League Champion. Fernandez played seven regular season games with Lynchburg, but showed tremendous promise in the postseason, emphasized by a home run in the Championship series against Columbia. The switch-hitting infielder was initially signed for $215,000 in 2024 out of Venezuela.
Quick Hitters
- The roster boasts 18 players who already have championship hardware from last year's Carolina League crown. Those players include: Eudry Alcantara, Jervis Alfaro, Luke Fernandez, Will McCausland, Chase Mobley, Oakie, Angel Perez, Zane Petty, Jacob Zibin, Keegan Zinn, Tyler Howard, Cannon Peebles, Fernandez, Anthony Martinez, Yaikel Mijares, Caceres, Yerlin Luis, and Jose Pirela.
- Those making their first trip to the Hill City are: Harrison Bodendorf, Wes Burton, Miguel Flores, Ettore Giulianelli, Nelson Keljo, Aidan Major, Victor Izturis, Luis De La Cruz, Jonathan Martinez, Rodriguez, Arias, and Yeiferth Castillo.
- The Hill City roster features 30 players representing six different countries across three different continents. The nations represented are: United States, Canada, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Italy.
- Eight players of the Guardians 2025 draft class will begin their season in Lynchburg, including last year's sixth round pick, Nelson Keljo.
- The Howlers tallest player and shortest player are a full foot apart. RHP Wes Burton measures in at 6'8" with OF Yeiferth Castillo standing 5'8".
- Cannon Peebles represents the only player on the roster from the Commonwealth of Virginia.
- The positional breakdown includes 16 pitchers, three catchers, six infielders, and five outfielders.
The Hill City Howlers begin their season on Thursday, April 2, against the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers before returning home to face the Fredericksburg Nationals for their Home Opener on Tuesday, April 7 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets for the Home Opener, featuring postgame fireworks, can be purchased at HCHowlers.com.
Carolina League Stories from March 31, 2026
- Howlers Announce 2026 Opening Day Roster - Hill City Howlers
- Future Stars Ready to Take the Field as RiverDogs Reveal 2026 Opening Day Roster - Charleston RiverDogs
- FredNats Announce 2026 Opening Day Roster - Fredericksburg Nationals
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