Two of Iowa’s minor league teams will take the field in a location where no minor leaguer has played before. Some of the best talent from each system will dress for the occasion.
The Minor League opener at the iconic Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa, is scheduled for a first pitch at 6:30 p.m. CT Tuesday night in front of a crowd of thousands plus the MLB Network audience. The rosters of the Cedar Rapids Kernels, the High-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins and the Quad Cities River Bandits (Kansas City Royals) currently combine for eight Top 30 prospects.
Cedar Rapids have already clinched a Midwest League West Division title in the first half and are heading to the playoffs while Quad Cities will aim to capitalize on the magic of the home team that led the Chicago White Sox to a thrilling victory over the New York The Yankees in last year’s opener played at the MLB ballpark next to the hallowed cinema site.
The Kernels and River Bandits will sport throwback identities for the historic event, with Cedar Rapids taking the field as the Bunnies, honoring that city’s team from 1904-1932, and Quad Cities becoming the Davenport Blue Sox in the honor of the teams that have played in the region. at various times from 1913 to 1937. Sporting the retro threads will be the next top 30 talents.
Cedar Rapids Rabbits (cores)
1B Aaron Sabato, Twins #12 (ETA MLB: 2023)
The 27th overall pick in the 2020 draft, Sabato was a powerhouse in North Carolina, where he set a freshman record with 18 homers. In his first 100 professional games, he doubled that total with 36 long balls, including 17 so far this season for the Kernels.
2B/OF Alérick Soularie, Twins #18 (ETA MLB: 2024)
Soularie can play anywhere in the outfield, as evidenced by his 10 games on center and right as well as 2 on the left this year, as well as getting by at second base, where he’s played 40 times. Taken a turn after Sabato in 2020, the Tennessee product is playing his first full season after being limited to just 34 games due to injury last year.
RHP David Festa, Twins #25 (ETA MLB: 2024)
After starting the year with a 1.50 ERA in five starts for Single-A Fort Myers, Festa got the bump at Cedar Rapids, where he was stellar. The 6-foot-6 right-hander can hit 99 mph with his fastball, has a hard slider and decent change, and has a 6-2 record and 2.75 ERA in 11 games (eight starts) for kernels.
HRP Sean Mooney, Twins #26 (ETA MLB: 2023)
The Twins took Mooney out of St. John’s in 2019 and helped him recover from Tommy John’s surgery that year. The right-hander made his pro debut in 2021 and has been solid for Cedar Rapids this season, posting a 2.50 ERA in 13 games (11 starts), striking out 73 and walking just 26 in 54 innings.
3B/1B Jake Rucker, Twins #30 (ETA MLB: 2024)
Another SEC product from Tennessee, Rucker joined the Twins in the seventh round of the 2021 draft and rebuilt an impressive first full-season campaign with Fort Myers and Cedar Rapids. In addition to 35 games played at third base and 30 at first, Rucker was also tested with seven at second base and nine in the outfield. Between them all, his bat continued to play on a slant line of .265/.365/.449 in 98 games for the Kernels.
Davenport Blue Sox (Quad Cities River Bandits)
RHP Beck Road, Royals No. 12 (ETA MLB: 2023)
The Yankees’ 2020 fourth-round pick, Way arrived with the Royals last week via the trade of Andrew Benintendi. In 15 outings to start the year with High-A Hudson Valley in the Yanks system, the right-hander went 5-5 with a 3.73 ERA. In his first two starts with the River Bandits, he struck out 13 in 10 2/3 innings.
2B Peyton Wilson, Royals No. 14 (ETA MLB: 2024)
Taken 66th overall in 2021, Wilson comes from an athletic family that ran three sons through Alabama. Along with Peyton, John Parker played quarterback for the Crimson Tide and his younger brother Ross still shares the freshman homer record with 15. The younger Wilson had a regular first full season, batting .252/.332 /.400 60 games.
C Luca Tresh, Royals No. 26 (ETA MLB: 2025)
North Carolina State product Tresh helped lead the Wolfpack to a third-place finish in the 2021 College World Series before going to the Royals in the 17th round that year. This season he’s been impressive in his Midwest League debut, averaging .273/.360/.470 with 14 home runs and 54 RBIs in 80 games.