Opening Day in MLB took centerstage on Thursday, with the Phillies winning against the Nationals to start the 2025 campaign. Today, the Triple-A season opens with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs hosting the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (Triple-A New York Yankees) for a weekend series at Coca-Cola Park. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.
Below is information regarding the game and thoughts from some notable players on the IronPigs, including prospects Justin Crawford, Gabriel Rincones Jr., and Mick Abel, along with Garrett Stubbs, who looks to provide a veteran presence, and fourth-year manager Anthony Contreras.
Rosters & Prospects
Here are the rosters for both the IronPigs and RailRiders.
For Lehigh Valley, six of the top-30 prospects in the organization according to MLBPipleine.com are on the Opening Day roster.
#3 – OF Justin Crawford
#8 – RHP Mick Abel
#10 – OF Gabriel Rincones Jr.
#12 – RHP Seth Johnson
#22 – RHP Michael Mercado
#23 – INF Otto Kemp
Meanwhile, for the RailRiders, the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, their roster includes:
#15 – OF Everson Pereira
#21 – INF Jorbit Vivas
IronPigs Pitching Probables
Friday – RHP Alan Rangel
Rangel made 10 appearances, with five being starts, last year with Lehigh Valley after being signed by the Phillies after the Angels released him on July 1st. During his tenure with the IronPigs the previous year, he went 1-2 with a 4.30 ERA with 25 strikeouts in 29.1 innings of work. The 27-year-old originally signed with the Braves back in 2014.
Saturday – RHP Seth Johnson (4:35 p.m.)
The 22nd-ranked prospect in the system, Johnson, joined the organization as part of the Gregory Soto trade with Baltimore last year. He appeared in five starts with the IronPigs late in the season while spending last season with three teams, including Bowie (Double-A, Baltimore), Reading, and Lehigh Valley, going 2-8 but posting a solid 2.73 ERA across 25 starts.
Sunday – RHP Mick Abel (1:35 p.m)
The eighth-best prospect is looking to rebound after a down year last year where he posted a 3-12 record and a career-high 6.46 ERA in 24 starts. The righty paced the pitching staff with his 117 strikeouts and was second on the team with his 108.2 innings of work.
They Said It
IronPigs Manager Anthony Contreras
“It’s easy to get excited. Fresh year and a new group of guys with some returning. Excited to see what the new guys will do. The last three years have gone so fast and familiar that comes along with everything with Lehigh so excited to see what this group can do here.”
On talented players on the roster: “That’s one of the exciting parts about this season. We are going to see some homegrown talent start to come up to the higher levels. Crawford, Rincones Jr., and Kemp, guys that are highly touted within our organization, are coming here to show what they can do. They are top prospects for a reason. They have a skillset that can play at the major league level. This is just part of their process to getting up there. Anytime you can add that homegrown talent in Triple-A and being so close to Philly, it’s exciting.”
IronPigs Outfielder Justin Crawford
On finding out he was going to Triple-A: “I went to the board (in Clearwater) and saw my name and said OK, guess I’m going to Lehigh. I was really excited. I wasn’t sure where I was going to start the year. Just excited, and fortunate enough the Phillies are giving me this opportunity to go out there and show what I can do. My body is feeling good, just ready to go out there and play games that count.”
On handling pressure to start the year: “Just stay in the moment. My family and support group really instilled that in me. When I was younger, I put a lot of pressure on myself, and then as I got older just went out there and played. At the end of the day people are going to say things good or bad; I just need to go out there and play and can control what I can control.”
IronPigs Outfielder Gabriel Rincones Jr.
On the biggest takeaways from Spring Training: “The disciplines going into games. Before camp, it was different in the aspect of going about my work. It wasn’t as pro. Being around those guys that know how to do it right, I really learned how to carry myself off the field more so than on the field. That’s really big for me.”
On a player who took him under their wing: “Kyle (Schwarber). He was nice enough to give me the advice he did and work with Kevin Long. Working with those two was awesome, and very grateful for that.”
On expectations this year: “Super excited. Super excited to win and give it all we got. Expectations-wise, it doesn’t change. Every single year is to be better, play better, and win more. Be one of the best in the league, and that’s what we plan on doing.”
IronPigs Catcher Garrett Stubbs
On how he wants to help younger players on the team: “I’m not a pusher. I’m not going to go up to a Mick (Abel), or any of the young pitchers on our staff and try to insert wisdom upon them. If they have a question, if they want to know something, I certainly have had my fair share of time in the big leagues. if they want some of the insight with some of the things I’ve experienced, I’m an open book. Always will be.”
On experiencing atmosphere in Lehigh Valley: “Obviously, Philly fans travel far and wide. I’m looking forward to seeing the fanbase in Lehigh Valley. Obviously, it will be less people than Citizen’s Bank Park, but I can’t imagine they’re any less electric than the fans at CBP because if you know any Philly fans, they will bring it 100% no matter where they are at.”
IronPigs Pitcher Mick Abel
On bouncing back after last season: “Just going out and have an offseason I did and build a lot of confidence. I prepared myself as well as I could for this year. Had a good spring. Just go out there and show who I am. One year isn’t going to define me as a player or as a person.”
On what he did to get better: “A lot of it was more becoming myself as a pitcher. Don’t think about what others want to see out of me, but what I want out of myself. It’s always becoming more disciplined and more self-aware. When I fall out of my routines, that’s when things kind of go south. It’s about sticking to one thing. If it works, it works. Just have to keep going with it.”
Photo By: TMB/Icon Sportswire
