03-04-2025
Knoxville Smokies reveal 2025 roster, opening day starting pitcher
Right-handed pitcher Will Sanders is the projected starter when the Smokies face the Birmingham Barons on April 4 at Regions Field in the Southern League opener.
Sanders, 23, was a fourth-round pick by the Chicago Cubs in the 2023 draft, and played college baseball at South Carolina. The Atlanta native is in his second season in the minors, and was assigned to the Smokies last season in September from the High-A South Bend Cubs
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The Double-A Smokies play their first home game April 15. The home opener marks the Smokies' return to Knoxville after playing a quarter century in nearby Kodak, and the game will be the first in the newly built Covenant Health Park in the Old City.
The 2025 club features familiar faces, including infielders Hayden Cantrelle, Haydn McGeary and BJ Murray, outfielders Parker Chavers and Felix Stevens, and catchers Pablo Aliendo and Casey Opitz.
The Knoxville Smokies roster
Infielders
BJ Murray, Hayden Cantrelle, Ed Howard, Haydn McGeary, Pedro Ramirez
Outfielders
Parker Chavers, Jordan Nwogu, Jaylen Palmer, Felix Stevens,
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Pitchers
Sam Armstrong, Brad Depperman, Wil Jensen, Nick Hull, Chris Kachmar, Grant Kipp, Rob Kwiatkowski, Ben Leeper, Zac Leigh, AJ Puckett, Will Sanders, Frankie Scalzo Jr., Tyler Santana, Mitchell Tyranski, Cayne Ueckert
Catchers
Pablo Aliendo, Ethan Hearn, Casey Opitz
Promotions revealed, fireworks set, tickets available for purchase
The Smokies will offer 32 promotional nights at home games and a record-setting 27 fireworks displays during the 2025 season, including their largest fireworks show of the year on July 4.
Tickets can be purchased online at including packages such as the "Pitches on the Pitch" collaboration with One Knox SC, a $230 deal featuring tickets for five Smokies games, five One Knox games and a Smokies hat and One Knox hat.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Knoxville Smokies reveal 2025 roster, opening day starting pitcher
