Minor league baseball is back in Pensacola.
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos begin their 2025 season on Friday's Opening Day against the Biloxi Shuckers at 6:05 p.m., the start of a three-game series against the Mississippi-based team.
It's the start of the organization's 139-game schedule, spanning from Friday until its last regular-season game on Sept. 14 at home against the Columbus Clingstones, formerly known as the Mississippi Braves before relocating to Columbus, Georgia, during the offseason.
The Blue Wahoos return a good number of players, including the Miami Marlins' Double-A Player of the Year, Joe Mack, who will be one of the catchers for Pensacola this season. Mack was also the 2024 Minor League Gold Glove Award winner, the first from the Marlins' organization since 2019.
Mack had a .241 batting average with the Wahoos last season in 112 games, posting 102 hits with 25 doubles and 22 home runs, tacking on 65 RBIs and 63 runs. He initially started the 2024 season in High-A Beloit, before making his Pensacola debut on April 21, 2024.
“I’m excited to be here with the Blue Wahoos fans. The energy here is unbelievable. It’s a great opportunity to come out and play and have the same year as last year," Mack said during the team's media day on Wednesday. "We have a great team, great coaches and a great staff. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
While it's normal for a lot of changes at the minor league level, the Blue Wahoos also have a new manager for the first time 2021. Nelson Prada, who was previously manager of the Low-A Jupiter Hammerheads in 2023-24, was promoted to Double-A.
This is his fourth season, overall, with the Marlins' organzation.
Former manager Kevin Randel is now a roving coordinator, still within Miami's program. He finished his stint with the Blue Wahoos with a 275-239 overall record, the winningest coach in the organization's history since 2012.
"Working in the lower levels for many years, and having the opportunity to be in Double-A this year, is something good for me. I really like the opportunity from the Marlins," Prada said on Wednesday. "Anywhere you go, you have to act like you’re in the big leagues. I’m going to do my best whether it’s the Rookie League or Double-A."
Prada said there's a focus, this year with the team, about being an ...
