Mighty Mussels ready for opener with stacked prospect roster

FORT MYERS, Fla. (WINK) — The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels are back on the field and preparing for opening day Thursday with a roster loaded with top prospects in the Minnesota Twins organization.

The Twins’ Single-A affiliate held its final practice before opening night at Hammond Stadium, where the Mighty Mussels will begin the season against the Clearwater Threshers at 7:05 p.m.

This year’s roster includes six of the Twins’ top 30 prospects, giving Fort Myers fans plenty of young talent to watch as the season begins.

There are also new faces in the dugout. Manager Jordan Smith takes over after winning a Carolina League championship last season, and he said his job is to help players develop while also teaching them how to win.

“I'm a coach who likes to win. I care about development more, but at the end of the day, it's Like, I want them to, like, learn how hard it is to win at these levels, and they continue to carry that all the way up to the big leagues,” Smith said.

Among the top prospects on the roster is right-handed pitcher Riley Quick, who said he is entering the season feeling as strong as he ever has.

“I feel great. Honestly, this is probably the best I felt in my career, building up, like, these guys have put me in a really good spot, and my arm feels really good,” Quick said.

Infielder JP Smith said the team is eager to finally bring that work onto the field.

“You know, great vibes - We’re all excited. It was a long offseason, we’ve put in a lot of work for this year, so, you know, just ready to put it on the field and give Skip and the fans what they want to see,” Smith said.

The Mighty Mussels open the season Thursday night at home against Clearwater.