Top Prospect Alfredo Duno Headlines Dragons Tentative Opening Night Roster
MWL Dayton Dragons

Top Prospect Alfredo Duno Headlines Dragons Tentative Opening Night Roster

Published on March 31, 2026 under Midwest League (MWL)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Dayton, Ohio - The Dayton Dragons, in conjunction with the Cincinnati Reds, announced their tentative opening night roster today. The list of 30 players is headlined by catcher Alfredo Duno, the highest-rated prospect in the entire Reds farm system according to both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline. Duno, the 2025 Most Valuable Player of the Florida State League with Daytona, will be the top-rated prospect ever to play for the Dragons at the catcher position.

The Dragons will open their 26th season in the Midwest League in Lansing, Michigan on Thursday night, the start of a three-game series against the Lansing Lugnuts. The Dragons annual home "Opening Night" game at Day Air Ballpark is Tuesday, April 7th against the Lake County Captains at 7:05 p.m.

For information on Dragons season tickets, group tickets, or single-game tickets, go to daytondragons.com/tickets or call (937) 228-2287.

Here is the Dragons opening night roster:

Catchers: Alfredo Duno, Ryan McCrystal.

Infielders: Alfredo Alcantara, Johnny Ascanio, John Michael Faile, Carter Graham, Jack Moss, Carlos Sanchez, Peyton Stovall.

Outfielders: Ariel Almonte, Yerlin Confidan, Esmith Pineda, Anthony Stephan, Kien Vu.

Starting Pitchers: Beau Blanchard, Reynardo Cruz, Luke Hayden, Nestor Lorant, J.P. Ortiz, Cole Schoenwetter.

Relief Pitchers: Cody Adcock, Victor Diaz, Jacob Edwards, Trent Hodgdon, Brody Jessee, Graham Osman, Drew Pestka, Stephen Quigley, Jimmy Romano, Dylan Simmons.

The Dayton roster includes 18 players who spent all or part of the 2025 season with the Dragons, including 11 of the 14 position players. The list of returnees includes Faile, last season's Dragons team leader in home runs and runs batted in.

Duno is currently technically rated by both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline as the #2 prospect in the Reds organization, but the player ahead of him is former Dragon Sal Stewart, the Reds starting first baseman on Opening Day on March 26, making Duno the top prospect among players currently in the Reds farm system.

Duno led the Florida State League in 2025 in eight of the most important categories including home runs (18), runs batted in (81), extra base hits (52), runs (78), doubles (32), on-base percentage (.430), slugging percentage (.518), and OPS (.948). He finished second in the league in batting average (.287) and base hits (112). He was chosen as both the league MVP and the league's best Major League prospect.

Sanchez, a Reds top-30 prospect who spent the last two months of the 2025 season with the Dragons, is back with Dayton in 2026 at shortstop.

Confidan and Stephan were both starting outfielders for the Dragons for most of the 2025 season. Stephan had two of the team's biggest hits including the Dragons only grand slam home run of the year and a big three-run home run in June that triggered the second largest comeback win in Dragons history as they overcame a nine-run deficit.

Stovall, a former All-American at the University of Arkansas, was the Dragons hottest hitter during their club-record 15-game winning streak and primarily plays second base.

One of the top names among the Dragons newcomers is outfielder Kien Vu, who won the PAC 12 batting title in 2024 at Arizona State, hitting .413 with 14 home runs in 47 games to earn Third Team All-American honors. Vu was a 2025 ninth round draft pick the Reds who played well in his introduction to professional baseball last summer with Daytona, hitting .273 with four home runs in 23 games. He was the Florida State League Player of the Week for August 11-17 when he batted .467 with six doubles in five games.

Among newcomers on the mound is starting pitcher J.P. Ortiz, who enjoyed one of the top seasons among all pitchers in the entire Reds farm system in 2025 with Daytona, posting a record of 7-1 with a fine ERA of 2.86. He was one of only two pitchers in the Florida State League to log an ERA of under 3.00 while throwing at least 80 innings.

Check out the Dayton Dragons Statistics

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Midwest League Stories from March 31, 2026


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