31 Former Sea Dogs On Opening Day Rosters
By Kevin Doyon
PORTLAND, Maine — There was a strong Maine presence for the MLB’s Opening Day last week, as 31 former Portland Sea Dogs found their way onto MLB rosters. Of those players, 14 are on the Boston Red Sox. There are also two managers and 10 coaches that are former Sea Dogs.
Notable former Sea Dogs playing for the Red Sox this season include last year’s American League and ALCS MVP Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, Jackie Bradley Jr., and Xander Bogaerts. Portland alumni suiting up for teams around the league include Jon Lester, Anthony Rizzo, Hanley Ramirez, and Drew Pomeranz to name a few.
“The Sea Dogs provide a wonderful environment for players to grow and develop,” said Red Sox Vice President of Player Development Ben Crockett in a January press release. He added, “Portland’s passionate fan base gives our players a taste of what they will see at Fenway.”
Sea Dogs Manager Darren Fester says that Portland’s minor league team is so important because it contributes to the success of the Red Sox organization.
“The majority of those guys come through Portland, [the Sea Dogs] have a very big impact.” He added, “that’s the role Portland played for Boston [last] year.” Fester of course was referring to Boston’s championship season, which had 10 former Sea Dogs on the World Series roster.
The Sea Dogs, which are the AA minor league affiliate of the Red Sox, play their games at Hadlock Field in Portland. Whether it be to groom young prospects or to provide rehabilitation to current big leaguers, Portland has served as a critical part of Boston’s recent success. The two team’s recently signed an extension of their Player Development Contract for another two years. This year will mark the 17th season that the Sea Dogs have been an affiliate to the Red Sox, making that the longest permitted term under the current Professional Baseball Agreement.
Husson junior Dylan Kelley makes an effort to catch a Sea Dogs game at least once a summer. He says that in addition to it being a fun atmosphere, the chance to watch future MLB players play close to his home is what makes the games special.
“It is really cool to know that the guys you are watching play in Portland could very well be suiting up for the Red Sox one day. I remember a few years back I saw Betts play. He was really talented as a minor leaguer, and now he’s a superstar. I think that’s probably the best thing about going to the games, is when they start making an impact in the MLB, you can say ‘yeah I watched him play before he was an All-Star or MVP.”
The Sea Dogs will open their season by hosting the Reading Fightin Phils, today, April 4, at 6 p.m.
The complete list of Portland Sea Dog alumni on 2019 MLB opening day rosters can be found here.
