Daily Archives: April 5, 2024

2023 CHAMPS MODESTO IN STOCKTON ON OPENING NIGHT

The 2024 California League season opens tonight with all eight teams in action for three-game series to kick things off. The matchups are as follows:

VISALIA at INLAND EMPIRE
RANCHO CUCAMONGA at LAKE ELSINORE
FRESNO at SAN JOSE
MODESTO at STOCKTON

The Modesto Nuts take the field at Banner Island Ballpark tonight as the reigning California League champions for the first time since 2017. The 2023 Nuts got hot at the right time, which was ALL THE TIME in the second half. After going 34-32 and finishing six games out in the first half, Modesto went 43-23 in the second half to narrowly win the North division by one game over Fresno. The blistering second half included at 16-game win streak in August/September and finishing the season with 17 wins in the last 19 games.

The playoffs were more of the same with a pair of two-game sweeps to raise the championship banner.

Tonight we start all over and in minor league baseball the players change quickly, so here’s a hat tip to the incredible season that Modesto put together last year. The banner will fly at John Thurman Field for years to come.

2024 VISALIA RAWHIDE ROSTER ANNOUNCED

The Visalia Rawhide announced their 2024 roster on Wednesday, highlighted by six of the Arizona Diamondbacks’ top 25 prospects, including Druw Jones. Press release below, full roster HERE.

VISALIA, CA– The Arizona Diamondbacks have officially announced the opening day roster for the Rawhide ahead of Friday’s season opener.

The Rawhide roster features 31 players including six among the top 25 within the Diamondbacks organization. Visalia’s roster features 17 pitchers including three catchers, five outfielders, and six infielders.

Druw Jones headlines the opening roster entering the 2024 season as the 74th ranked prospect in Major League Baseball according to mlb.com. The Rawhide infield is filled with top prospects including Jansel Luis, Cristofer Torin, and Ruben Santana. The three Hide infielders enter the season within the top ten in the Diamondbacks organization.

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